Accessibility for Fiber Festivals (and beyond)

Read Pacific Knit Co.'s Accessibility Policy here

 

There is a big difference between meeting the ‪minimum‬ legal standards of physical accessibility -vs- creating an event that is genuinely accessible. This blog post was originally written in the aftermath of Wool & Folk 2023, which was a great example of how NOT to make an event safe and inclusive for attendees (this post has since been updated).

My sister, Jamie Lomax, Owner & Creative Director at Pacific Knit Co., was one of the vendors at the event above. She said, "From the moment we arrived for set up, everything was unorganized and unclear. But as the event unfolded, I found that the most unacceptable aspect was the shear lack of accommodations and accessibility for those who needed it - shoppers and vendors alike. It simply wasn't an accessible event for a fiber community that should be much more inclusive."

Her reflections from this event prompted a long conversation between us, one in which we would like to include other knitters, designers, vendors, event organizers and of course, the disabled folks in this community.

 

So let's get started

 

The very first thing you can do to make your space more inclusive is to tell people what your accessibility considerations and accommodation options are. Clearly, where it’s easy for folks to find. If you are not making it explicit and obvious that you have thought about accessibility AND are willing to provide accommodations, then your space is not accessible, regardless of your intentions.

Most (all?) disabled people have had bad experiences of being ignored, excluded, forgotten, lied to, gaslit, invalidated or dismissed in regards to their reasonable expectations of accessibility and accommodations. If you are not telling me (before I buy my ticket to an event) how the space is accessible (in detail) then I have to assume that it is not, and I will probably not buy a ticket. A lot of people are excluded from events at this stage because a lifetime of experience has taught them to lower their expectations and protect themselves.

If you are not actively welcoming these people, then your event is not accessible.

Simply writing that “this event is accessible” is not sufficient. Accessible to whom? To blind folks? Autistic knitters? Vendors who use wheelchairs? Fat bodies? People with allergies to artificial scents? Nursing parents? Just having a ramp at the entrance doesn’t even meet the minimum standard for an “accessible event” and there is so, so much more we can all be doing.

 

Here is a non-exhaustive list of potential accommodations:

Note: These are all in addition to the legal requirements of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Building Occupancy, Fire Code, etc. requirements that must also be met.

MASKED HOURS

The end of public concern for Covid does not mean that there aren't still folks who would feel/be safer in public spaces if face masks were still required. Organizers should set aside times during the event (preferable at the start of the day) where masks are required so that those who wear masks (by preference or necessity) can attend safely.

QUIET HOURS

Set aside a time where the event is low-sensory. This means smaller crowds, lower lighting, and lower volume (quieter voices, no background music, etc.)

This should also include instructing vendors to allow customers browse with less interaction with staff. Staff keep their physical distance and don’t initiate small talk until the customer asks a question.

QUIET SPACES

Designate an area where people who are overstimulated during the event can go to get away from noise and crowds.

This space needs to be separate from any dining/eating/crafting areas – the sound of people eating or knitting needles clicking is not appropriate in a designated quiet area.

CHAIRS AND REST AREAS

There need to be places for people to sit down throughout the day. These should not all be located in the same part of the venue, but spaced out so that folks who need to get off their feet aren’t struggling to find a chair, or hike across a hall to get to the nearest one, or even have to consult a map to find one.

Additionally, all chairs must be usable by folks in all body sizes. This means wider chairs, higher weight capacity, no arms, chairs that aren’t attached to tables/to the chairs next to them, etc.

CLASSES & SCHEDULED TALKS

Attendees who have sensitivities to crowding (or who otherwise need more physical space) should be able to sit wherever they feel most comfortable, even if that is apart from the group. Do not call attention to anyone who chooses to sit further away.

Consider offering ASL and other translator services on request. Where possible, it is best practice for the host to pay for these services themselves.

GENDER NEUTRAL BATHROOMS

People of all genders attend these events, and they all deserve to have the basic human right of using an appropriate bathroom safely.

STAFF PRONOUN PINS

Being misgendered is incredibly triggering (and unsafe) for many transgender folks. Having staff wear pronoun pins does NOT fully mitigate this risk, but it is a way to signal that this is a safe(ish) space and that pronouns will be respected here.

