The Lake and Sumter Parade of Homes is returning for its second year after a five-year hiatus brought on by COVID, giving the public a chance to tour homes across both counties. This year, the experience comes with a new ticketing system, expanded entry types and a broader mix of homes and features.

“We really want to see a great public outpouring this year, so get your tickets soon,” board member Christie Folker says.

The Parade of Homes is organized by the Homebuilders’ Association of Lake and Sumter Counties, which committee leaders described as an effort that supports both builders and the construction industry more broadly. The association is built on collaboration, support and advocacy.

For the public, organizers said the Parade of Homes now requires a ticket — but it’s free.

“It’s an electronic ticket,” Christie says. “You just download the Parade of Homes app on your phone and you get your free electronic ticket.”

As attendees arrive at each entry, they can show the ticket. It also helps builders track turnout. 

Organizers said the Parade of Homes app is available on both major phone platforms.

They also pointed people to other sources for details.

“We have our website and the Lake Sumter Parade of Homes Facebook page,” Christie  says.“Follow that page because that gives you all the links to the apps, to the website. You’ll have the map. You’ll have all the tools that you need to be able to figure out how you want to be a part of the parade.”

Parade of Home committee co-chair Amy Uhrich emphasized that the Parade of Homes is not a single neighborhood where visitors walk from house to house.

“It’s not like a street of dreams, for instance, where you had 10 homes in one neighborhood and you start at one and you walk,” she says. “It’s not that type of parade.”

Instead, the public can choose where to go, and when.

“So you can go to Umatilla on day one if you wanted to and then Mount Dora another day,” she says. “Of the 32 homes that you can visit in person, you can pick five that you want to go see. Or you can go see all 32.”

“You get to create your own parade experience,” Christie says.

This year’s Parade includes both in-person and virtual entries, allowing some categories to be judged and featured without being open for walk-throughs.

Those entries will still be visible through the app and website.

“Both on the app and on our website, there will be photography and videos of all the virtual entries,” Christie says. “That’s how people can view them and get contact information.”

Virtual entries also allow more than just homes to be included.

“We have special categories,” Amy says. “So it’s not just builder focused. It’s actually for our other members. We have swimming pools, man caves, townhomes and homes for rent.”

Organizers said the Parade will include a broad range of entries, from entry-level options to multi-million-dollar custom builds.

This year, organizers also highlighted a partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

“The construction academies here locally like Leesburg Construction Academy and Eustis all actually help build the Habitat homes,” Christie says. “Those are our future workers.”

The Parade of Home begins Saturday, February 21 and runs through Sunday, March 1. Homes will be open daily from 10am. to 5pm, Sundays open at 12pm. For more information, visit lakesumterparadeofhomes.com. 

Photos provided.