PALME, the Middle East’s premier trade show for audio, lighting, AV and event management, will open on Sunday.

Showcasing an array of products and services, the expo also features a knowledge-sharing conference and education programme, which is the most comprehensive of its kind to date, said the organisers, IIR Middle East.

“On display, we’ve got some of the latest cutting edge technologies and solutions for the industry,” said show director, Alex Heuff, of IIR Middle East.

“Also, professionals working in the entertainment sectors, events industry, shopping malls, and leisure and hotel facilities will find our line-up of conferences and seminars inspiring and educational, especially with the depth and breadth of the subjects covered plus the calibre of our speaker line-up,” he added.

Now in its 7th year, Palme Middle East 2009, which runs until April 28 at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, plays host to over 160 exhibitors, representing more than 600 brands, covering 20,000 sq m of exhibition space. Pre-registrations indicate visitor numbers will exceed 8,000” said Heuff.

Among the products to be highlighted are: the Philips MSR GoldTM 2500/2 fastfit lamp; the Beyerdynamic range of conference equipments; the newest loudspeaker series by Tannoy – the VQ Series and the Q Flex series; Meyer Sound’s  D-Mitri, MM-10, Cinema Experience; and many more. In addition Myer Sound will be celebrating its 30th anniversary at Palme.

Palme has streamlined and rebranded its activities into 3 vertical and easily identifiable exhibitions.

These co-located events are: Install, the AV installation and systems integration exhibition; event 360, for event organisers and suppliers; and MUSAC, a musical equipment and instruments show for professional DJs and musicians.

In addition PALME will once again be looking for the most talented DJs in the region with the Middle East DJ Competition, which is now in its fifth year and is the largest DJ Competition in the Middle East.

For 2009, Palme has expended is education programme to include an array of seminar sessions, two conferences - AV & Systems Integration Solutions Conference and the  Lighting Solutions Conference – plus a certified course for the audio and acoustic industry.

Topics to be discussed during the conferences include: a talk on Transforming One of the Seven Wonders of the World - Live at the Pyramids; a discussion forum for systems integration specialists across the Middle East; an examination of the future of the AV and integration industry - new technologies and trends; and how to create award winning laser entertainment shows.

In addition, the second Middle East Event Awards are to be presented at an extravagant gala evening at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai on Monday, to recognise and reward excellence in the events industry, he added.-TradeArabia News Service