I could see the crowds outside the Long Beach Convention Center before I could see the USITT branding. Despite the heat, despite the sun, the line for the expo floor opening stretched across the entire entrance of the Convention Center. When the doors opened at last, an army of volunteers guided the sea of people to the floor in a safe and orderly manner.
As attendees flooded onto the expo floor, a distinct clump formed around Syracuse Scenery & Stage Lighting. People of all ages queued at the booth in the hopes of securing one of their coveted tote bags — or even better, one of their aprons. Made from the same material as their curtains, the bags come in all colors, from deep navy to a pale cream. The mad rush was justified. Their team handed out around 1,000 tote bags within the first ten minutes of the expo. Securing a piece of this coveted swag is a time-honored USITT tradition.
The team at Lightwright put it best: the energy at USITT is incredibly wholesome. The floor is populated by people at the very dawn of their careers, and they are beyond excited to learn. They are full of energy, questions, and unadulterated joy. At the Upstaging booth, students competed in a mini truck-packing competition. ETC offered custom LEGO mini figures, and Wenger had a space for friendship bracelet making. Spaces that offered hands-on engagement were hubs of activity throughout the day.
Large manufacturers like GLP took advantage of the student's willingness to learn. Brad Schiller, who offered to teach any student how to use GLP equipment on the MA3, lived up to his promise as students queued at the booth to learn from him.
Beyond the vendors, various university booths lined the edges of the show floor. They took time to genuinely engage with attendees, sharing experiences and expectations. Professors from all lines of study took time to discuss their fields with potential grad students and high schoolers alike.
Employers like Disney, Carnival, and Glimmerglass Festival dotted the floor. While some companies were looking to build brand recognition, others were actively hiring, and the USITT Career Campus and Portfolio Review spaces were buzzing with students looking for career advice.
A handful of organizations similarly focused on outreach and education were scattered throughout the expo. Behind the Scenes, an organization focused on supporting mental health needs within the industry, took time to talk with me about their mission at LDI. Peer support is at the heart of their organization, and their goal at USITT is to help students build networks of support within the industry. Constructive communication is the key to change, and they are at the heart of those conversations.
I also had the opportunity to attend a session on lighting design for concert touring with speakers Cory FitzGerald and Jeff Ravitz, hosted by Al Ridella. Here, too, students were incredibly engaged. The room was filled by the sound of pencils on paper, and there were questions at every turn. Even after the talk ended, students formed a line twenty deep to chat with the speakers.
As the expo floor closed for the evening, attendees made their way to the highlight of the day: after-hours networking events. Chauvet's Early Career Professional Lighting Mixer was a resounding success, as young professionals managed to pack the Westin ballroom nearly to bursting. The joy in the space was undeniable, and a number of students lingered past the formal end of the event, deeply immersed in their conversations. It was the perfect conclusion to a very busy day.
Elena Hewett
(No part of this work was created with generative AI.)
Elena Hewett is a 2025 Pat MacKay Diversity In Design recipient currently completing a BA in Comparative Genocide Studies alongside a BFA in Lighting Design at at Western Michigan University. They have been offered employment at Upstaging this summer.