Down Memory Lane

A recent survey estimated that over 200,000 people visit the tour each year -- making it one of the highest attended events in the Twin Cities. With more than 350 homes featured in each event, there are countless families across our region who have found their home on the Parade of Homes.

The Parade of Homes has inspired homebuyers and families to build their dream home. It has altered how we sell homes in the Twin Cities and is recognized across the country for its unique ability to drive home sales traffic.

A Legacy Worth Celebrating

The Parade of Homes has a proud history presenting the leading homeownership event in Minnesota. We have welcomed Minnesotans to celebrate homeownership for decades and watched our region grow. The success of the tour speaks volumes to the commitment of the members of our association and the power we have when we work together for the common goal of creating homeownership opportunities for Minnesotans.

Join us in celebrating this incredible legacy this fall. We’ll be hosting several special events to invite the entire community to celebrate the Parade of Homes’ incredible history.

Art Pratt, Pratt Homes, secondgeneration homebuilder “Pratt Homes was incorporated the year after I was born, so I was raised in the homebuilding industry. The Parade of Homes has always been a part of our family business -- and our lives. My earliest memories of Parade Homes involve helping during the rush to finish and clean up the home the day before the tour starts. As a 10- or 11-year-old kid, I couldn’t do much, but it was fun to feel like I was helping. I got pretty good at mowing the lawn at our model homes. My cut lines were always perfectly straight.”

Sarah Dulong, Ron Clark Construction, Parade of Homes Committee Chair

“I hosted in our model home for the first time in the Spring Preview in 1997. It was such a great experience to see what people had to say about the homes and visit with them. We still have our annual ‘Ron Clark groupies’ that come every tour.”

Blake Swanson, Swanson Homes, third-generation homebuilder

“I do have a lot of memories of going through the Parade Homes, mostly when I was little and it was about not touching the walls or getting the homes dirty, but it was fun to show them off to friends and family and that sort of thing. When I was younger, I was the guy cutting the grass in the front, getting them ready for the tour.”