What Is a PAR Light? LED PAR Cans Explained

A PAR light is a fixed, round stage fixture that throws an even wash of light from a reflector or LED array through a lens. "PAR" stands for parabolic aluminised reflector. LED PAR cans mix colour, dim and strobe under DMX control, the cheapest way to light a stage or wall. On stagify.ae they start at AED 80.

This guide is for UAE DJs, event companies, venues and wedding planners who need to understand PAR lights before buying or hiring them. It explains how they work, the main types, where each one fits and which specs to check. It sits under our stage lighting guide, which covers every fixture family.

Stagify is a UAE online store for professional stage lighting and stage equipment, delivering across all seven emirates.

Key takeaways

• A PAR is a fixed wash light: it does not move, so you aim it once and change only colour, brightness and strobe.

• Today almost all event PARs are LED: they run cool, need no lamps and mix colour without gels.

• Pick the colour type for the job: RGB for parties, RGBW for weddings and stages, warm/cool white or COB for faces.

• Beam angle sets coverage: at 5 m, a 25° PAR lights a circle about 2.2 m wide, while a 60° PAR covers about 5.8 m.

• Prices on stagify.ae run from AED 80 for a 36-LED RGB party PAR to AED 1,455 for a 7-cell COB retro PAR.

What is a PAR light?

A PAR light is a stage fixture built around a parabolic aluminised reflector (or, in LED versions, an LED array) that sends light forward as a smooth, even beam. It is the workhorse wash light: it colours stages, uplights walls and backdrops, and fills in faces. A PAR has no motors, so you aim it by hand once.

The name comes from the original sealed-beam PAR lamp, which combined bulb, reflector and lens in one unit. Traditional "PAR cans" were metal tubes holding one of these lamps, sized by diameter in eighths of an inch. A PAR64, for example, is 64/8 = 8 inches across.

Today the word "PAR" describes the job and the shape rather than the lamp. Modern LED PAR lights are short, round fixtures with a bracket, a cluster of LEDs and a lens. It is controlled by DMX512 or runs on its own in auto and sound-active modes.

How does an LED PAR light work?

An LED PAR light works by mixing light from coloured LED chips (red, green, blue and often white, amber or UV) behind a lens that sets the beam angle. A control board dims each colour from 0 to 100% to create any shade. The board takes instructions from a DMX desk, a remote or its own built-in programs.

Colour mixing: RGB, RGBW and more

Each LED "cell" contains one or more colour chips. An RGB PAR mixes red, green and blue, so its white is a mix and can look slightly blue or pink. An RGBW PAR adds a dedicated white chip for cleaner whites and pastels. RGBWA adds amber for warmer tones, and +UV adds ultraviolet for glow effects. A "4-in-1" LED means four colours in one chip, which gives smoother mixing than separate coloured LEDs.

DMX control

Each PAR uses a small block of DMX channels, for example red, green, blue, white, dimmer and strobe. Most offer short and long modes. The 54P LED RGBW Aluminum DJ Par Light (AED 382), for example, runs in 3- or 7-channel mode. Eight PARs at 7 channels each use 56 channels, well within a basic desk's range. Each one gets its own start address: 1, 8, 15 and so on.

What are the types of LED PAR lights?

The main types of LED PAR lights are RGB party PARs, RGBW stage PARs, white and warm/cool PARs, COB PARs, outdoor IP65 PARs, battery wireless PARs and scenic retro PARs. They differ in colour quality, brightness, weatherproofing and power source. Weddings and stages need RGBW or COB. Parties can start with RGB.

RGB and RGBW PARs

The 36 LED RGB Stage Par Light (AED 80) is an entry RGB PAR with 7 DMX channels, auto, sound and master-slave modes and a remote. It has no dedicated white chip, so use it for parties rather than faces. For weddings and stages, the 18 LED Stage Par Light (AED 480) uses 18 × 10W RGBW 4-in-1 LEDs, comes in 15°, 25°, 45° or 60° versions and weighs 3 kg.

White, warm/cool and COB PARs

White PARs light people. The Warm Cool White Led Par Light for Stage Dj Club 100W (AED 350) has a 100W COB LED that switches between 3,200K warm and 5,600K cool. It has a CRI of 90 or above (how accurately skin and fabric colours show) and comes with barn doors to shape the light. For more output, the 300W Stage COB Par Light (AED 780) uses a 300W white and warm-white COB chip and weighs 6.5 kg.

