The Scale, Tradition, & Impact of the Utah Valley Parade of Homes
Episode 3 of Groundwork Spotlights Amber Hutchings of the Utah Valley Home Builders Association, Unpacking the National Reach, Community Impact, and Behind-the-Scenes Logistics of Utah Valley’s Flagship Home Showcase
Welcome to Groundwork: The Art and Craft of Utah Custom Homes, where we demystify the custom homebuilding journey along Utah’s Wasatch Front. In this episode, host Pete Codella sits down with Amber Hutchings, director of events for the Utah Valley Home Builders Association (UVHBA). With over two decades of involvement in the association and 13 years directing its signature showcase, Amber offers an inside look at how the Utah Valley Parade of Homes has grown into an influential, nationally recognized benchmark for custom residential construction.
Pete and Amber explore the deep heritage of the event dating back to the 1970s, the behind-the-scenes logistics of managing over 400,000 ticket scans across two and a half weeks, how the showcase unifies builders and craft trades, and what custom homebuyers should understand about building for the parade.
From Renderings to a National Benchmark
The Utah Valley Parade of Homes originated in 1975, rooted in the foundational work of Dwayne Herbert, father of former Utah Governor Gary Herbert, who helped establish the Utah Valley Home Builders Association.
Decades of History: In 1976, the parade featured 11 homes all situated along a single street, commemorated in hand-drawn watercolor renderings in the association's original printed program.
A Destination for Home Enthusiasts: Today, the event draws attendees from across the country who plan summer vacations around the tour. Inquiries begin pouring into the association nearly a year in advance from out-of-state visitors eager to see the quality and scale of Utah homebuilding firsthand.
Controlled Curation: While builder interest continues to expand across high-demand areas like Mapleton, Alpine, and Highland, the UVHBA board caps the showcase at 40 homes. This ensures attendees can navigate the tour while maintaining high standards of craft and presentation.
Technology, Virtual Access, and Unprecedented Turnout
Managing a showcase that generated more than 400,000 individual home visits requires sophisticated technology and seamless logistics.
Dedicated Digital Experience: Partnering with specialized app developers in St. George, the UVHBA provides an interactive app that delivers real-time directions, builder details, trade partner rosters, and seamless digital ticket scanning.
The Virtual Expansion: Originally launched in 2020 to ensure continuity during public gathering restrictions, the UVHBA’s virtual 3D parade has broadened the showcase into an international stage. The virtual access invites architects, designers, and trade professionals from across the United States to study Utah’s custom construction trends.
Unprecedented Scale: High-profile builds have set historic records for attendance. In recent years, show-stopping builds, including projects by Crumbl Cookie co-founders built by Robison Home Builders and McEwen Custom Homes, drew crowds between 28,000 and 44,000 visitors to a single estate, seeing as many as 5,500 guests in a single Saturday.
Unifying the Trades and Giving Back to Utah Communities
Beyond the grand architecture, the Parade of Homes serves a vital purpose for Utah’s residential building industry and local communities.
Industry Collaboration: The parade establishes a shared, immovable deadline that brings general contractors, architects, specialty artisans, interior designers, and subcontractors into close alignment. For custom homeowners, having a home in the parade guarantees a firm completion date backed by coordinated team focus.
Endowed Scholarships: Proceeds from parade ticket sales flow directly back into the local community. The UVHBA has funded a $3 million endowed scholarship program at Brigham Young University and continues to provide scholarships at Utah Valley University and Snow College for students and children of association members.
Subcontractors for Santa: The association’s charitable outreach extends year-round through programs like Subcontractors for Santa, where association builders and trades complete critical home repairs for 30 to 40 elderly, disabled, or low-income families each winter before Christmas.
Spotlighting Deerfield Estate at The Cove in Alpine
The conversation also revisits Gordon Milar Construction’s 2026 entry, Deerfield Estate at The Cove in Alpine (Home #5). Positioned on a private 1.1-acre cul-de-sac lot backing directly up to the Lone Peak Mountain, the 8,600-square-foot residence features 10-foot ceilings across three levels and a 50x20-foot resort-style pool. The home remains staged and available for private tours by qualified buyers through our listing partners.
Connect with the Utah Valley Home Builders Association
To learn more about upcoming events, membership benefits, and dates for the 2027 showcase:
Parade Dates: Mark your calendars for the 2027 Utah Valley Parade of Homes, scheduled for June 10–26, 2027.
Association Details: Visit uvhba.com to explore membership, advocacy, and builder continuing education.
Social Channels: Follow @UVHBA on Instagram and Facebook for updates and event announcements.
Listen & Tour: Subscribe to Groundwork wherever you get your podcasts, and explore gmilar.com to view our custom portfolios or schedule a consultation with our team