PLASA Show 2021 will reopen its doors this weekend to reunite industry professionals at Olympia London after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic - and time is running out for visitors to secure their free entry passes.
Taking place from 5-7 September, the show will welcome back leading brands from pro audio, AV, lighting and stage technologies, who will take up residence in Olympia’s Grand Hall alongside the ABTT Theatre Show which is relocating for one year only.
“In light of the monumental shifts felt by the live events and entertainment sector over the past 18 months, PLASA Show 2021 will be people-centred, with inclusive networking spaces, support resources and learning opportunities,” say the organisers.
Free registration ends at midnight tonight, 31 August – those wishing to claim a free entry pass should head over to www.plasashow.com.
Exhibitor highlights include the show’s headline sponsor Robe, who will showcase their latest luminaires including the Forte, T2 Profile, iSeries, LED Beam and Esprite in regular show-stopping presentations. Also exhibiting will be Chauvet Professional, ETC, GLP, Avolites, Artistic Licence and SGM.
For pro audio enthusiasts, in attendance will be L-Acoustics, Shure, Sennheiser and Yamaha among many others. The stage is also set for bespoke staging from Race Furniture and Drapemakers; heavy-duty gear from Area Four Industries and NSP Cases; web-based services from trackingThis and Current RMS, and the latest innovations in LED projection and display technology from Epson and ROE Visual.
The PLASA Awards for Innovation, organised in association with LSi magazine, are also returning, to bring a dedicated showcase of cutting-edge technology at the Innovation Gallery. This year, the winners will be announced in a ceremony on Monday, 6 September, on the PLASA & #WeMakeEvents Stage.

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Seminar programme
A free programme will run across all three days, with six distinct show areas offering content designed to inform, inspire and entertain. The PLASA Show Theatre, sponsored by Vectorworks, will kick off with a session on the ABTT’s Technical Standards of Entertainment. This will be followed by a panel on the Ecodesign lighting regulation, with presentations on health and safety, rigging, sustainability and mental health also taking place, rounding off with James Eade’s popular seminar on electrical safety. There will also be an informal panel for employers looking to implement apprenticeship schemes, as well as in-depth technical sessions from Vectorworks and ETC, with a focus on ETC’s Eos v3.0 led by Dan Murfin from the National Theatre.
On the opposite end of the show floor, the d&b Soundscape Theatre will deliver regular demonstrations and seminars delving into the next generation of immersive audio. Visitors can experience loudspeakers, monitors and amplifiers from leading audio manufacturers in controlled environments - not to be missed is the newly released CS Series from KV2 Audio and the NX 9 and Art 9 Series from RCF.
Practical training sessions will involve the new Stadium consoles from ChamSys; learning to use GDTF and MVR with MagicQ, and getting a preview of the new DJ integration with Pioneer, Denon and Virtual DJ. Plus, Chauvet will present its Ovation Reve E3, the Maverick Silens 2 and Maverick Force, as well as exciting new developments in the Chauvet Professional range.

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#WeMakeEvents
#WeMakeEvents, the campaign spearheaded by PLASA to champion the live events supply chain during the pandemic, will have a strong presence at the show. Visitors are invited to the #WeMakeEvents Hub to speak with charities and initiatives that support live sector professionals. Additionally, the PLASA & #WeMakeEvents Stage will run regular live performances, in association with Headliner Magazine, as well as industry round tables including a discussion on the impact of Brexit on UK-EU touring with representatives from PLASA, LIVE and Viva La Visa.

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Safety
PLASA Show 2021 is being run in accordance with the All Secure Standard published by the Association of Event Organisers and there will be a few changes this year to keep visitors and exhibitors protected from COVID. Everyone must show proof of their COVID status to gain entry, through either a negative lateral flow test, positive PCR test or double vaccination, and everyone is encouraged to print and bring their own badge with them as there will be limited touch screens in the entrance lobby. Furthermore, the ailses will be wider, stands will be more spacious, there will be hand sanitation stations throughout, and Olympia has a new ventilation system. Finally, the Show Catalogue is going digital for the first time and can be conveniently viewed on a smartphone.
Peter Heath, managing director for PLASA, comments: “As we all know, this is certainly no normal year for the trade show calendar, and even though things may look and feel different, we can’t wait to welcome everyone to the show as it opens this Sunday. Besides the usual priorities of business, learning and networking, it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of all of our visitors and exhibitors, and we hope that you will work with us to achieve this. We are overwhelmed by the continued support of many of our regular exhibitors, and although certain names couldn’t be with us this year, we remain confident that the 2021 edition of PLASA Show will serve on all dimensions - I personally wish you an enjoyable and productive time with us.”
Free registration for PLASA Show 2021 end at midnight today (Tuesday, 31 August). Register for your entry badge, sign up for seminar sessions, and find out more about this year’s show at www.plasashow.com.