See note below about Vendor Accessibility Pledge.

NURSING ROOMS

Folks who are breastfeeding and/or pumping/expressing need to have a safe and private place to do this. These folks should not be excluded from the event.

CLEAR MAPS

A good, clear, helpful map needs to include more than just a list of where different vendors are. It should include the width of hallways/walkways, booth sizes, location of bathrooms, rest/quiet areas, check-in, information, assistance, etc.

If there are multiple bathroom locations – it should be noted, explicitly, which locations are accessible/gender-neutral (and if they all are, then this needs to be clearly labelled as well. I should not have to guess whether the toilet I just spent 10 minutes walking to will be safe for me to use.)

CLEAR EXPECTATIONS ON THE EVENT PAGE

A lot of disabled folks need to plan ahead for attending large events, and this is especially true of people who get overstimulated by the unpredictability itself.

Provide as much information as possible on: What sensory experience am I committing to by attending this event? What can I expect in terms of lighting, temperature, crowd size, ambient music, smells, etc?

Where able, it is also helpful to include good, clear photos of the venue. If this event has happened before – show me photos of the event when it’s full of people so I can get an idea of what it will feel like to be standing in that space, so I can plan what self-protection/cope-ahead strategies I need in order to attend safely.

Consider offering familiarization visits and/or virtual tours. If I can walk through the space before the event (ideally when booths are set up but no people are around) then it would go a long way to helping me be able to prepare appropriately for the day of. I can locate bathrooms, find the quiet area, and get a sense of the physical space. Minimizing the 'unknown' factor can mitigate a lot of sensory overload for autistic folks.

LOCKERS OR COAT CHECK

Not everyone will be able or willing to carry their purchases or even some of their belongings around all day. A safe place to leave heavy coats or purchases would help a lot of people be able to enjoy the event for longer.

CLEAR IDENTIFICATION OF STAFF

Make it obvious who is working at the event, and in what capacity. Are they a vendor, a volunteer, do they have information and can point me in the right direction? Feeling lost can be mentally taxing and overwhelming in itself, and this is an easy practice to implement.

OFFER ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE/AIDS AT CHECK-IN

Consider offering some small, but helpful, items to staff and customers when they arrive.

This could include things such as: foam ear plugs, pronoun badges for customers, “quiet browsing bags”, “invisible disability” lanyards*, large font maps, etc.

 

What is a Vendor Accessibility Pledge?

For any of this to be successfully implemented, the vendors and other staff need to commit to ensuring accessibility, and they need to be explicitly made aware of what that means. One of the reasons why these things aren’t done at many events is because people without lived experience simply don’t see the barriers that disabled people face. Education and awareness are part of the event coordinator’s role in making the event accessible.

Vendors need to agree to ask/respect pronouns, abide by ‘low sensory’ requests, etc. otherwise many of the items above won’t actually be implemented.

 

Additional considerations for event planners:

All accommodations need to be available to vendors, staff, and volunteers. Disabled vendors exist, and they are too often excluded from inaccessible or poorly-planned events.

Accommodations can’t be put behind a paywall. Quiet hour browsing shouldn't be a more expensive ticket, and coat check can’t be $20. You can’t have seats but only for people who have paid for food.

Accept that while you won’t be able to anticipate everything for all people, you can always ask. Have an option when someone is purchasing their ticket/ booking their vendor booth where you ask if they have any other needs/requests that have not been addressed.

 

Note: This blog post is aimed primarily at events. Pacific Knit Co. are also working on resources for creating accessible stores and classes. If you have any other suggestions, please leave them in the comments here or email me at Grey@PacificKnitCo.com. The community’s lived experience is essential to making sure future events are more inclusive.

 

*Comment on the term “invisible disability”: I use this term here because people are generally familiar with it, but I don’t personally love this term. Calling my disability “invisible” comes from a place of assuming that all people are able-bodied/neurotypical until proven otherwise, which is a sentiment that perpetuates ableism. While I sometimes have to mask due to societal pressures or expectations, my disability isn’t hidden or invisible – people simply choose not to recognize it. Accessibility should be in-built, and the burden of being included shouldn’t be on the disabled person.