DALLAS, TX – Lightovation – Dallas International Lighting Show, the largest residential lighting trade event in North America, attracts lighting industry professionals from around the world seeking new products, inspiration and education. At the most recent edition held June 20-23, the event enjoyed its largest summer attendance in six years and a 22% year-over-year increase in lighting showroom store attendance.
The entire lighting industry had more reasons than ever to congregate in Dallas around Lightovation. Along with new lighting and ceiling fan products in all categories and opportunities to network with other professionals, the show offered a special slate of educational programming around the grand opening of The SMART Center, a one-of-a-kind seminar, hospitality and event space. The 6,000-square-foot space serves as an industry hub, a vision executed through the joint partnership of Dallas Market Center and American Lighting Association.
The grand opening featured eminent speakers and eight Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC®) accredited educational opportunities, four of which were also National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) accredited. Among the speakers were keynote Jon Schallert, renowned speaker and business expert, and Leslie Carothers, digital communications expert.
“The June edition of Lightovation continues to be an important opportunity for showrooms to easily review new products and gain new information and skills,” said Cindy Morris, Dallas Market Center president and CEO. “Creating a setting that powers ideas and business skills was top of mind while developing The SMART Center, in order to play a part in continuing the forward momentum of the industry.”
Solidifying Dallas as the international home of lighting, two important industry meetings were also held around Lightovation. Lighting One, a lighting industry cooperative, hosted its annual convention at the Marriott City Center on June 18-19. More than 80 lighting showroom members attended. On the heels of this successful event, the cooperative announced plans to hold its 2019 convention at the Hilton Anatole, which will also be the official lighting industry host hotel for June 2019 Lightovation.
On the same pre-show dates, nearly 40 residential lighting and integrated home space professionals gathered at Dallas Market Center for the 2018 Lighting for Tomorrow workshop. Lighting for Tomorrow is a competition held by American Lighting Association, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency and UL (Underwriters Laboratories), which recognizes the top decorative, energy efficient lighting fixtures in the market. The workshop was held in place of the 2018 competition and served as a forum for idea generation and discussions on the future of connected residential lighting.
Industry leaders were also recognized during Lightovation in the ninth annual Showroom of the Year Awards during an evening reception on June 20 honoring top lighting retailers throughout North America. Dallas Market Center and Lighting & Decor magazine announced the following winners: Revenue Under $2 Million: Village Home Stores, Geneseo, IL; Revenue Under $5 Million: Pace Lighting, Savannah, GA; Revenue $5 Million and Over: Design Lighting, Surrey, BC; Outstanding Merchandising Display: Northwest Lighting and Accents, Mt. Prospect, IL; Exceptional Community Involvement: Dominion Electric Supply Company, Laurel, MD; Social Media Star: Idlewood Electric, Highland Park, IL.
Highlighting the continuing innovation in the industry, dozens of Lightovation exhibitors submitted more than 100 new June product introductions in six categories for consideration in the Market Choice Awards. In this fifth edition of these popular awards, sponsored by enLIGHTenment magazine, a record number of lighting buyers voted for their favorite products online and on site at voting kiosks. The winners awarded at the show were: Best Bath Lighting: Zag from Varaluz; Best Ceiling Fan: Vortex from Modern Forms; Best Chandelier/Pendant: Marquette from Savoy House; Best Outdoor Lighting: Bend from Hinkley Lighting; Best Portable Lamp: Sawback from Quoizel; Best Technology: Infinite Aura from Swarovski.
In an effort to educate the future of lighting, Dallas Market Center selected over 50 participants to attend Lightovation for the Light Stars program, now in its fourth year. Participants were chosen from a group of nominated top retail salespeople from across North America who have never attended the show.
The first day of Lightovation was concluded and celebrated with the annual Lighting After Dark party at the official Lightovation host hotel Sheraton downtown. The Moroccan theme attracted hundreds of show attendees for a night of networking, complimentary cocktails and food in an opulent setting.
Since exhibitor displays provide endless inspiration for retailers to bring back to their own environments, the Visual Merchandising Award program acknowledges these creative efforts on each floor of the Dallas Market Center campus. The winning companies with exceptional and inspired displays on the Trade Mart’s Lightovation floors were: 3rd Floor: Kuzco Lighting; 4th Floor: Craftmade.
With the sustained success of Lightovation – Dallas International Lighting Show, Dallas proves to be the summer destination for companies and organizations looking to increase their business.
The Dallas Market Center website is available at: dallasmarketcenter.com.
