May 15, 2023
5½ Reasons Why I Still Get Excited for LightFair
By: Al Uszynski
Ignore the naysayers. LightFair 2023 offers value and enrichment to those who seek it.
LightFair is set to return to New York City next week, and I am eager to attend what will be a very valuable and worthwhile event for lighting people from many walks of life. I’m most looking forward to the opportunities to dive into learning, connect with smart lighting people and experience some of the latest lighting innovations in person. I’ve attended nearly every LightFair event since 1994, and my enthusiasm remains strong for North America’s largest lighting trade show and conference.
Though this year's LightFair might look a little different with some notable exhibitors absent, I am still excited to see some of my favorite lighting experts, enthusiasts and brands at the event. Over the past couple of years, LightFair has been subjected to criticism by certain naysayers, but I still firmly believe in its immense value to virtually every professional in the lighting industry.
Here are 5 ½ reasons why I’m enthusiastic about attending LightFair 2023.
1. I’m going to gain valuable insights that help my career
Drawing on my experiences from summer basketball camps in my youth, I learned that even a single piece of new knowledge or an enhanced skill can significantly improve my game. But that can only be achieved if we commit to applying this newfound knowledge or skill once we return home. LightFair presents the opportunity for lighting people of all knowledge and skill levels to “up their game” in many different areas.
LightFair offers a chance for lighting professionals to attend numerous conference sessions across five unique tracks: Science, Business, Art, Process, and Technology. Perhaps a lighting designer will attend Derek Porter's "Monthly Retainer" talk and discover ways to run a more profitable business with more time for design and less dedicated to sales and bill collection. Alternatively, they might adopt better business practices after attending “Modeling a New Approach to the Design of Lighting Controls.”
If there's a more comprehensive and knowledge-rich lighting boot camp in North America, I'd love to hear about it.
However, the learning isn't confined to the seminar programs. Attendees will discover new innovations, unique product offerings, and recent advances to the ever-evolving controls landscape. They might even find that one unique feature of a new product is perfect for their upcoming lighting project. Through spontaneous conversations, attendees can learn about trends, lessons learned, legislation and other lighting-related news.
2. I’m going to strengthen existing relationships and forge new, valuable ones
One could describe LightFair in many ways, but its capacity to facilitate a continuous flow of brief, impactful conversations is truly unique. A "stop and chat" with an acquaintance could provide a simple catch-up or unveil a new business opportunity. Either way, that relationship progresses.
LightFair also presents an opportunity to meet new lighting professionals. Despite having a vast network of lighting contacts, I won't know the majority of this year's LightFair attendees. I anticipate engaging with over a hundred new contacts, some of whom, based on past experience, will spark meaningful follow-up conversations after the show. These connections could lay the foundation for valuable, mutually beneficial relationships that last for years.
3. It’s an experiential event beyond the booths
LightFair has evolved into more than a large collection of trade show booths. It's a multi-faceted experience.
-
Immersive Lighting Installations (ILI): Step into the world of ILI, curated by the IALD and centered around the captivating theme of Circular Economy. These awe-inspiring lighting creations result from collaborative efforts between specially selected manufacturer-designer teams.
-
As dusk falls, NYCxDESIGN and IALD will illuminate the city with a Manhattan lighting tour, guiding attendees through historically rich design-inspired areas of New York City.
-
Specialty exhibit hall areas: The Collective is an exclusive space on the show floor reserved for exhibitors who are IALD LIRC or IES Sustaining Members. The Technology Pavilion will showcase the latest trends, products, and ideas in smart lighting and building solutions. The Outdoor and Design Pavilions also over uniquely-focused lighting experiences.
4. Attending LightFair will undoubtedly enhance my business over the next year
Immerse a lighting professional in a sea of other lighting people, and they are bound to cross paths with someone they can assist, potentially setting the stage for future collaboration and business. This will happen whether there are 25,000 or 15,000 or 5,000 people at an event. Any way you slice it, that’s a lot of lighting people.
My media business model differs from that of a designer, distributor, agent, or manufacturer – but any business model in lighting can likely benefit from attending LightFair. As inside.lighting attends lighting events, our primary goal is to bring the event to those who couldn't attend. We focus on providing coverage and generating content, rather than “working the show floor” for potential customers or advertisers. But we always leave the show with new, very interested prospects. Other lighting people with much different business goals can also benefit with new opportunities for their businesses.
Whether I'm working for a lighting manufacturer (like in years past) or a media company, LightFair consistently boosts my business. During the LightFair heydays with over 25,000 attendees, I always garnered new business. Even during the masked-and-vaxxed LightFair 2021 with relatively low attendance, we still managed to initiate relationships that are really important to our business two years later. We expect to do the same this year.
5. A few days in New York City is invaluable
New York is a global influencer in numerous areas, including finance, fashion, food and architecture.
New York City's architecture mirrors its vibrant and diverse population, boasting a remarkable array of styles that have evolved throughout its rich history. From iconic skyscrapers to historic brownstones, the city's architecture underscores its global influence and cultural significance.
In this 2023 iteration, LightFair is collaborating with NYCxDesign, ICFF, and WantedDesign Manhattan to offer expanded design-oriented experiences. This includes exclusive tours of lighting installations in New York, engaging design panels, and access to over 400 complementary resources from around the world. This week-long celebration of design promises to enrich the experience for all design-minded participants.
And after flying 2.2 million actual air miles to destinations all over the world, I am still convinced that New York City has the best pizza anywhere. Let’s get a slice on Bleecker Street. IYKYK.
5 ½. There's still time to be a part of Lightfair
Even as we publish this article a week before LightFair, round trip flights to New York City from Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas can be found for under $250. Comfortable hotels within walking distance of the convention center are available for under $275 per night, with some decent, reputable options under $200.
Why is this a reason to be excited about LightFair? Well, there’s a good possibility that more lighting people may still decide this week make the drive, train ride or flight to invest in their lighting futures. And those lighting people will make the show a richer experience for other lighting people in attendance.
Inside.lighting will be roaming the aisles of the Jacob Javits Convention Center Sunday through Thursday next week. The next LightFair won’t occur until 2025, so seizing this opportunity is important to me and many lighting people. I hope to see you in New York.
