Long Answer:
I went to one the other year. Yes, it's a Sales Event AND a Tech Session. The hands on sessions are usually pretty general. What I got out of it was the chance to talk to some of the product engineers you normally wouldn't be able to get access to. It's also good because they usually have the full product range on display, so you get to hold and touch and ask questions about things you've only seen in catalogues.
Short Answer:
Worth going to, very informative.
Tim.