Parade of Homes highlights fresh ideas and future use
There are few socially acceptable opportunities to wander through a stranger’s home, admire the custom millwork, peek inside the pantry, and quietly reconsider your own backsplash. The WNC Parade of Homes happens to be one of them.
Now in its 45th year, the free, self-guided tour returns for two weekends in October, sending design lovers on a choose-your-own-adventure across Western North Carolina, from Asheville and Weaverville to Black Mountain and Hendersonville. Along the way, they’ll find custom mountain retreats, polished remodels, high-performance builds, and innovative affordable-housing concepts, each embodying its own ideas about how Western North Carolinians can live better at home.
“During the two event weekends, visitors can create their own itinerary and visit participating new homes and renovations at their own pace,” says Megan Carroll, executive officer of the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which hosts the event. “And for those who prefer to scroll from the sofa, every featured home will have a virtual tour and builder information available online for a full year, offering even more design ideas to consider.”
Among the featured residences is Modern Heritage, a 3,353-square-foot modern farmhouse built by Ward Enterprises & Ventures in Lake Toxaway’s Hawk Mountain community. Its long-range views may command the first glance, but the house was designed around something much bigger: kinship.
“We designed this home with the intention of it being a meeting spot for the entire family,” says Hunter Ward, vice president of Ward Enterprises. “The homeowners wanted everyone to feel welcome and have a place to stay, without the cramped feeling that typically comes when large families gather.”
The vision shaped a floor plan that works equally well for two or a crowd. When the homeowners are alone, everything they need is on the main level, including the primary suite and laundry. When family arrives, three additional bedrooms and two baths await upstairs, while finished space above the garage provides another bathroom and kitchenette. There’s even a bunkroom for the grandkids.
“One can only imagine the stories being told before bed among the grandkids,” Ward says. “It would be such fun being there as a kid waiting for Christmas morning with all of your cousins.”
The design also looks beyond the present. The garage slab meets the main floor without a step, zero-entry showers eliminate another potential trip point, and 36-inch-wide doors can accommodate a wheelchair if needed. None announces itself as an accessibility feature, but each could make daily life easier in the years ahead.
Those behind-the-scenes choices are part of what makes the Parade valuable. Visitors come for beautiful rooms and enviable views, but they leave with a better understanding of the ingenuity, collaboration, and craftsmanship required to create them.
“The Parade has always been about much more than beautiful homes,” the Builders Association’s Carroll says. “It’s an opportunity for homeowners to connect with trusted local professionals, learn about new products and building techniques, and discover ideas they can incorporate into their own homes.”
Hosted by the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains (bablueridge.com) and presented by Warmstead, the 2026 WNC Parade of Homes takes place from 11am-5pm on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 and again Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25. For virtual tours, floor plans, photos, builder information, and complete event details, visit wncparadeofhomes.com.