NEW YORK CITY – The LEDucation Trade Show and Conference, organized by the Designers Lighting Forum New York, wrapped 2024 with record-breaking attendance, welcoming more than 10,000 registrants from all aspects of the lighting industry. LEDucation celebrated its 18th year in New York City March 19–20 at the New York Hilton Midtown, becoming North America’s largest annual lighting industry event. With an expanded show floor, a record-high number of exhibitors, and an array of new features and networking opportunities, the show was the largest to date.
Attendees were eager to network, expand partnerships, connect with customers, and explore lighting products on the bustling exhibit floor. New York City is arguably the center of the lighting design profession. LEDucation draws manufacturers and educators, agents and sales professionals, facilities personnel, and builders, plus architects and the full spectrum of design specifiers. “The energy on the show floor this year was amazing,” said LEDucation Co-Chair Jamie Eck. “The feedback has been overwhelming, and we can’t thank the exhibitors enough for bringing their best and brightest. We would also like to extend our thanks to the New York lighting community who showed up in record numbers to support this important event.”
LEDucation Co-Chair Burt Grant added, “This year featured 470 exhibiting manufacturers, offering fresh ideas and options in lighting, controls, design, and more. Specifiers discovered potential new suppliers, connected with current manufacturers, and gathered insights into industry trends and technologies. LEDucation has become the most important lighting trade show and conference in North America.”
Conference Well Attended
Newcomers and industry veterans were impressed with this year’s wide-ranging educational sessions. The 47 online and in-person seminars were highly interactive. These continuing education sessions attracted a worldwide audience and continue to play an important role in the evolution of the industry. The LEDucation Seminars Co-Chairs Wendy Kaplan, Craig Fox, and Shaun Fillion assembled a diverse lineup of 82 presenters. The quality of the speakers was universally acclaimed. Over 1000 feedback surveys scored the quality of presenters as 4.9/5 stars. Topics ranged from highly digital to practical to sociological and forward-looking.
Cynthia Turner, President of the DLFNY stated, “DLFNY is committed to lighting education. We give out multiple scholarships to local schools to encourage all students of design to engage in lighting. We fund academic research in lighting as well as creative lighting endeavors. We plan on extending our scholarship outreach to students studying construction management and other related construction careers to educate them on the value of lighting. LEDucation, and other programs run by the DLFNY, support the evolution of the industry and newcomers to the lighting field.”
Extracurricular opportunities
EdisonReport chose to celebrate their 9th Annual Lifetime Achievement Awards (LAA) on the eve of the Trade Show. The ceremony honored 12 luminaries who have made significant contributions to the lighting industry over their careers. Caroline Rinker was awarded an LAA posthumously; she was a driving force behind, and long-time leader of LEDucation.
An expanded lineup of events facilitated meaningful collaborations among industry stakeholders. LEDucation once again hosted the 2024 Student Lighting Competition, run by the Illuminating Engineering Society New York City Section. The 165-student works on display explored how light can bridge distances and create intimacy.
Save the Date: March 18–19, 2025
Coming off such a successful show, plans for next year are charging ahead. Exhibitor registration is now open for LEDucation 2025, March 18–19, again at the New York Hilton Midtown. More than 375 returning exhibitors have already reserved their booth spaces!
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