TRAVERSE CITY — The Home Builders of the Grand Traverse Area’s annual Parade of Homes is returning to its roots.
So is one of the homes on the June 15-18 tour.
A fall event the last several years because of the pandemic, the 34th annual HBAGTA Parade of Homes returns to its traditional mid-June position on the calendar. The 2023 Parade features six homes in the Grand Traverse region as well as one virtual home in Gaylord with an interesting background story.
A family was in their new Gaylord home a week before the EF3 tornado hit the town on May 20, 2022.
“They were in their home near the Otsego Club and were in their home 7 days before the tornado ripped through town,” HBAGTA Executive Officer Lauren Tucker said. “They were in the basement riding out the storm. It took their house off the foundation and threw it about 50 feet. It was a total loss in addition to a terrifying experience.
“Five months after battling the insurance company, they rebuilt their home. It’s a little different than before, but they’re back in their home. It was an entire experience. It’s beautiful and it’s such a lovely property.”
The Gaylord home from Moeller Builders will be virtual because of its distance from the other six, which include one on East and West Grand Traverse Bay, two on Old Mission Peninsula, one near Silver Lake and one northeast of Long Lake.
The stops on the event by address and builder/developer include:
8062 Sayler Road, Williamsburg, Royal Stag Construction15895 Waters Edge Drive, Traverse City, O’Grady Development Company2830 Neahtawanta Road, Traverse City, Scott Norris Construction6848 S. Carol Ann Drive, Traverse City, Cherry Capital Contracting4085 Terra Farm Lane, Traverse City, Traverse Homes504 S. East Silver Lake Road, Traverse City, Waldecker Homes
The 2023 Parade of Homes is ironically the same four dates as in 2022, but in June instead of September.
“We historically have been in June,” Tucker said. “It began in June and it’s historically been Father’s Day weekend. It got moved to the fall because of COVID. It kept getting moved back that first year with the hope of having a Parade and it didn’t happen.
“Then with the cycle of building and supply chain issues with materials, it stayed in the fall. What we heard from everybody last year was we hope it returns to the spring. There are other home shows in the fall, so we moved it back to June. We’re returning to our roots.”
Norris said the Parade of Homes is an event a lot of those in the industry look forward to, regardless of the season.
“I don’t think it will made a lot of difference,” Norris said of his home on the west side of Old Mission Peninsula. “The last three years we did one in the fall and it went pretty well. It’ll be interesting to see if the turnout is better in the spring versus the fall.
“I would have done it either way. It’s a fun thing to do and you meet tons of people. It’s one of the highlights of the year.”
Tucker said the 2023 event features a pair of relatively new builders in Royal Stag Construction and Waldecker Homes. She added Traverse Homes is part of the event after a long absence.
Times for the 2023 HBAGTA Parade of Homes are noon to 8 p.m. June 15-16, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 17 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 18.
Parade tickets are $18 in until midnight Wednesday and $20 at the door.
Tickets can be purchased at Oleson’s Stores, Bayview Flooring, Northern Building Supply, Floor Covering Brokers or at the HBAGTA office. Tickets may also be bought online at www.hbagta.com.
Area builders will be on-site during the event to answer questions.
The homes are hosted by area nonprofit partners, who greet visitors, collect tickets and provide general assistance.
HBAGTA has contributed nearly $385,000 to these organizations over the course of the Parade of Homes.
The Parade is sponsored by Lake Michigan Credit Union, Michigan State Federal Credit Union and Aspire North.
HBAGTA is a professional trade association encompassing Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee and Wexford counties.