Outdoor and battery PARs

Outdoors in the UAE, use IP65 or higher. The Waterproof 54 Led Par Light Outdoor (AED 450) has 54 × 3W RGBW LEDs in an IP65 aluminium housing. For uplighting with no cable runs, the 9 LED Wireless Battery Par Light (AED 750) runs for about 8–10 hours depending on brightness, takes wireless DMX and weighs 3.6 kg. It is offered in several colour versions, so confirm which one is in stock when ordering.

Retro scenic PARs

Some PARs are meant to be seen as part of the set. The 7p LED COB RGBW Par Mini Retro Light (AED 1,455) has seven 50W cells, each ringed by RGB effect LEDs, and runs on 8 or 32 DMX channels for chases. It weighs 9 kg packed and is for indoor use only.

Where are PAR lights used?

PAR lights are used wherever you need even colour: stage washes at concerts and weddings, uplighting on backdrops, walls and pillars, front light on speakers, DJ booth lighting, and colour on outdoor facades. They are usually the first fixtures an event company buys, because every other light builds on the wash they provide.

These counts are Stagify starting points for a typical room, not fixed rules. For full wedding layouts, see our Wedding Stage Lighting Ideas: Kosha, Entrance Walk & First Dance.

A PAR stays where you point it. When you need light that moves, pans across the room or projects patterns, a moving head does that job. Our guide What Is a Moving Head Light? explains the difference.

What specs should you check on a PAR light?

Check six specs on a PAR light: colour type (RGB, RGBW, white), LED count and wattage, beam angle, DMX channels and modes, IP rating, and weight. Beam angle decides how much of the stage or wall one PAR covers from your mounting distance, which tells you how many you need.

How much does one PAR cover?

Beam angle and distance decide the width of the lit area. The table shows the approximate diameter a single PAR lights at each distance, worked out from the beam angle (diameter = 2 × distance × tan of half the angle).

Use wide angles (45–60°) to uplight a backdrop from close range and narrow angles (15–25°) to throw colour from a truss far from the stage.

PAR light beam angle and coverage (Stagify diagram, October 2026).

Hang every PAR mounted overhead with a rated clamp and a separate safety cable. Indoor PARs without an IP rating must stay out of rain, dew and pool splash.

Frequently asked questions

What does PAR stand for in lighting?

PAR stands for parabolic aluminised reflector, the curved mirror in the original sealed-beam lamps that sent light forward as an even beam. The number after it, as in PAR64, is the lamp diameter in eighths of an inch, so a PAR64 is 8 inches across. LED PARs keep the name and the job.

What is the difference between RGB and RGBW PAR lights?

An RGB PAR mixes white from red, green and blue, so the white can look tinted. An RGBW PAR adds a dedicated white LED, which gives cleaner whites, softer pastels and better skin tones. Use RGB for parties and RGBW for weddings, stages and filmed events.

How many PAR lights do I need?

It depends on the area. For a wedding kosha, 6–8 RGBW PARs along the base of the backdrop is a common start. For a DJ booth, 2–4. Use the coverage table above: at 5 m, a 45° PAR lights a circle about 4.1 m wide, so add fixtures until the area is covered evenly.

Can PAR lights be used outdoors?

Only if they are rated IP65 or higher. The Waterproof 54 LED Par Light Outdoor on stagify.ae is IP65 and costs AED 450. Standard indoor PARs can be damaged by dust, dew and heat, and water can create an electrical hazard.

Do PAR lights need a DMX controller?

No, most LED PARs also run in auto, sound-active or master-slave mode, where one PAR leads and the others copy it. That suits parties and DJ booths. For weddings and shows with timed cues, use a DMX controller so every PAR changes on cue.

What is the difference between a PAR light and a moving head?

A PAR light is fixed and only changes colour, brightness and strobe. A moving head pans, tilts, zooms and projects patterns by remote control. PARs are cheaper and provide the base wash. Moving heads add movement and effects on top.

Which PAR light should you choose?

Choose RGBW stage PARs for weddings and stages, warm/cool white or COB PARs for faces and speeches, IP65 PARs for outdoor events, and battery PARs for cable-free uplighting. RGB PARs are fine for home parties. Match the beam angle to your mounting distance, then count fixtures from the coverage table.

Most stage and wedding work starts with RGBW PARs. Event companies, venues and installers can request a project quote or WhatsApp a Stagify specialist for bulk and rental-stock pricing.

Written by the Stagify Technical Team · Last updated October 2026