Best Festivals Offering Disabled Access

Attitude is Everyt hing believe that disabled and hearing impaired people should be able to take part independently in live music events. Their Charter Awards acknowledge developments through a three-step process represented as bronze, silver and gold.

Music Festival News shares the belief that disabled access information for festivals should be easily accessible online (Access Starts Online). Here’s our disabled access festival guide, which can hopefully be used to help those with a disability plan the perfect festival season.

Glastonbury Festival

Topping the list is the hugely popular Glastonbury Festival. Glastonbury became the first camping festival to receive the Charity’s Gold Standard for best practice. Some of the improvements made at the festival include accessible shuttle buses, an accessible campsite, hearing loop systems, BSL support, accessible shower and toilet facilities, volunteer stewards, and wheelchair recharging and hire services. Anyone requiring access to any of the disabled facilities music register with Glastonbury in advance of the festival.

For more info on disabled access at Glastonbury Festival click here.

Greenbelt Festival

Working hard to aim for Gold in the footsteps of Glastonbury, Greenbelt Festival recently received the Charity’s Silver Standard for best practice. Greenbelt have been working with Attitude Is Everything since 2011. The Silver award reflects a whole host of best practice policies, and Greenbelt particularly shines with an established inclusive volunteer scheme. Mental health support is provided at The Haven in the festival village, and facilities such as British Sign Language interpretation is also standard year on year.

For more info on disabled access at Greenbelt Festival click here.

British Summer Time Hyde Park

In 2013, British Summer Time Hyde Park was the first UK event to receive the Silver Standard award in its first year. Hyde Park comes with obstacles such as limited hard standing work-ways, making access particularly difficult in bad weather. Tackling this, British Summer Time has an access map, along with access facilities for getting to the event, as well as once inside the event.

For more info on disabled access at British Summer Time Hyde Park click here.

Download Festival

Leading live entertainment promoters Live Nation are leading the way for very high standards of accessibility at festivals and events, and this includes Download Festival. A stand-out feature of Download when it comes to access and inclusion is the well-established accessible campsite. The festival looks forward to meeting the Gold award requirements in the near future. Download Festival’s website features forums for disabled customers to interact with each other and festival staff.

For more info on disabled access at Download Festival click here.

Just So Festival

Director Rowan Hoban from Just So Festival recently stated: If we don’t give you goosebumps, we are not doing it right. And that truly must include everyone. Rowan’s statement follows the launch of digital campaign initiative Access Starts Online, with Just So Festival leading the way for change at AIF’s Festival Congress in Cardiff. Just So Festival have shown great partnership work engaging with local access organisations. The family arts festival now works towards achieving the final Gold Standard.

For more info on disabled access at Just So Festival click here.

Kendal Calling

Kendal Calling are the first festival team to be awarded the Access Starts Online status, with a fabulously informative section on accessibility found with ease on the fancy Kendal Calling website. The family friendly festival is also awarded Silver Standard for accessibility, offering viewing platform wristbands, accessible camping wristbands and accessible parking passes.

For more info on disabled access at Kendal Calling click here.

Festival no. 6

Having already earned their Bronze Standard, Ground Control (the production team behind Festival no.6) have worked alongside Attitude Is Everything to ensure a Silver Standard status. Improvements include an accessible buggy service, a large number and wide range of accessible toilet units and a dedicated access team. Although it’s been recognised that all festival staff give a fantastic attitude when dealing with disabled festival goers.

For more info on disabled access at Festival no. 6 click here.

Parklife Festival

Parklife Festival offers a downloadable two-page information document on their website, which outlines specific access information. Personal Assistant tickets are also available to deaf and disabled music fans wishing to experience Parklife! Festival director Sacha urges other festivals to join the Attitude Is Everything scheme, and Parklife continues to work towards achieving Gold Standard.

For more info on disabled access at Parklife Festival, click here.

Latitude Festival

Standout access facilities in place at Silver Standard Latitude Festival include a British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation service provided by Hands4U for a range of pre-arranged and upon-request performances. This service has extended to online information about the festival being translated via BSL videos on the Latitude Festival YouTube channel.

For more info on disabled access at Latitude Festival, click here.

Congratulations to all festivals on this list, and to all who are consciously working to improve their events with everyone in mind. There is still a long way to go! #MusicWithoutBarriers. For disabled festival goers, here’s to a less stressful year of festival planning as Access Starts Online rolls out.

To learn more about the Attitude is Everything charity, you can visit the official website here.