by Melissa Skipworth
The Las Vegas Convention Center became the epicenter of live entertainment technology once again on December 3-9, 2025, for the annual Live Design International (LDI) Show. Drawing over 16,000 industry professionals and 350+ exhibitors, the event proved that the intersection of theatrical lighting, architectural design, and live production technology continues to grow and thrive.
COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION FOR ALL CAREER STAGES
LDI 2025 delivered its most comprehensive professional training program to date, featuring over 225 speakers and extensive hands-on learning opportunities. The programming reflected the show’s evolution beyond traditional theatrical applications into architectural lighting, corporate events, broadcast, and immersive entertainment.
The LDInstitute offered exclusive, hands-on courses covering everything from rigging and electrical safety to lighting console training, media servers, ethernet networking, and content creation. Many courses provided ETCP (Entertainment Technician Certification Program) renewal credits, allowing professionals to maintain their certifications while expanding their skill sets.
RIGZ! Training provided an in-depth two-day program on rigging techniques, safety standards, and professional development, featuring experts from Petzl, Cirque du Soleil, and leading rigging companies. A climbing wall sponsored by GES on the expo floor provided additional hands-on experience.
For those new to the industry or considering career transitions, LDI’s Career Fair and Young Career Professionals Program offered incredible resources. Attendees could connect with hiring managers at various companies, receive resume assistance, and even get complimentary professional headshots to help them in their careers. The expanded Young Professionals Pass provided affordable access to networking and career-building opportunities geared for emerging talent.
The Stage Managers Academy focused on advancing best practices, technologies, and real-world workflows for stage and event managers in live entertainment, while XLIVE: The Concert Touring Sessions offered a day-long deep dive specifically for professionals in the concert and festival touring industry, covering set and lighting design, logistics, and management.
LDI’s partnership with ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association) further strengthened educational offerings, with ESTA maintaining a presence at the Career Fair Lounge where students and young professionals could meet members and discuss career growth in entertainment technology.
LIGHTING MANUFACTURERS UNVEIL GAME-CHANGING INNOVATIONS
The expo floor showcased an impressive array of world premiere products from industry-leading lighting manufacturers, with major players pulling out all the stops to captivate the crowd.
ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls), Inc. celebrated its 50th anniversary—a major milestone—with a booth that delivered consistent crowds during the three-day expo. The company showcased its legendary EOS consoles alongside brand-new HOG hardware released in 2025, with High End Systems automated fixtures, and its revolutionary Prodigy Balance rigging control system. ETC’s booth featured a Happy Hour reception and a museum displaying iconic industry relics, demonstrating both its history and future.
Elation Professional did not disappoint with an extensive lineup of world premiere products at Booth #3410. Their new KL BATTEN series offers high-brightness color wash fixtures engineered for stage and broadcast environments, while the weather-rated KL FRESNEL 6 IP and 8 IP deliver 7,400 and 15,500 lumens with motorized zoom and high CRI for natural color optics. The company’s REBEL LINE series introduced impressive linear tilt bars with high-output 60W RGBL engines, and the updated REBEL DARTZ has four times the brightness of its predecessor, delivering an impressive 125,475 lux at 5 meters. Perhaps most intriguing was HELIOTRAQ, a new LiDAR-powered performer tracking solution by Obsidian Control Systems designed for quick setup in small and mid-sized venues. Elation Professional’s immersive booth featured live performance shows at hourly intervals, conceived by Creative Director Melody Tseng.
Chauvet Professional built its exhibit around the theme “Revealing Our True Colors,” showcasing the Maverick Storm 1 Flex—a 520W multi-functional IP65-rated fixture featuring CMY+CTO color mixing and a tight 2.4° to 53° zoom. Their STRIKE V hybrid strobe-wash offers two layers of 48 RGB LEDs with individual pixel mapping and rugged outdoor durability. Both fixtures incorporate impressive features that generated significant buzz on the show floor.
Martin Professional collaborated with four-time Emmy Award-winning lighting designer Oscar Dominguez to create narrative-driven lighting experiences at Booth #2611. The company featured their MAC Aura Raven XIP and MAC Viper XIP while Dominguez led an exclusive “Creative Conversations” session in the Beyond Light demo room, taking attendees behind the scenes of his design process.
CLAYPAKY celebrated its own 50th anniversary with world premiere unveilings at Booth #4019. The Arolla Aqua M-LT, delivering 28,000 lumens from a 550W LED engine, combines arena-class brightness with portability. The ultra-compact Arolla Aqua S-LT weighs just 25.9kg while producing 21,000 lumens. The company’s most powerful fixture, the Arolla Aqua HP, boasts a 1400W LED engine delivering over 60,000 lumens. CLAYPAKY hosted hourly product demonstrations and a special 50th anniversary booth party that brought the industry together in celebration.
BATTLE OF THE BUSK: WHERE CREATIVITY MEETS COMPETITION
One of LDI’s most anticipated events, the Battle of the Busk, took center stage on Sunday, December 7, at 6:00 pm. Teams of advanced lighting and video buskers competed live at the custom-built stage adjacent to the iconic Circle Bar for attendees. This year’s competitors got their hands on ETC’s brand-new Hog hardware, putting their programming skills to the ultimate test. A panel of industry experts awarded prizes across multiple categories while the audience voted for the most popular design, creating an electrifying atmosphere of creativity and competition.
The VJ Challenge followed on Monday, December 8, presented by LDI and Visual Artform. This competition gave VJs from around the world the opportunity to showcase their skills on festival-level stages. VJ Legacy JP emerged victorious, taking home a $2,000 cash prize, a Depence Show Control & Visualization software license from Syncronorm, and the opportunity to serve as a guest VJ at a top festival or Las Vegas nightclub event in 2026. The VJ Challenge panel included judges who have performed at major festivals like Tomorrowland and Coachella and designed tours for acts including The Black Eyed Peas and Kygo.
THE ARCHITAINMENT REVOLUTION
Industry professionals and observers noted the continuing trend of “architainment”—the integration of theatrical lighting technology into architectural, hospitality, casino, and commercial applications. Intelligent lighting systems once exclusive to concerts and theater now appear in corporate lobbies, themed entertainment venues, and immersive retail experiences. With over 350 exhibitors representing lighting, audio, video, staging, rigging, projection, and special effects, LDI has become the collision point where theatrical and architectural lighting professionals meet, learn, and collaborate.
Looking ahead, LDI 2026 has been announced for December 2-8, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Based on the success and growth of the 2025 show, the industry can expect even more innovation, education, and inspiration as live entertainment technology continues to evolve and expand into new applications.
