LIGHTFAIR International 2018 Will Move To Chicago

LIGHTFAIR^® International (LFI^®) will produce its 2018 trade show and conference in Chicago in a strategic move designed to accommodate its continuing growth, according to Jeffrey L. Portman, Sr., vice chairman, president and chief operating officer of LFI managing partner AmericasMart^® Atlanta.

The May 6-10, 2018 event marks LIGHTFAIR’s first Chicago staging since 1995. The lighting design and engineering community will benefit from the extensive accessibility, convenience and service present in the city and in the vast facilities of McCormick Place, which with 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space ranks, as the largest U.S. convention centre.

“We expect Chicago and McCormick Place to help deliver a LIGHTFAIR experience of extraordinary relevance and resonance,” notes Portman.

For many years now, the even numbered years have seen the show staged on the west coast, capturing the southern, western and Mexican contingents who do not like to travel too far. Many east coast designers don’t travel to the west coast show and have commented in the past that one major show every two years is enough.
However, the digitalisation of lighting is moving innovation along at a breakneck pace making it more difficult to keep abreast of the latest trends. This move to Chicago will be interesting, given its close proximity to Philadelphia where the show is being held this year. It remains to be seen if visitors will attend both shows or choose one or the other.

Further details will be posted as they become available.

By Julie Allen

05 Jan