CE Pro December 2022 - 56

Channel
TIPS | EDUCATION & EVENTS | DISTRIBUTION
HTSA Announces
Return of
'Lightapalooza'
in 2023
Home Technology Specialists of America
to stage second lighting fixture focused
conference in Phoenix, February 20-23,
2023, open to the industry, following
inaugural event success. By Arlen
Schweiger
THE INAUGURAL
Lightapalooza may have
focused on lighting fixtures
rather than audio, but it still
rocked, so the Home Technology
Specialists of America
(HTSA) group is bringing the
event back in 2023. HTSA,
the custom integration channel
trade consortium and
buying group, has announced
Lightapalooza 2023 to be
held February 20-23, 2023,
at the Renaissance Phoenix
Glendale Hotel & Spa.
The second annual, threeday
educational event has
been created to provide a
highly unique opportunity
for custom integrators and
lighting segment manufacturers
to connect, share
ideas and engage in conversations
strictly around the
fast-growing lighting category.
The Lightapalooza 2023
announcement comes during
the HTSA Fall Conference, as
56 | CE Pro December 2022
leading vendors and members
gather at The Westin in Indianapolis
with a theme of focus,
best practices and growth.
The first Lightapalooza,
held in February 2022 in Dallas,
attracted 220 integrators
for education that included 17
fixture manufacturers - both
numbers evidence of just how
much the category has grown
in a short amount of time.
" Last year's inaugural
Lightapalooza was so
well received, that we are
thrilled to host our second
Lightapalooza in February
2023 in Phoenix. Since
the inaugural event, we've
received countless requests
from top lighting vendors
and integration firms, to not
only bring this education to
the CI industry again, but
to further expand it. And
we are doing exactly that, "
says Tom Doherty, director
of technology initiatives for
With more vendors and attendees, Lightapalooza 2023
will offer great networking opportunities for dealers in the
category.
HTSA, who adds vendor
participation commitments
have already doubled.
" As the fastest, largest
growth category, we are
excited to announce that the
event and location has been
set, and will include even
more lighting vendors and
lighting integration, control,
fixture and wellness topics
during the in-person gathering
geared to exceptional,
hands-on engagement. "
HTSA points out it was
the first organization to
bring expanded lighting
solutions to dealers such
as fixtures in 2017. These
solutions have grown to be a
key area of success for HTSA
members as a natural extension
of lighting integration
and control.
HTSA launched the first
Lightapalooza in 2022 to an
intentionally small group.
However, Lightapalooza
2023 will be open to the
industry, with select lighting
vendors participating and
training, the group notes.
Feedback from
Lightapalooza 2022 attendees
was strong, the group
adds. " Lightapalooza was
a breath of fresh air. It was
great seeing the importance
of this category brought to
the forefront in our industry, "
says Robert Anderson, VP of
Premiere Systems in Florida.
Jon Robbins, executive
director for HTSA, says lifting
the lighting fixtures category
can help elevate other categories
on a project because
of how early it gets dealers
to the table.
" We are extremely
enthusiastic to receive the
feedback and requests for
another Lightapalooza event
and to bring the community
together with ultra-sharp
focus on lighting, one of
the most rapidly-advancing
categories in our business, "
says Robbins. " We strive to
help HTSA members accelerate
their opportunities and
growth and to have relevant
solutions to satisfy today's
homeowners. "
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CE Pro December 2022

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