Event Accessibility: 7 Factors You Shouldn’t Overlook
Planning a successful event requires many considerations. You’ll have to coordinate with your clients while communicating with vendors and venue coordinators. It’s also essential to keep track of event accessibility details so attendee accommodation doesn’t get lost in the rewarding chaos. These are a few factors to put at the top of your to-do list to ensure your event is accessible to everyone.
1. Improve Venue Visibility
There are numerous reasons why attendees need better venue visibility. The guests may have vision challenges related to aging or disabilities like macular degeneration. There are multiple ways to make it easier for attendees to navigate around event spaces, such as:
- Additional outdoor lights around stairways
- Outdoor walkway lighting
- Floodlights in parking lots
- Indoor lighting in hallways
- Bathroom and bathroom stall lighting
- Motion-activated lights in coat closets
Although some lighting additions may seem over the top, they mean everything to guests trying to navigate a new space with vision disabilities. Temporary lighting is also an investment since event-planning businesses can reuse it at future engagements.
2. Provide Subtitles
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 15.5% of Americans over 18 have hearing disabilities, which equals over 40 million people. Whether it’s age-related hearing loss or a diagnosed condition, the people requiring auditory considerations will get more from their experience with help from event planners.
Subtitles are an automatic and free accommodation you can add to your presentations, movies or video content. Ensure the text is large enough to see by adjusting the settings in your preferred media player.
Monitors with live subtitles for in-person speakers also help. They ensure everyone understands what the speaker is saying without categorizing communication as strictly auditory or American sign language (ASL).
Audio amplification devices also help people with hearing loss. They use individual microphones on headsets to make any environmental input louder. The person wearing the headphones hears things at the volume they need by adjusting the settings on their headset. Placing a few of these at the event’s entrance ensures everyone can get the auditory assistance they need without asking for help.
3. Hire an Interpreter
Interpreters are always available for private or professional events. They could interpret a speaker for deaf or hard-of-hearing guests, sign while a movie plays, or assist specific guests who need interpretation in mingling in party settings.
Subtitle generators can help the same attendees but won’t work for mediums where subtitles aren’t available. RSVPs indicating each guest’s event accessibility accommodation needs will point out whether people will need an ASL interpreter.
4. Check Physical Accessibility
Physical accessibility accommodations are already part of building codes. Public spaces need wheelchair ramps, automatic doors, and venue size approval before opening for events or business.
Studies from the National Safety Council show that one-third of nonfatal injuries are caused by falling, so you’ll need to account for more than just wheelchair accessibility. Tour the venue before signing contracts to see how accessible it is, both for wheelchair users and anyone who might be prone to falling.
The geographic region should also be a consideration for event planners. The U.S. Census Bureau found rural residents are 14.7% more likely to have a physical disability than urban residents. Events happening in rural areas may have more attendees needing accommodations such as:
- Signs pointing to wheelchair-accessible doorways
- Elevators
- Close parking
- Tables accessible to individuals with wheelchairs
- Automatic doors
- Less floor decor blocking aisles and hallways
Even something as quick as improving the lighting around a venue would make it easier for people to access the space. Contact the venue coordinator to discuss their accommodations and plan whatever you need to make your guests comfortable.
5. Eliminate or Lighten Dress Code Restrictions
Dress codes are standard in some events, but they could prevent people from attending. Some guests may need tennis shoes, forbidden by restrictions enforcing high heels or dress shoes instead. Not everyone can tie a tie, wear traditional button-down shirts or dress in fancy fabric that may irritate sensitive skin caused by someone’s ongoing chemotherapy treatments.
Revise or eliminate dress code restrictions with clients whenever possible. It’s an important step in ensuring event accessibility, allowing everyone to embrace the elegance of the occasion, like wearing a classic double-breasted suit, in a way that accommodates personal comfort and health requirements.
6. Remember Dietary Restrictions
RSVP cards or emails often ask guests to submit their dietary restrictions. It’s essential to remember this step so everyone can eat or drink at their upcoming event. Include options like vegan foods and lactose-free desserts. Sugar-free drinks and low-sodium snacks accommodate those with conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. It’s an easy way to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable at a food-focused event.
7. Create Quiet Areas
People with cognitive disabilities and neurodivergent conditions like ADHD, autism, and dyslexia could get overstimulated at big events. They have limited control over their environment, so they may encounter stimuli that would typically cause uncomfortable sensations like anxiety or panic attacks.
Sensory overload happens for people without disabilities, too. It occurs any time someone’s five senses get simultaneously and intensely stimulated by environmental factors. Sometimes, that might be sitting on a suede couch for someone who doesn’t enjoy the physical feeling of the fabric. Other times, it could be visiting a place like Times Square, where there are flashing lights, loud sounds and people bumping into each other.
Event planners can create areas with sensory-friendly considerations to help individuals who need a moment to calm their five senses. A room with little-to-no noise, no flashing lights and places to sit could be what someone needs to feel more comfortable in their body.
A separate, quiet room could also be a great place for emotional support animals if your event is specifically for people with conditions like depression, anxiety or PTSD. Anyone who may feel triggered by material a speaker needs to cover or mention could spend time in the quiet space to feel grounded by the emotional support animals. It depends on the event type and who attends.
Make Every Event More Accessible
Keeping these ideas in mind makes event accessibility much easier to plan. Communicating with clients about their guests’ needs, and working with venue coordinators about details like visual, auditory and physical accommodations becomes second nature with practice.
About the Author / Ana Almeida
