Industry News

Dallas Market Center, the home of Lightovation, the largest residential lighting trade event in North America, has announced details for the March 23-26, 2021 edition of the show. The show, rescheduled from January, follows multiple trade events at Dallas Market Center that welcomed buyers from 48 states and a record number of decision makers attending for the first time. March Lightovation has a Tuesday to Friday date pattern and is concurrent with the Total Home & Gift Market.

“As lighting retailers meet pent-up demand from consumers and designers with  residential design projects, this show  is critically important to connect with colleagues, survey trends and place orders,” said Cindy Morris, President and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “We are proudly supporting the business of lighting with a vast number of new collections and expanded exhibitors featuring stunning styles and technology.”

Pre-registration is now available for the show via dallasmarketcenter.com. By pre-registering buyers receive a FastPass email for contactless, quick entry into the show.

Said Bobby Wilson of Wilson Lighting in Kansas City, Missouri: “When we come down to Dallas, we know some things that we're looking for, but we never know what else we're going to find. For us as a lighting showroom, nothing can beat Dallas.”

Supporting the health and safety of all customers, the market center continues comprehensive measures that include mandatory face covering and temperature screening for every person entering the marketplace every day. The market center conducted more than 100,000 temperature checks during their recent January events. New for March Lightovation will be concierge COVID-19 testing for buyers and exhibitors for travel approval. The service will be available daily inside Dallas Market Center. Additional details will be announced soon.

Other efforts include enhanced cleaning with hospital grade products, hundreds of hand sanitizing stations, limited food service, no gatherings, and signage for social distancing. Along with these new steps, there are safety measures that are part of the design of the marketplace: open parking, large entryways, quick registration in multiple areas, wide hallways, multiple escalators to each floor, and showrooms with controlled access to allow for the appropriate distance between customers. 

In addition to new collections debuting inside permanent showrooms across the marketplace, significant expansions will debut in March.

Minka Group debuts a massive new showroom on the fourth floor of the Trade Mart (4103). All of its brands will be located in a single location, including Minka-Lavery, Minka-Aire, Metropolitan Lighting Fixture Co., and George Kovacs.

Savoy House (TM 4901) has expanded its space by more than 70% to make room for a tremendous number of new collections across their stylish categories of chandeliers, ceiling and wall lights, pendants, outdoor lighting and ceiling fans. Buyers will also appreciate the showroom’s new sliding entry doors and state-of-the-art air and surface purification technology.

Z-Lite (TM 4600) has also expanded. Since 1987, Z-Lite has been creating a beautiful array of quality interior and exterior residential lighting--all beautifully designed to suit a wide range of styles, from traditional to contemporary.

Matthews Fan Company (TM 4737) has doubled its square footage to showcase additional wall and ceiling fan collections.

More elegance from Elegant Furniture & Lighting (WTC 10080). The company’s World Trade Center showroom will be nearly triple its previous size to showcase the best in distinctive lighting and furnishings for residential and commercial projects. The company has also retained its footprint in the Trade Mart (3050).

Inside Light + Design on Ten, the first-ever smart home showroom that opened June 2019, Smarter Living by Design has been updated and expanded with new technologies. Anchored by Samsung and featuring a dozen other leading smart home brands, Smarter Living by Design now also includes the company’s Executive Briefing Center and an innovative new display for its popular Frame TVs. Smarter Living by Design is coordinated by HomeTronics, a local custom electronics integrator.

The 10^th floor now has additional smart home resources to educate lighting professionals. As previously announced, ProSource will open a smart lighting demo center in WTC 10040. The space will feature multiple residential rooms showcasing smart home systems and devices, including lighting products and applications, for the benefit of ProSource members and vendor partners. ProSource is the leading buying group for the custom electronics integrator market and represents more than 550 specialty retailers and custom integrators.

Other new exhibitors will include new resources in the Spectrum shared showroom. Lucas + McKearn (TM 4432-19) will debut an exciting new bath lighting collection, and M&W SmartStone will feature their onyx lamps in TM 4432-08.

To allow buyers to focus on business and mitigate large gatherings, this edition of Lightovation will have a limited number of events. The SMART Center, an industry hub in TM 4826 shared by DMC and the American Lighting Association (ALA), will be open as a reception space and information center but there will be no in-person seminars in March.

Taking place the Saturday prior to Lightovation is a fundraiser for Cassie Bailey, daughter of ALA’s Executive Vice President Larry Lauck. Cassie suffered a massive stroke just before the holidays and has made tremendous progress, but still has a long recovery ahead of her. One way to support her family is by participating in the Believe in Cassie 5K Virtual Run/Walk on Saturday, March 20. Sign up or simply donate on the event’s Lemon Aide Project page.

A new food outlet will open at March Lightovation for the convenience of customers: The End Zone Sports Bar debuts in TM 4925. This is the latest addition to the ample food service locations across the marketplace, many of which offer to-go options and prepackaged items.

Complimentary breakfast will be provided daily while supplies last, and come-and-go bars on the third and fourth floor will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2-4 p.m.

Since shuttle service will not be available during Lightovation, hotel options conveniently within walking distance include Hilton Anatole ($167/night) and Renaissance ($165/night). The full list of hotels is available here.

The summer edition of Lightovation will take place June 23-26. Two opportunities for recognition surrounding the summer event have deadlines approaching. The 12^th Annual Showroom of the Year Awards program, presented in partnership with Furniture Lighting & Decor magazine, is accepting nominations through March 1, 2021. The Showroom of the Year Awards honor leading lighting retailers throughout North America. Stores can enter their businesses and anyone may nominate for the Showroom of the Year Awards at www.SOTYAwards.com. Nominations are also being accepted through March 1 for the Light Stars program, which honors top retail salespeople from across North America with complimentary travel to attend June Lightovation for the first time. Anyone in the industry may nominate a first-time attendee at http://dallasmarketcenter.com/lightstars.

Additional information about the largest residential lighting show in North America is available on the Lightovation page of the Dallas Market Center website. Keep up with the latest developments by following the #Lightovation hashtag on social media, via the Lightovation Facebook Page and Lightovation - Lighting Industry Discussion Group.

About Dallas Market Center

Dallas Market Center is a global business-to-business trade center and the leading wholesale marketplace in North America connecting retailers and interior designers with top manufacturers in lighting, home décor, furniture, gifts, and fashion. Inside its dynamic, five million square foot campus near downtown Dallas, nearly 200,000 customers from all 50 states and 85 countries seek industry trends, business education and new products via open-daily showrooms and from exhibitors participating in trade events held throughout the year. The Dallas Market Center website is available at dallasmarketcenter.com.