Accessible Events for All

Inclusive Event Planning: Our Guide to Accessibility

The goal of every event planner is to orchestrate events that leave a lasting, positive impact on every attendee. More than just a buzzword, a focus on accessibility beyond just adhering to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is essential to ensuring an event that’s inclusive, successful, and memorable for all.

We asked local expert, Joe Maxwell from the Seattle Theatre Group—who is certified in accessibility coordination—to share his knowledge and to help us create the following guide on how to select venues, communicate effectively, manage on-site logistics, and more in a way that welcomes and accommodates everyone.

Pre-Event Prep
On-Site Inclusivity
Neurodiversity Needs
Budgeting for Success
After Your Event
We Can Help

Pre-Event Preparation: Setting the Tone for Inclusivity


Invitation and Communication

All events start with an invitation. Whether this is a formal invitation, an advertisement, or part of your registration page, the invitation is a great opportunity to start off strong and begin your event with a clear signal to your attendees of a dedication to ensuring everyone’s needs are met.

Consider the following:

  • Include a comment section on the RSVP for accessibility requests.
  • Offer a contact person or information for interpretative requests and/or other accommodations.
  • To ensure enough lead time, add a disclaimer for interpretative requests that they be made no less than two weeks before the event to give you enough time to make accommodations and budget adjustments, if needed.

Detailed Venue Information

Arming attendees with advanced knowledge makes planning their experience much smoother. As soon as it is available, share any information you have about your venue and its specific accessibility features—it’s free to provide and can live as an accessibility page on your event's website if you are concerned about overloading your other attendees with too much information.

A few helpful things for attendees to know in advance of your event:

  • Non-Accessible Areas: Indicate whether there are any places within the event space or venue that require stairs to access (in a historic venue, for example).
  • Restrooms: Is there an ADA compliant restroom located on the same floor as the main event space?
  • Personal Care Attendants (PCAs): Clarify whether PCAs are allowed to attend the event at no cost and, if so, let attendees know how to register for a ticket or badge for their attendant.
  • Parking: Mention whether there is parking on-site or nearby. If nearby, how far does one need to travel to reach your venue.
  • Public Transport: Share details about the nearest bus stop or other public transportation station.
  • Accessible Accommodations: Note the number of ADA-accessible rooms in the associated hotel.
  • Arriving & Departing: Include information letting attendees know where to find passenger loading and unloading zones for individuals with mobility disabilities.

On-Site Inclusivity: A Seamless Experience

Interpretive Services

Having an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter with adequate lighting on them is helpful for the D/deaf and people living with hearing loss. If interpreters or captioning have been requested, make sure there is designated seating reserved with a clear line of sight to the interpreter and stage.


Captioning

Not all people who are hard of hearing are fluent in ASL—especially those who have more recently lost hearing due to aging or injury. Some people otherwise struggle with auditory processing. Consider having open captions (especially on any videos being shown where captions can be prepared in advance) or a visual aid such as a slideshow (for speakers and panels) with text hitting the main points being made.


Transcription Services

Hiring a transcriptionist, offering open captions, or recording your sessions and making everything available (including slides) after your event is a valuable resource for all attendees. Whether your recordings are audio only or a video recording, this information can also be fed through accessibility tools for easier consumption after your event.


Navigational Ease

Wayfinding during an event is a common pain point for event attendees, and this can be exacerbated by factors such as language barriers, neurodivergence, blindness or low vision, or just being in a hurry.

Consider the following:

  • Signage: Put up a large amount of clear signage directing attendees around your venue for easy navigation.
  • Maps: Include maps of your venue in your attendees' registration materials.
  • Real-Time Help: Appoint event staff or volunteers at helpful locations to assist with wayfinding
  • Layout: Make sure there is a path at least 36 inches wide throughout the venue (especially between table & chair setups) so that a wheelchair user will have a clear and easier way to move throughout the event.
  • Hazards: Be mindful of tripping hazards—especially in a space with low lighting—like cables on the floor, ribbons trailing off chair backs, etc.

Neurodiversity & Sensory Processing Needs

Creating an inclusive environment extends to understanding and accommodating neurodiverse attendees and those with sensory processing sensitivities.

Here are 6 strategies to help ensure their comfort and engagement:


1. Quiet Zones

Designate quiet areas away from the hustle and bustle of the event where attendees can decompress. These zones should have comfortable seating and subdued lighting.


2. Sensory Alerts

Clearly communicate in advance about any elements of the event that might be challenging, such as loud noises, smoke machines, or bright lights. This allows attendees to prepare or avoid these situations if necessary.


3. Flexible Seating Options

Offer a variety of seating arrangements. Some attendees might prefer areas with less traffic or more personal space.


4. Sensory-Friendly Materials

A few ideas for providing some options that are helpful for regulation and finding a bit of quiet.

  • Noise-canceling/reducing headphones
  • Fidgets at registration (a great opportunity for branded swag!)
  • Topical books, reading materials, crossword puzzles, etc. in quiet zones


5. Training Staff and Volunteers

Ensure that your staff and volunteers are trained to understand and respond to the needs of neurodiverse attendees. They should be aware of the quiet zones and other accommodations available.


6. Social Narrative Guides

Creating a social narrative with descriptive text and pictures can be very helpful in visualizing and preparing for the event. This guide should detail as much about the experience as possible with information like:

  • Where to park on arrival and/or where public transport arrives and drops off in relation to event location.
  • What to look for to know you have arrived at the right place (e.g., signage, notable building features, etc)
  • Where best to enter the event space (e.g., east entrance, directly across from fountain, etc.)
  • Where they will find registration, and what to do when they get there.
  • Information about the layout of the meeting space and relevant interior locations (restrooms, how to find relevant rooms for sessions, etc.)
  • Clear descriptions of what attendees can expect in the space and during each piece of the meeting/event.

Budgeting for Success

Planning beyond the expected needs of your attendees ensures you won't be caught off guard. It can seem daunting to make sure everything is considered, but the more people get in the habit of making this part of their events from the get-go, the easier it all is in the long run.

All events should have accessibility in the budget. Look into costs for interpretive services (captioning, ASL, tactile), AV equipment, large print/braille programs, or any other services and have that ready in the budget for requests that may come in. If it's not needed, that budget can be marked as a savings. It's better to have the plan available and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Post-Event Engagement: Feedback for Future Success

When sending your post-event recordings, slides, and notes of thanks—include an opportunity to leave feedback for future events. For anyone who might have requested accommodation(s), follow up with them personally to make sure all the advance planning and accessibility considerations you put into place were successfull.

Looking for more resources?

If you need help planning an accessible event in the area, our team of experts in Seattle Southside is here to assist you!

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Joe Maxwell

Author

Joe Maxwell

Certified Accessibility Coordinator & Event Planner

A lover of the arts, Joe Maxwell works with the Seattle Theatre Group as an event planner, grants writer, and sponsorship fundraiser in his role as a Corporate Relations Manager. He also loves dogs. All the dogs.