Duke Homestead's Christmas by Candlelight tours in Durham: 2026 dates are not posted yet. The 2025 tours ran Dec. 5 and 12, 5:30 to 9 p.m., at $8 for adults.

Last checked Nov. 3, 2026. Facts come from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources: the Duke Homestead site page, its events calendar and the Christmas by Candlelight listing. This page is updated each year at the same address.

Duke Homestead has not yet posted its 2026 Christmas by Candlelight dates. The state historic site’s events calendar listed no upcoming events on Nov. 3. Last year’s tours ran on two Friday evenings, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, 2025, from 5:30 to 9 p.m., with tickets at $8. We will add this year’s dates, times and ticket link as soon as the site publishes them.

Know before you go

  • 2026 dates: not announced yet; 2025 ran Fridays, Dec. 5 and 12, 5:30 to 9 p.m.
  • Where: Duke Homestead State Historic Site, 2828 Duke Homestead Road, Durham
  • Tickets (2025): $8, sold for a set tour time
  • Tour size: 20 people at most, leaving every 10 minutes
  • Questions: Duke Homestead, 919-627-6990

What the evening is

Christmas by Candlelight is the historic site’s annual holiday program. According to the state’s listing:

  • Visitors follow a candlelit tour through the historic area.
  • Costumed interpreters show the Duke family home as it might have been at Christmas in 1870, when the Dukes lived there.
  • There is live Christmas music, dancing and singing, and holiday cookies.

Tickets and tour times

  • Tickets are sold for a specific tour time. Tours leave from the Visitor Center every 10 minutes, and each is limited to 20 people.
  • The site asks visitors to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early, because tours leave on time.
  • The 2025 listing priced tickets at $8. An earlier state listing for the event gave $8 plus tax for adults and $4 plus tax for children ages 3 to 12. Check the 2026 listing for this year’s prices before you buy.
  • The listing marks the event as open to all ages.

With small groups and fixed times, popular Friday slots can sell out. Buy as soon as the 2026 tickets go on sale.

Visiting Duke Homestead the rest of the year

The site is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Sunday, Monday and state holidays. Admission is free; fees may apply for events and guided tours. It preserves the Duke family’s farm and early tobacco factory, and more of Durham’s history is on our history and landmarks page.

Getting there

Duke Homestead is in north Durham at 2828 Duke Homestead Road. Check our road construction and closures page before you set out, and getting around Durham for parking and transit across the city.

What this means for you

Frequently asked questions

When is Christmas by Candlelight at Duke Homestead in 2026?

Duke Homestead had not posted 2026 dates on Nov. 3; its state events calendar listed no upcoming events. In 2025 the tours ran Fridays, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. We will add the 2026 dates when the site posts them.

How much are Christmas by Candlelight tickets?

The 2025 listing priced tickets at $8. The state’s earlier listing for the event gave $8 plus tax for adults and $4 plus tax for children ages 3 to 12. Tickets are for a set tour time.

What happens on the candlelight tour?

Costumed interpreters lead a candlelit tour of the historic area, showing the Duke family home as it might have looked at Christmas in 1870, with live Christmas music, dancing, singing and holiday cookies, according to the state’s event listing.

Where is Duke Homestead?

Duke Homestead State Historic Site is at 2828 Duke Homestead Road in Durham. Tours leave from the Visitor Center. The site’s phone number is 919-627-6990.