Celebrating its 25th year, the PLASA trade show is set for September 8-11 at Earls Court in London, England. Key developments have been planned for the 2002 show, including a revamped Audio-Visual and Commercial Audio area, enhancements to the New Technology Gallery and Bar and the popular Master Class Program, plus PLASA BackStage, a new technical demonstration area. The PLASA show will be open 10am to 6pm from Sunday, September 8, to Tuesday, September 10, and 10am to 5pm on Wednesday, September 11.
The show kicks off on Sunday with DJ Day. Amateur DJs will have the chance to display their skills and compete in the Gemini DJ Competition and listen to the experts sharing their tips and advice at the iDJ Talk Zones. To celebrate the show's 25th birthday, there will be a party with an international theme Sunday night at a hot new venue in London, the Bridge.
Monday is Installation and Integration Day and will see a series of educational seminars, presented by Installation Europe magazine, focusing on the three core areas of Audio, Video, and Lighting Design and covering key topics such as Installation, Systems Design, and System Integration.
Tuesday focuses on the Theme and Leisure industry with a host of sessions presented by Leisure Media in association with the TEA (Themed Entertainment Association). The program will look at how innovative lighting, sound, special effects, and audio-visual equipment have been used to accentuate visitor attractions. A breakfast seminar is being introduced to allow exhibitors and visitors to attend without losing show floor time. The subject for this year will be a study into the installation of the innovative grid ceiling feature and dividing wall in Earls Court One. International staging and structure specialists Edwin Shirley Staging will be the lead speaker on this topic on Tuesday at 9am. The Lighting & Sound International-sponsored PLASA Awards for Product Excellence will also take place this evening.
On Wednesday, the Master Class and Training Program will shift focus to the growing Audio-Visual and Corporate Presentations sector, presented by AV magazine. The lineup will include discussions around the use of audio-visual technology for corporate presentations, special events, and retail/public display.
PLASA BackStage, organized by the PSA, is a new hands-on area where visitors can meet exhibitors on a more technical level. Exhibitors will be available to demonstrate or train people on their latest products. In addition, there will be a meeting area where technical or industry issues can be discussed with the PSA.
Companies present in the ESTA Pavilion area this year are: the ETA Systems, MDG Fog Generators, Strong Entertainment Lighting, Tomcat, TMB Associates, Leprecon/CAE, Lycian Stage Lighting, City Theatrical, Barbizon, Pro-Tapes & Specialties, Apollo Design Technology, Wybron, Columbus McKinnon, and Bandit Lites. The Pavilion will include a lounge area.
For complete information on the PLASA trade show, visit the website.