Making its 32nd appearance, the metro area welcomes back the Denver Parade of Homes, a local tradition that brings family and community together for four summer weekends filled with events, activities and inspiration.
Though this hallmark event for homebuilders has seen tens of thousands of visitors each year, many still consider it — or at least some of its perks — a bit of a secret.
“It’s something not everyone knows about,” said Jason August, a sales and marketing representative for Piccirrillo Signature Homes, which is featuring a luxury home in this year’s tour. “People might not know there are parade homes near their home … that it’s open to the public and of no cost to the public.”
The parade, which features dozens of model homes constructed by area builders, made its Denver debut through the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver in 1985 and has undergone a number of small changes throughout the years with upgrades including free admission, an online version of the annual magazine and a transition from a single-site event to featured homes across the metro area. The parade is open Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Labor Day, Sept. 4.
The switch from a single venue to a variety of sites allows the tour to showcase more builders and more communities and provide a closer look at the new neighborhoods that interest shoppers, said Sara Dieringer, 2017 co-chair of the parade and vice president of sales and marketing for Cardel Homes, a featured builder for the last nine years.
The 2017 parade features 20 residential-area builders and 66 model homes, including eight “dream homes” — custom houses ranging in price from $760,000 to nearly $3 million — dotted throughout a number of master-planned communities from Aurora to Arvada, Windsor to Castle Rock.
“(The parade homes) are easy to find with the detailed maps in the parade book,” said Deb Blessing, a resident of the Denver metro area for more than 30 years and an experienced guest, having attended at least 10 parades.
Using an easy-to-read map, photos and detailed descriptions of each home online — including square-footage, price, builder details and neighborhood features — anyone interested in seeing the homes can create a digital “tour list,” which the website will use to generate a geographically-sensible route via Google Maps, directing visitors to stops at each designated house.
“It’s really just being able to see the best of Denver,” August said. “It’s a good way to understand the market in a quick span of time.”
Piccirillo, which recently moved to Colorado from upstate New York, is making its first appearance in the Denver parade. Company leaders conducted an economic analysis that led them to believe “Denver was the strongest choice for the foreseeable future,” August said. “We are taking design that isn’t typically found in the Denver marketplace and bringing it here,” he said.
Even people who aren’t interested in buying a new home can benefit from touring the parade homes, its promoters said.
“You can get your 10,000 steps in and get great decorating ideas,” Blessing said. “I take away from the Parade of Homes knowledge about energy-saving features, outdoor living spaces and current trends.”
Several of the builders and communities host workshops throughout the event, and feature drawings, raffles and refreshments.
“People come back year after year,” Dieringer said. “Everyone loves it.”
Piccirillo Signature Homes saw about 500 guests in the first weekend of the parade, and Whispering Pines — a spotlighted community in Aurora featuring Shea Homes, TRI Pointe Homes and CalAtlantic Homes — saw more than 100.
Cheryl Haflich, marketing director for Shea Homes, said the parade increases customer traffic for the company.
“We love to get people interested in seeing the newest trends and colors out there,” she said. “And maybe they weren’t interested in buying, but now (after the parade) maybe they’re considering it.”
For more information on the 2017 Denver Parade of Homes or to view featured homes and create a tour, visit paradeofhomesdenver.com. Parade of Homes magazines are available at American Furniture Warehouse locations, King Soopers locations and at parade homes and can be viewed online.
http://www.denverpost.com/2017/08/16/2017-denver-parade-of-homes/