What’s New for the 2015 Tour of Homes?

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by Robin Ragland

Lots! The Tour committee has worked to enhance the Tour experience in many ways, and to maximize its impact as a fundraiser for the neighborhood.

Extended Tour Hours

First, you’ll have more time to tour because we’ve extended the tour hours on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, you can enjoy the tour from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday, it begins an hour earlier at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m.

New Ticket Headquarters Location

Our 2015 ticket headquarters, will call, and volunteer check-in will be in John Howell Park (corner of Barnett St and Virginia Ave.)  As in past years, print your ticket or use your smart phone to show your electronic ticket at Will Call for pre-purchased tickets. You may also purchase tickets the weekend of the Tour. Please note all advance tickets will be sold online in 2015. Click here for more information or to purchase a ticket.

More Ways to Help With Fundraising

This year, there are two ways you can directly help raise funds for John Howell Park and Fire Station 19 improvements. On our ticket site, we’ll have a ‘donate’ button. If you are unable to attend the tour, but  would still like to support the neighborhood, we hope you will consider a donation. These direct donations will be earmarked for John Howell Park and Fire Station 19 improvements.

It requires approximately 200 volunteers to help in a multitude of ways in order to host our annual tour of homes.  We hope you will consider signing up to help. For more information, and to sign-up as a volunteer, click here. Each volunteer receives two complimentary tickets to the Tour.  In some cases, our volunteers are unable to use one or both of their tickets. If you are a volunteer in this situation, please consider “donating back” any tickets you are unable to use. For each ticket donated, $25 will be earmarked for John Howell Park and Fire Station 19 improvements.

Note: Fire Station 19 improvements funded are those items not covered by the infrastructure bond.

Shuttle Service

You will be seeing these electric cars buzzing around the neighborhood throughout the weekend of the tour.  The YWCA at 957 North Highland Avenue will be the 2015 shuttle and history tour headquarters.  The YWCA is located at 957 N Highland Ave.  We will have a limited shuttle service available during tour hours.  Park and board a shuttle (you need to have your Tour ticket in hand) at the YWCA or at any of the homes on this year’s tour.

Holiday History Tour

Also new for this year is a docent-led history tour of the Virginia-Highland neighborhood via electric car. The authors of Images of America: Virginia-Highland have planned this special treat. Virginia-Highland is on the National Register of Historic Places and is filled with great architecture and stories. Please note you must purchase a tour ticket in advance to be able to sign-up for a history tour.  For more information or to sign-up for a tour, please click here.

Robin Ragland is a VHCA Board Member and Co-Chair of the Tour of Homes Committee.

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