The Building Industry Association of Lancaster County (BIA) has announced the annual virtual and in-person Parade of Homes. The event opened on June 15 and will continue on Wednesday, June 19, through Sunday, June 23. Tour hours are weekdays from 5 to 8 p.m. and weekends from noon to 6 p.m.

Sponsored by Fulton Bank and UGI Utilities and presented by BIA, the Lancaster/Lebanon Parade of Homes is a free public event that opens new homes for in-person and virtual tours. This year's parade features 22 single-family homes, duplexes and remodeling projects from 13 different builders, ranging in price from $499,999 to over $1 million. Participants may visit 19 of the 22 homes in person and/or all the homes virtually utilizing 3D technology, providing a room-by-room view of each home's innovative designs and details. 

Detailed information on all of the home entries is available at http://www.lancasterparadeofhomes.com.

The ParadeSmart app is an additional feature that provides home details, directions and customizable routes. After downloading the app from their app store, users should select the BIA Parade of Homes. The Parade of Homes Guidebooks with the same information is available at the BIA office, 204 Butler Ave., Lancaster, and copies of the book were mailed to more than 100,000 Lancaster and Lebanon County households.

The 2024 Parade of Homes showcases more than $17 million in new home construction and remodeling in Lancaster and Lebanon counties, incorporating the latest in design, decorating and trends, including smart home technology. This year's featured trends include a first-floor owner's suite, flexible living space, neighborhood amenities, smart features and a 55 and up community. Each trend is assigned an icon with the home's listing in the guidebook and website to help people find the features they are looking for.

Other elements in select homes include hidden storage solutions and flex rooms; a secondary, prep kitchen with a sink, dishwasher, microwave and beverage fridge; primary baths with freestanding soaker tubs and tile showers; a two-story family room with double chandeliers and a wall of windows; stone and shiplap fireplaces; coffered and tray ceilings; quartz countertops with oversized islands; wood beam-cased openings at the foyer; matte black appliances; interior and exterior statement lighting; and hardwood staircases with open stringers and high-contrast metal stair railings.

The homes were judged by a panel of building and industry experts, with awards presented at the annual Parade of Homes Gala on June 14. Homes were classified into divisions by price and judged with other homes in the same price division using a numerical scoring system, with awards for Best of Show, Kitchen, Bath, Interior Design, Exterior and Decorated. The top-scoring single-family and duplex homes each receive the Fulton Bank Award. Winners will be announced on the aforementioned Parade of Homes website.

The Building Industry Association of Lancaster County is a nonprofit organization of home builders and firms that service the building industry. The association represents nearly 300 members who do business in Lancaster County. When building or remodeling, residents may call 717-569-2674 or visit http://www.LancasterBuilders.org for a free listing of contractors in the area.