Strong Numbers at LEDucation 2026

The LEDucation trade show and conference will return to the New York Hilton Midtown next April and will expand to three days.

This year’s LEDucation event, organized by the Designers Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY), was held in April instead of March for the first time in its 20-year history. Once again, it was held at the New York Hilton Midtown and – as usual – there was plenty of talk on the exhibitor floor about whether the show had outgrown the location.

News that the show and conference will keep to an April date for 2027 was welcome news to both attendees and exhibitors. In the past, the event was held close to St. Patrick’s Day – which is celebrated like a major holiday in New York City –  and, as such, had caused some travel, traffic, and accommodation challenges. While the holiday never deterred participants from attending or exhibiting at LEDucation, the reaction to the April date change was both unanimous and welcome.

This year was the first time that LEDucation, which was held April 14 and 15, held special “designer hours” for 9am to 11 am on opening day (Tuesday). The access was available only to design professionals who had pre-registered and required a designated badge in order to access the exhibit halls during that timeframe. The purpose was to provide a dedicated, quieter time for design professionals to engage with manufacturers and explore products without the crowds of the main exhibition hours.

The creation of Designer Hours was the direct result of feedback the event’s organizers received. In describing the initiative, Cynthia Turner, President of DLFNY, noted, “After each event, DLFNY and the LEDucation committee take a close look at what worked, where we can improve, and – most importantly – what we’re hearing from our community. Designer Hours came directly out of that process, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see how well it was received. We’re excited to build on that momentum and continue raising the bar for the LEDucation experience.”

Overall, LEDucation continued its strong record of attendance and participation from exhibitors on an international scale. More than 10,000 attendees and 565 exhibitors filled the ballrooms, including a strong presence of new exhibitors.

“We are incredibly grateful to our manufacturers and their representatives for the unwavering support and commitment to making LEDucation a success year after year. Your partnership is the backbone of this event, and we thank you for your continued dedication to our program,” said Jamie Eck, LEDucation Co-Chair. “As LEDucation continues to grow, creating a more intentional and focused experience for the design community became a clear priority. The positive feedback from manufacturers has reinforced Designer Hours as a key differentiator of the show.”

To commemorate two decades of growth, the DLFNY hosted a celebratory event on Monday, April 13, which honored past and present contributors who have helped shape the trajectory of LEDucation.

LEDucation Co-Chair and Co-Founder, Burt Grant reflected on the milestone, “What started as a small, collaborative idea has grown into something truly meaningful for the lighting community. It’s been incredible to see how LEDucation has evolved over the past 20 years — while still staying true to its core purpose of bringing people together to learn, connect, and move the industry forward.”

Education remained a central pillar of LEDucation 2026, with a comprehensive program designed to address the evolving needs of the industry and included 25 in-person sessions and 14 virtual presentations that covered topics such as design, technology, sustainability, controls, and emerging trends.

“We were incredibly excited by the strength of this year’s educational program — from the diversity of topics to the level of dialogue with attendees. After two decades of engaging with LED technology, our audience brings an informed and thoughtful perspective, creating an industry-leading level of discourse. The feedback from the community has been fantastic, reinforcing that education continues to be a core strength of LEDucation. We’re committed to continuing to grow and evolve the program while maintaining this high level of quality,” added LEDucation Presentations Committee members Craig Fox (ETC, Inc.), Wendy Kaplan (Kelvix), Shaun Fillion (NYSID | RAB Lighting), and Stacey Bello (KGM Lighting).

A continued highlight of LEDucation is its support of emerging talent through the IESNYC Student Lighting Competition. This year’s theme – “Everything Old Is New Again” – challenged participants to reinterpret and reimagine existing ideas through light, viewed through a contemporary lens. The program reflects LEDucation’s ongoing commitment to fostering the next generation of lighting professionals.

LEDucation will return to the New York Hilton Midtown on April 13–15, 2027 and will expand to a three-day format.