how accessible is the venue?

the venue:

—is 100% ADA compliant, including the two bathrooms. (note that our rented portapotties will not be in a space that’s ADA compliant, and we will make an announcement asking that attendees prioritize use of the indoor bathrooms for folks with mobility devices.)

—also features plenty of accessible seating, including a number of couches, chairs with backs, and both lower-to-the-ground and higher-off-the-ground seating. if you have cushioning that best supports you, we recommend you bring it with you.

—has concrete floors and rooms that tend to amplify noises, so we recommend bringing whatever will be supportive for that experience (comfortable shoes, additional padding, ear protection, etc.). we will have a low-sensory tent near, but outside of, the venue (see standalone question below for additional details).

how accessible is the event?

the event:

—will have sign language interpretation, if requested. email us or use the accessibility form with your contact information to set this in motion; please allow at least three weeks ahead of the con for us to get this sorted.

—will have refrigerator space for medications that need to be kept chilled. let us know or use the accessibility form with your contact information to make that request.

—will have a low-sensory tent available outside the venue. (see standalone question below for additional details.)

—will have meals with labeled gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free options; allergens listed in attendees’ ticketing form will also be labeled on each dish. meals are served by volunteers buffet style, so please note that if you have celiac or other allergies, we cannot guarantee zero cross contamination in the provided meals.

—if our meal policy does not work for you, there will also be some refrigerator space available for you to bring your own meal in an airtight container. unabashed takes no responsibility for cross-contamination occurring in the refrigerator.

—will offer coffee, tea, and snacks available in addition to the provided meals (donations accepted). coffee will be served from communal brewers. hot water for tea will come from communal kettles. snacks will be single-serve and cater to the dietary needs attendees list on their ticketing forms.

will there be a low-sensory space?

From Bootblack Allen, who is providing this space:

You might be asking, “What is a sensory tent?” or “How does it help?” Those who experience sensory overload for any number of reasons, of which there are countless, can often find themselves overwhelmed and anxious when interacting in a public space, a crowd, or just a rowdy place such as at a convention. Cons are busy! They're full of energy and noisy and so much fun! But, because of this, someone who is sensitive to sensory overload may be very uncomfortable after a little while in such an intense space. A sensory tent helps to counteract these effects and to help people have a more comfortable and fun time.

A sensory room or tent is basically just a space that is a little slice of cozy calm in the midst of the captivating chaos. It can allow for someone who is maybe feeling a little overwhelmed a break so that they can continue rather than having to leave the convention. They can take a break, listen to music, listen to nothingness, close their eyes, scroll their phone, watch a projector lightshow, play with fidgets, cuddle up with stuffies, and relax, knowing that once they feel better, they can rejoin the fun! The sensory tent will be providing headphones which can be checked out, fidget toys, blankets, stuffies, pillows, and a light show projector/speaker combo to help whoever might need just a little comfy cozy time.

If you would like to reserve the sensory tent for your event please email Bootblack Allen at lordofthewolves111@gmail.com. Sensory tent will be more broadly available after December 2024.

can my service animal attend with me?

trained service animals (dogs or miniature horses) are welcome at unabashed. this includes service animals in training. handlers are to be with their animals at all times during unabashed, both in the venue and in spaces like the outside back area and low-sensory tent where unabashed-related activities are taking place.

unabashed reserves the right per the ADA to exclude any service animal that is not housebroken and/or that is out of control where the handler can’t or won’t take steps to control it.

please help us be good neighbors by picking up after your service animal. the nearest grass patch is across the street from the venue entrance.

are you fixing the wristband system to account for blind folks and others with different needs around vision?

yep!

for context, a member of the community brought up that our wristband flagging system doesn’t work for folks that are disabled around vision. we’re sorry, and we hear the ask to fix this loud and clear.

update: we have solved this issue to the content of this member of our community! we will still be using wristbands, but we will be making an announcement at the beginning of the con to say that we all want to be gentle with each other around verbal asks for wristband color or moments of conversation that seem to contradict your wristband color. by request, we will also introduce this person and ask that you be understanding of this person’s asks for general assistance as well.

if you are blind or low vision and this doesn’t work for you, or you have something similar you want to bring to our attention, get in touch! the world might be disabling, but we want to do our best not to participate in that.

will ASL interpretation be available?

we’re happy to offer ASL interpretation in 2024 if folks need it. please reach out so we can ensure we are appropriately staffed.

i am an ASL interpreter, can I interpret for my workshift?

absolutely! please reach out to us directly.

i have specific dietary needs, and i saw that lunch is provided saturday and sunday?

when you register, there will be a place for you to share your dietary needs with us. provided snacks throughout the day will be single-serve and catered to all dietary needs shared with us. all of the provided meals will have gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options.

if you have additional needs around meals, please get in touch.

my need isn’t addressed here!

first, we want to acknowledge that we can’t afford to find a perfect venue or provide our dream vision of a fully accessible event. we will always be seeking to do better year after year, and we’ve made changes since 2023 to ensure that 2024 will be our best year yet.

please know we will do everything in our power to meet accessibility requests, as we want to be equipped to serve our diverse community as best we can. if something is not written in this FAQ, you will have an opportunity as a part of the ticket-buying process to fill out a form where you can share your needs with us. you can also always get in touch.