As the final weekend of the 2026 Fall Parade of Homes™ came to a close, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly proud of what we accomplished, not only this fall, but throughout an entire year of celebrating homes, our members, and the residential construction industry in the Sioux Empire.
This fall, more than 40 homes from 30 builders opened their doors throughout the Sioux Empire, showcasing an incredible variety of designs, ideas, craftsmanship, and innovation. Thousands of consumers, future home buyers, homeowners considering a remodel, and people looking for inspiration had the opportunity to walk through these homes and experience firsthand the quality of work being done by our members.
That connection is what makes the Parade so special. People come to see beautiful homes, but along the way they discover builders, products, new ideas, skilled professionals, and businesses that can help bring their own vision of home to life. The Parade gives our members an incredible platform to showcase what they do best while giving our community an opportunity to experience the talent we have right here in the Sioux Empire.
Our Fall Feature Homes from 1J Homes and Paul Fick Custom Homes were an incredible part of this year’s event. I want to thank both builders for opening these special homes and giving thousands of Parade visitors another reason to experience the creativity and craftsmanship of our members. I also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the HBASE members who volunteered their time to staff the Feature Homes throughout both weekends. Together, the Fall Feature Homes raised more than $10,000 for the Home Builders Care Foundation.
That success builds on what began during our Spring Parade, when Elevated Companies, 1J Homes, and Jeren Homes opened three incredible Feature Homes. Between our Spring and Fall Feature Homes, we raised almost $24,000 in 2026 for the Home Builders Care Foundation. Those dollars will be reinvested into scholarships, workforce development, educational partnerships, and opportunities that help strengthen the future of our industry. That is an impact all of us involved in the Parade can be proud of.
There is plenty more to celebrate when we look at the entire year. Our Spring Parade featured just over 60 homes from 40 builders, followed by more than 40 homes this fall. Together, more than 100 homes were showcased during the 2026 Spring and Fall Parades, representing countless hours of planning, building, designing, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Our sponsors are an important part of that success. Their investment helps HBASE promote the Parade throughout the Sioux Empire, reach thousands of consumers, and create opportunities for our Builder and Associate Members to showcase their work, products, and expertise. I am incredibly grateful to every sponsor who invested in the Parade this year and helped us continue a tradition that has now reached its 65th year. What began in 1961 with just 11 homes has grown into something generations of HBASE members have helped build.
As we celebrate Careers in Construction Month, I’m also proud that this year’s Fall Parade gave us an opportunity to connect some Southeast Technical College students with participating builders for a hands-on mentoring and shadowing experience. It was a small start, but an important one. Students were able to spend time with professionals and see firsthand the skills, teamwork, and many careers that come together behind the homes on the Parade.
I hope this program continues to grow with future Parades. Our industry offers so many career paths, and sometimes the best way to help a student discover those possibilities is to give them an opportunity to experience the work and learn directly from the people doing it. The Parade already allows us to showcase what our industry builds, and now it can also help us introduce the next generation to the people and careers behind it.
Serving as the 2026 Parade of Homes Committee Chair has truly been an honor. I am grateful to our committee, HBASE staff, participating builders, Associate Members, Feature Home builders, volunteers, sponsors, and everyone who played a role in making this year such a success.
When I look back on 2026, I see more than 100 incredible homes, thousands of people walking through their doors, almost $24,000 raised through our Feature Homes, students discovering new possibilities, and an industry coming together with tremendous pride in what we build.
After 65 years, the Parade of Homes™ continues to give us so much to celebrate. I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished together and honored to have been part of such a special year.
Megan Niemeyer
2026 Parade of Homes Committee Chair
