2023 Special Events
FIELD & FACTORY: TOBACCO'S LABORERS TOURS
Saturday, February 4th, 11th, 18th, & 25th at 11:15am
Free tour admission
SPRING EGG HUNT
Saturday, April 8th
Come join us for a free Spring Egg Hunt here at Duke Homestead! Kids will be able to roam the grounds to find hidden eggs, and turn them in for prizes. Get the whole family playing with our egg-themed games, as well as our traditional historic games, and enjoy a puppet show!
This event is BYOB--Bring Your Own Basket.
We'll have different times and areas for each age group to participate:
0-3 yrs at 10:15 am
4-7 yrs at 10:30 am
8-12 yrs at 11:00 am
Free of charge
BORN AT DUKE HOMESTEAD
Saturday, April 29th
We often talk about Duke Homestead as the birthplace of Washington Duke’s tobacco business. But, Duke Homestead was also the birthplace of three individuals. Join us on Mother's Day weekend for a special open house of the historic Duke home, with living history interpreters discussingall about what birth, childhood, and motherhood meant in the 1850s.
Standard tour fees apply; Mothers free!
FAMILY FARM ANIMAL DAY
Saturday, June 24th; 10am-2pm
Come visit Duke Homestead and meet farm creatures typically found on a 19th century homestead! Visitors will learn about the importance of animals, birds, pollinators, and more on farms in North Carolina, both historically and today. Visit with and learn more about animals from local farms, rescue organizations, and wildlife centers from right here in North Carolina. Join us for a day of animals, games, crafts, and history!
$2 per person (1yr & under free)
BBQ FUNDRAISER
Saturday, July 22nd; 11am-2pm
The Duke Homestead Education and History Corporation, the volunteer non-profit support group for the historic site, will hold a barbecue lunch fundraiser on July 22 between 11 am and 2 pm. Individual meal tickets are $12 each, and the meals are available for both take out or eating in the site’s picnic area. All proceeds of the lunch will be used to supplement Duke Homestead’s special events, site maintenance, artifact collections, and staff development. Tickets can be purchased in person at the site’s gift shop or at the event on July 22.
BRIGHT LEAF HARVEST DAY
Saturday, August 19th; 10am-2pm
Celebrate North Carolina farming culture and history at Duke Homestead! We’ll be harvesting our tobacco out of the field and demonstrating the process of tobacco looping.
Free
DUKE HOMESTEAD’S HALLOWEEN PHANTASMAGORIA
Friday, October 27th, 6:30pm-9:30pm
Explore historical concepts of Spiritualism, awe, and wonder from the 19th century at Duke Homestead!
You are invited to wander the property to see what wonders you can find. We won’t spoil the surprises, but we can tell you that this will be unlike any other Halloween experience you will have.
Did you come last year? Come again! We have new encounters for you to experience.
Tickets available online via Eventbrite.
VINTAGE BASE BALL GAME
Saturday, November 11th
Game 1 @ 1pm; Game 2 @ 3pm
Join Duke Homestead State Historic Site at the historic Durham Athletic Park for a vintage base ball game the evening of November 11th!
The iconic Durham Athletic Park has hosted baseball games since 1926 and was even featured in an iconic baseball film, but Durham’s baseball roots are even deeper. The first century of baseball was marked by racial segregation and separate leagues for black and white athletes at the DAP until the 1950s; however, Duke Homestead welcomes all people to participate and honors the struggles and achievements of the many players over the past century who brought us the Durham baseball culture we know today. Players will wear historic uniforms, follow historic gameplay, and use historic equipment.
We invite you to connect with the history of this sport, this place, and this community by enjoying a night out at the ball park.
We'll have Wool E. Bull as a special guest this year during the first game, and children will be able to run the bases in between games!
Admission: $5; children under 4 are free. Game tickets can be purchased online, as well as at the gate on game day.
Online tickets available via Eventbrite.
CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT
Fridays, December 1st & 8th, 5:30pm-9pm
You're invited to join us at Christmas by Candlelight - Experience an 1870s North Carolina Christmas with Duke Homestead!
Kick off your holiday season with this annual favorite. Come enjoy live Christmas music, dancing, singing, holiday cookies, and a whole lot of history as you follow a candlelit tour through our historic area. Costumed interpreters will bring the Duke family home to life as it might have been for Christmas in 1870 when the Dukes lived here!
Tickets and more information available HERE.