Parade of Homes Back on the March for 2021
Chippewa Valley Parade of Homes returns in 2021 after all-virtual year
Looking to buy or build a new home? Eager to find fresh ideas for a remodeling project? Are you just window shopping – or maybe just shopping for windows? After going virtual last summer because of the pandemic, the Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association’s 47th Annual Parade of Homes is back to being an in-person event this year.
Between June 12-19, participants will be able to physically explore 14 new and two remodeled homes, as well as take a virtual tour of one custom home.
Christina Thrun, executive officer of the Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association, says there’s pent-up demand for an in-person tour this year. “We’re anticipate a really strong turnout,” she said. “This is going to be one of the first more normal events that’s going to be back.”
Last summer’s entirely virtual Parade of Homes demonstrated that – whether virtually or in real life – Chippewa Valley residents are interested in eyeing up new homes. Thrun said nearly 21,000 individuals visited the tour’s website, and individual webpages about each home got an average of nearly 5,000 views.
Last summer’s entirely virtual Parade of Homes demonstrated that – whether virtually or in real life – Chippewa Valley residents are interested in eyeing up new homes.
What prevented an in-person event last year wasn’t so much COVID-19 restrictions, Thrun said, but the fact that pandemic-related supply chain delays prevented homes that would have been part of the tour from being completed on time. Last year, Thrun added, she often head that “the virtual Parade of Homes was better than nothing, but not as good as the real thing.”
This year, the “real thing” features new homes ranging in price from $170,000 to more than $750,000. Several are on the more affordable end of the spectrum, including three twin homes, Thrun said. Most are located in and around Eau Claire – with some in Lake Hallie, Altoona, and just south of the city limits. One home is near Lake Wissota. Because of the compact geographical area, tour participants should be able to visit all of the homes in one day, she added.
As always, contemporary building and design trends will be on display among this year’s parade homes. “Black is kind of the new ‘in’ color,” Thrun said, explaining that the trend began a few years ago with black-and-gold accents. Black-and-grey siding, black trim, and lighter colors of wood are also popular in 2021, she said.
Want to see it all for yourself? Tickets will go on sale soon at paradeofhomescv.com. The price will be $8 through June 11 and $10 after that. The tour will run Saturday, June 12, through Saturday, June 19, with homes open 10am to 5pm weekends and 5-9pm weekdays.
