I attended the LDI Show Las Vegas on Sunday and Monday, and the experience exceeded my expectations. After years of covering events across the industry, I walked into this one feeling genuinely excited. The energy in the immersive hall, the innovation on display, and the enthusiasm from attendees created a momentum that never slowed. One moment in particular stood out: the Autism in Entertainment booth. I had never seen anything like it at an industry show, and it set a positive tone for the rest of my visit to the LDI Show Las Vegas.
Normally, your humble editor does not attend LDI, but as I learn more about the lighting design community, I have a greater appreciation for event lighting as many big-name designer have their roots in theater lighting.
Opening Impressions
I spoke with Charlene Soucy, head of Marketing for Questex, the company that owns and manages the LDI Show Las Vegas. She told me that this year’s show featured roughly 350 exhibitors, and floor space increased by about 10 percent over last year. Attendance should reach between 14,000 and 16,000 people, supported by a 10 percent rise in preregistration.
The show began in 1988 and moved through several venues, including Orlando, before finding a long-term home in the state-of-the-art West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show formerly known as LightFair used this hall in 2022. Charlene highlighted LDI’s training program, which remains a major draw. She explained, “We had people from the Coldplay tour. We had a panel featuring leading designers and production managers from Beyoncé’s tour and Pink’s tour. Really the best of the best in that space.”
On Sunday evening, LDI hosted Dine with Dinosaurs, an event that brought together seasoned professionals and emerging talent. The format encouraged meaningful conversations, and many younger attendees said the experience helped them envision the next steps in their careers. As expected at a dark show, all overhead lighting remained off, which created an immersive atmosphere from the moment I entered.
Autism in Entertainment
Although Autism in Entertainment (AIE) was located near the back of the LDI Show Las Vegas floor, it quickly became one of the most inspiring booths I visited. The space attracted steady traffic as attendees learned how the organization supports neurodivergent creatives across film, television, live events, and other entertainment sectors.
I spoke with Rebecca Beam, who leads the initiative from Los Angeles. Her dedication was clear. AIE works closely with Zavikon, Rebecca’s employment agency, which places candidates in supportive environments and guides companies through inclusive hiring practices. The need is significant. While 70 percent of autistic adults want to work, an estimated 80 percent remain unemployed.
Rebecca has spent years improving employment access for neurodivergent individuals and founded two companies focused on that mission. AIE membership costs only $10 per month and provides job resources, mentorship, and career navigation tools. The booth offered much more than brochures—it offered a hopeful path forward for talent that our industry desperately needs.
Times Square Lighting
At Times Square Lighting, Dan Riccardelli showed me the Mosaic series, which includes tunable RGB modules in track fixtures, pattern projectors, recessed downlights, and recessed multiples. These products offer a tunable white range from 1600 to 6500 K, along with RGB capabilities. Both Mosaic lines maintain a 90+ CRI, which is essential for architectural entertainment, exhibits, immersive environments, and other applications requiring precision.
Pharos
At the Pharos Controls booth, Product Manager Michael Crilly demonstrated one of their most anticipated updates: native integration with Advatek pixel controllers. Beginning early next year, users can add and configure Advatek devices directly in Pharos Designer. They can then upload the configuration and send lighting control data straight to the controller.
This change streamlines commissioning. Instead of jumping between different software tools, designers can handle everything inside Pharos Designer. As a result, setup becomes faster, more accurate, and far more efficient. The crowds around the booth suggested that others found this integration equally valuable.
Martin
At Martin, Regional Sales Manager Aaron Vengrow introduced me to MAC Encore Two. He explained that it surpasses the original Encore in every measurable way. It is nearly twice as bright, reaches up to 95 CRI and 95 TLCI, and operates about 6 dB quieter. These improvements make it ideal for theater, broadcast, and corporate environments.
The fixture uses a 760 W LED engine that delivers 21,000 lumens—a 75 percent increase over the previous generation. It provides a clean 5,600 K neutral white, and the enhanced CMY system produces richer saturation, especially in ambers and yellows. Production begins in January, with first shipments arriving soon. Martin operates from Denmark, with manufacturing in Hungary and Harman Professional Solutions based in Northridge, California. According to Aaron, the LDI Show Las Vegas booth saw strong traffic from the opening moment.
OSRAM
At OSRAM, I was introduced to the Galaxy lamp, designed for Ultimo Clay Paky fixtures. As a former HID product manager, I always enjoy this technology. The Galaxy lamp is a short-arc HID metal-halide source paired with an electronic ballast. It produces beam angles as narrow as 2 degrees—far tighter than what LED typically achieves—and creates 10 to 20 times the intensity.
Although LED dominates many categories, HID still serves a vital role when designers need extreme punch and tight optics. I also confirmed that March 2026 is still the timetable for OSRAM to separate from ams OSRAM as part of a broader realignment.
ADJ
At the ADJ booth, I learned that they own Elation Lighting, Acclaim Lighting, and various other companies. Although Acclaim was not exhibiting, they will debut several new products at Light + Building in March 2026. In discussions at the ADJ booth, I learned that the Acclaim Nova Linear delivers up to 4,238 lumens per foot. It uses a new RGBL engine with added CCT channels for dynamic white output. The enthusiasm at the booth made it clear that ADJ and Acclaim are preparing for a strong year ahead.
ETC
ETC’s booth was one of the busiest at the LDI Show Las Vegas. Product Manager Matt Stoner demonstrated the Dataflash 5000, a 52,000-lumen LED strobe that spans 3200 to 7500 K. It allows both warm, classic bursts and clean, cool pulses. The product ships early next year.
Matt also demonstrated the new MegaPix and GigaPix wash fixtures. Both carry an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance. ETC’s patented miniature Fresnel system provides consistent output across the zoom range. RGBL color mixing, smooth dimming, and a 2000–10,000 K color-temperature range allow designers to create everything from rich color to refined white washes.
ETC’s Hog family (yes this is the correct name) of lighting control consoles and wings continues its long-standing reputation as one of the industry’s most powerful, flexible, and intuitive platforms for live production. Built on decades of ETC innovation and user-driven development, the new Hog lineup offers a modern workflow suited for today’s dynamic lighting environments, from touring and broadcast to film and corporate events.
As I left the LDI Show Las Vegas, I couldn’t help but reflect on how special this year felt. The mix of innovation, heartfelt advocacy, and genuine community made the show more than a showcase of technology—it became a reminder of why our industry continues to thrive. From cutting-edge fixtures and control systems to the meaningful mission of Autism in Entertainment, every booth offered something that moved the industry forward. The exhibitors showed up with passion, the attendees arrived with curiosity, and together they created an atmosphere that was as inspiring as it was immersive. I returned home energized, grateful, and already looking forward to seeing how these ideas shape the year ahead.
Next stop: The Wizard of Oz at The Sphere.