Yesterday kicked off Day 1 of Lightapalooza 2025, with buying group meetings, certification courses, and a celebratory opening evening waiting for all those willing to show up a day before the education and exhibition kicks off in earnest.
While “light” on variety the first day, that’s hardly saying there wasn’t much to do. After arriving at the hotel and getting my room situated, I struck out immediately to find the big draw of Day 1 Lightapalooza: the SHINE certification.
Serving as a full lighting fundamentals certification course for integrators, the SHINE (Specialists in Home Illumination and Natural Energy Control) covers eight hours of education split across two four-hour periods that can be taken throughout the span of the Lightapalooza.
So, while many of the buying groups were holding meetings throughout the Hilton Anatole, roughly 70 or so integrators and educators convened on a dark, curtained hall for this educational experience led by David Warfel and his firm, Light Can Help You.
Behind the black curtains, Warfel and his team had constructed several display statiosn meant to help integrators get hands on with the lessons they’ll be learning throughout the course.
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.
In a fairly poetic moment after having my flight get partially delayed due to a snow-storm heading out of New England, I got to join in at the tail end of a demonstration going over the benefits of using frosted lenses to correct lighting aberrations on projects.
Aside from these lab spaces, however, the lectures that I was able to attend focused on fixture types, optical systems, and, perhaps most importantly, how to read a cut sheet for a lighting fixture.
That last one was especially eye-opening (at least for me) as knowing what features are important is one thing, but being able to break down why a $500 costs $500 by going through its components is something magical when it comes to understanding performance as it relates to value.
One of the things that stuck out to me the most while sitting in for some of these sessions, though, was simply the open forum nature of the class. There was plenty of lecturing yes, but when the lesson opened for questions, it became an impromptu opportunity for students to brainstorm and really talk shop with instructors providing guidance where needed.
It really took me back to grad school. What also took me back to grad school was the cocktail reception we got to close the night out on, just replace fancy ballroom with bar and cocktails with cheap beer and it’s basically the same thing.
Tom Doherty along with other members of the buying group even gave a short speech welcoming everyone to Day 1 of Lightapalooza and expressing how much unity on the part of the buying groups has helped the show grow to become such an “important” facet of the industry today.
All-in-all, it was a very relaxed opening to the event. I’m sure that’s going to change once Day 2 rolls around, though.
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