Programs at Yates Mill
Throughout the year Historic Yates Mill County Park offers a variety of programming for all generations. For current public programs being offered, please refer to the Calendar of Events.
The following programs are offered at Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Road, Raleigh, NC. To register, complete and sign the registration form and return it with payment (made out to Wake County Parks) by mail or bring by the park office. Payment and registration form must be received to confirm your spot in the programs. For more information about the following programs, contact the park at 919-856-6675 or email yatesmill@wakegov.com.
Preregistration is required for ALL our programs.
For more information please select the following:
Special Events:
The “Mill as Muse” Art & Photography Contests
– ENTRIES DUE FEBRUARY 1
The contests include youth and adult categories, and mill and nature subjects.
Yates Mill has served as a source of artistic inspiration for more than two centuries and continues to be the subject of local works of art. Share your artistic creations by entering the park’s annual art and/or photography contests. Contest rules can be obtained at the park, by mail on request, and on
our Mill As Muse website.
Make sure and check out our "Mill As Muse" Creative Art Session for kids in our children's programs!
Blacksmithing Demonstration
Saturday, March 17, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Stop by the mill yard to see the blacksmith’s forge in action and explore how these essential members of the community crafted everything from horseshoes and nails to gears and wheels. Thanks to the members of the NC Artist Blacksmith Association of North America (
www.ncabana.org) for providing this educational demo.
Free demonstrations of other historic trades and crafts are also available each month in the mill yard!
Family Programs
These programs encourage families to enjoy a park experience together.
Preregistration is required.
Creation Station: Sweets for the Sweet!
Monday, February 13, 2–3 p.m.
For all ages (most appropriate for ages 6 & up), Fee: $5/family or $3/person
Bring the whole family to a Valentine’s Day tea party at Historic Yates Mill! Enjoy some healthy treats (made with Yates Mill’s own cornmeal), master proper Victorian etiquette and make valentines for your secret admirer. Dress to impress!!
Natural Explorations: Going Green Hike
Saturday, March 17, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
For all ages, Fee: $5/family or $3/person
Continue your St. Patrick’s Day celebration and kick off spring with a guided hike around the verdant (green!) millpond and participate in a treasure hunt for “gold coins” that contain earth-friendly helpful hints.
Homeschool Programs
Homeschool Day: The Colonial Schoolhouse
Monday, March 12, 10 a.m.–noon
Ages 6–11, Fee: $12/child
Colonial school is now in session – work on slates and hornbooks, write with quill pens and enjoy other activities just as boys and girls did in historic times. Then put on your thinking cap and investigate the mysteries of milling as a “Yates Mill History Detective”!
Children's Programs
Innovation & Invention – The African-American Experience
Saturday, February 4, 10–11 a.m.
Ages 7–13, Fee: $4/child
Help us to celebrate Black History Month by learning about influential African-American inventors. Can you imagine life without the traffic light, ironing board, pacemaker, light bulb or peanut butter? Using a timeline and hands-on activities, explore these inventions (and more!) and their impact on our daily lives.
Science Sleuths: The Science of Color
Saturday, February 11, 10–11:30 a.m.
Ages 7–13, Fee: $4/child
Discover the science behind the color wheel. Experiment with mixing colors, chromatography and how color and light work together. Learn where natural colors come from, how we view them and what we can create from them.
Little Historians: Presidents’ Day
Monday, February 20, 10–11 a.m.
Ages 3–5, Fee: $4/child, with accompanying adult
Presidents’ Day recognizes great leaders, including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Join us as we read a story, make a craft and play a game to celebrate this very special day!
Little Sprouts: The Mighty Oak & Some Forest Fun
Wednesday, March 21, 10–11 a.m.
Ages 4–6, $4/child, with accompanying adult
“A mighty oak was once a seedling that stood its ground.” Help us to celebrate World Forestry Day as we learn about trees and their many wildlife benefits. We’ll read a fun story and make a woodsy craft.
New! – NATURE EXPLORERS SERIES
Discover the natural world through outdoor exploration and field studies. Preregistration is required. Fee: $4/child per program or $10 for all 3 Nature Explorer programs. For ages 9–13
The Reasons for Seasons
Thursday, March 15, 3:30–5 p.m.
Rotate and revolve your way to learning about seasons. Why are spring and summer so much warmer than fall and winter? Learn words like “hibernation” and “migration,” and discover how animals stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Be sure to check out the Nature Watchers (ages 3–5) and Nature Friends (ages 6–9) Program Series that are being offered at Crowder District Park.
The Great Backyard Bird Count
We are offering some FREE, family-friendly programs for all ages in conjunction with the Bird Count!
Walk About the Pond – Bird Count
Friday, February 17, 2–3:30 p.m.
Join a park naturalist on a one-mile hike around Yates Mill Pond and help to identify and count the birds that we see along the way. Learn how to identify backyard birds by sight, sound and other signs.
Breakfast with the Birds – registration is required!
Saturday, February 18, 8:30–10 a.m.
We will leisurely walk the trails to identify and count the birds. Then enjoy doughnuts with a cup of shade-grown, bird-friendly coffee or hot chocolate for the kids. Please bring a reusable mug for each member of your family.
Build a Bluebird Box – registration is required!
Saturday, February 18, 10:30 a.m.–noon
Build a bluebird box to put up in your yard to attract these beautiful insect eaters, and learn how to install and maintain your box. Also, find out why bluebirds aren’t really blue! Materials fee: $8/Box. All supplies provided.
Birds of the Night – Hike – registration is required!
Sunday, February 19, 5:30–7 p.m.
Join us for a guided hike just after dark in search of our nocturnal flyers and learn about their special adaptations that allow them to be out at night. We may hear or see a few other night creatures, as well.