Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center will be celebrating Heritage Day Sept. 15, giving a chance for visitors to experience local history from the Native Americans to the 1900s throughout the Heritage Village.

“It’s definitely a family event,” said Heritage Center Director Claudette Lopez. “Older people can do tours, they can listen in on the gold panning demonstration, then kids can do the ice cream making. It’s definitely geared toward the whole family.”

Heritage Day will run Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lopez said there will be demonstrations and activities spanning the time in history the Heritage Center already touches on a daily basis.

“We’ll have a Native American display, we’ll have our forsten exhibit on display - those are the southeastern arrowheads that we have,” she said. “We’ll also have the UGA toli team and they’ll be out here demonstrating toli which is a predecessor to lacrosse.”

The Weekend Goldpanners Association will also be at Heritage Day doing a gold panning demonstration along with hikes to the center’s gold mine.

For those involved with Girl Scouts the day will also have an opportunity to earn a badge through the activities provided around the village.

In addition to the actual Heritage Day on Saturday, Autrey Mill will also be hosting a Hoe Down at the Mill the day before. This event, intended to provide an opportunity for those with weekend commitments to come out to the center, will include line dancing, trivia, children’s games and more.

“That’s new this year,” Lopez said.

“We’re trying to do some nighttime activities for people who can’t get out here on Saturdays.”

Both the Hoe Down and the Heritage Day will be at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center at 9770 Autrey Mill Road in Johns Creek.

The Hoe Down will be Sept. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. and is $5 with snacks available for purchase.

The Heritage Day is also $5 and both nights children under 3-years-old get in for free.

Information: www.autreymill.org.