Around 25% of the UK’s population live with a disability or impairment – that’s potentially 1 in 4 people attending a festival. It’s the responsibility of event organisers to design safe and comfortable experiences for all attendees, regardless of their ability.
Physical access features
Entry points and layout
When planning your festival site, accessibility should be embedded throughout the entire space. One of the most important considerations is providing appropriate entry points and pathways for those with mobility challenges. For instance, narrow routes and doorways, uneven or muddy ground and step-only access points all present barriers for wheelchair users. While you may not be able to find venues that are completely free of those issues, there are ways to work around them, such as installing disability access ramps or temporary flooring.
The festival layout should also be designed with accessibility in mind. Crowded environments can be very overwhelming and physically difficult to navigate, particularly with mobility issues. So, the floorplan should be designed thoughtfully, avoiding unnecessary obstacles or big distances between the nearest facilities, such as information points, food areas, accessible toilets or medical assistance tents. To help people find what they need, maps (both physical and digital) must be made available.
Transport and parking
Travelling to and from the venue is also an important consideration for festival accessibility. There should be a good selection of transport options available, including public transport routes or accessible taxi drop-off points. If the venue is very remote, consider implementing a shuttle service with wheelchair-accessible vehicles. For those getting there by car, there should be designated parking spaces available close to the entrances, clearly marked and reserved for disabled attendees.
Inclusive experiences
Viewing platforms and participation
Inclusive experiences mean that everyone can enjoy the festival equally. For example, implementing accessible seating areas with viewing platforms provide wheelchair users better visibility. However, these should be positioned thoughtfully – ideally, they’d be integrating within the main event areas, without isolating some attendees from the rest of the crowd.
If there are workshops or activities taking place, these should also be adaptable for different abilities. Where possible, having subtitles or live captioning as well as sign language interpreters can significantly enhance the experience for deaf attendees. This helps create a more engaging and welcoming environment for all, where no one feels left out.
Clear signage and communication
Effective communication is, of course, central to outdoor event safety, and it is usually achieved through clear, consistent signage. However, this also requires accessibility considerations: all signs should be positioned at appropriate heights and be easy to read (i.e. high-contrast colours and large fonts can be used to improve visibility). Braille and tactile elements should be incorporated for visually impaired attendees too.
Beyond physical signs, digital communication (website, app, email letters, etc.) must also follow accessibility standards. This means using logical page structures, clear headings in plain English, easy-to-read fonts and simple navigation so all users can easily find what they need without confusion. Moreover, websites and apps should be compatible with screen readers. All of these measures ensure that important information reaches everyone.
Health and safety
Risk assessments
Risk assessments are a mandatory part of festival planning, making sure that it aligns with both indoor and outdoor event safety measures. Accessibility should be integrated within these risk assessments. In the case of an emergency, consider how your safety procedures will accommodate disabled attendees. Does the evacuation plan include wheelchair users? Are the communication methods going to reach those with hearing impairments? All of these situations must be prepared for, creating a safe environment for all.
Staff training
All festival staff and volunteers should receive training on accessibility and inclusion. This includes general awareness of different needs and, most important, the fact that not all disabilities are visible. On top of that, staff should understand how to assist different attendees respectfully (e.g. serving a person with learning difficulties). An accessibility-trained team will make all the difference, creating a positive experience, and it’s the event organiser’s responsibility to provide the necessary training.
Feedback and continuous improvement
Every event is an opportunity to gather feedback from attendees, particularly those with accessibility needs, and make further refinements in future experiences. This can either be done in-person during the event, via paper forms and QR codes, or by sending digital feedback forms to participants afterwards. Not only will this help identify areas for improvement, but also show disabled attendees that you care about their experience, beyond simply meeting regulatory requirements.
Making inclusion the standard
Festival accessibility is about creating an environment where everyone feels welcome and able to participate fully in all the fun, whether it’s watching the performances or getting involved in the workshops. The truly inclusive events, therefore, prioritise accessibility through thoughtful design and continuous improvements, rather than just ticking it off the compliance list.
