The Birthplace of the Home Tour
The Twin Cities are famous for many things: Prince, the Juicy Lucy, our Mall of America, the Honeycrisp apple, and the largest, most successful home tour in the country: the Parade of Homes. The modern home tour concept’s origin story starts in Edina in 1948 when the then Minneapolis Builders Association came together to showcase what new construction had to offer homebuyers.
This fall, the Parade of Homes will celebrate 75 incredible years of helping Minnesotans find builders, remodelers, design inspiration, and homes. When the Minneapolis Homebuilders Association set out to create the Parade of Homes, they hoped it would help promote new homes and were impressed with the great turnout of homebuyers. Many other organizations saw the success of the Parade of Homes and replicated it across the country. Today, the Parade of Homes remains the oldest and largest home tour in the United States.
From the Trend Home to the Parade of Homes
Initially called the “Trend Home,” the first home tour by the Minneapolis Builders Association was a collaboration of six member builders looking to showcase the best of what new construction had to offer. The Trend Home was located in the Edina Highlands area and was a wild success with visitors lining up around the block to see inside.
Minneapolis Tribune writer Harvey Ingram noted that, “there was no stinting the construction and furnishings of the home. It could have been built much more cheaply but instead it emphasizes the best possible quality of everything.”
The Trend Home set the stage for the Parade of Homes. In 1950 the Minneapolis Builders Association launched the first scattered-site Parade of Homes with 10 homes from 10 builders. According to the Star Tribune, families were waiting at the doors of the first Parade Homes long before the doors opened.
“Throughout the afternoon, builders watched the crowds, bug eyed in disbelief. Never in their wildest dreams had they believed people would turn out in such force,” noted the Star Tribune.
By the 1950s both the Minneapolis Builders Association and St. Paul Area Builders Associations had formed Parade of Homes events and the newest style of home promotions was up and running.
We Built This City
Today, the Twin Cities Parade of Homes remains the premier home tour event in the country and an integral part of our community. The success of the Parade of Homes helped shape how the Twin Cities look today.
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 invite you to join us for special anniversary events throughout the Twin Cities that celebrate our legacy and our communities. See the events calendar >>
