The Accessible Events Show (AES), the world's only conference dedicated entirely to event accessibility, will make its U.S. debut on December 4, 2026, at the United Way Worldwide headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, with a simultaneous online experience. The timing of the event coincides with new federal web accessibility requirements that are set to take effect in April 2027, mandating that state and local governments and their vendors meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
Produced by Performedia, AES USA follows the success of the London launch in 2025, which drew 600 delegates from more than 15 countries and earned the EN Awards Diversity & Inclusion Award and a Silver at the Cool Event Awards for Disruptor Attitude. The conference aims to bring practical guidance to event professionals navigating the intersection of compliance and inclusive design.
According to the CDC, one in four U.S. adults lives with a disability, and the new DOJ rule extends accessibility requirements to vendors and contractors serving government entities. This makes compliance a pressing issue for much of the events industry. "Event planners across the U.S. keep asking us the same thing: How do we make our events truly accessible? The appetite for practical guidance is real, and the new federal rules make it urgent," said Peter Hackes, President of Performedia.
The conference will feature panels, keynotes, and hands-on workshops covering digital accessibility, hybrid production, assistive technology, and WCAG conformance. Speakers include accessibility experts, event organizers, and disabled professionals sharing lived experience. A sponsor showcase will connect planners with captioning providers, ASL interpreters, and accessible design consultants.
AES USA will also offer a virtual experience with live captions, multilingual support, sign language interpretation, screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and interactive engagement features. Registration details, speaker announcements, and sponsorship opportunities will be released in the coming months. More information is available at www.aesusa.org.
The Accessible Events Show was co-founded by Shani Dhanda, Orla Pearson, and Catherine Grinyer, industry insiders recognized for their work in disability advocacy and accessible event design. The conference remains the only event globally built entirely around accessibility in the events industry.
