The Accessible Events Show (AES), the world's only conference focused entirely on event accessibility, will hold its first U.S. edition on December 4, 2026, at United Way Worldwide headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, with a virtual component for global participants. The event arrives as a new Department of Justice rule requires state and local governments to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards by April 2027, a mandate that extends to vendors and contractors serving those entities.
Originally launched in London in 2025, AES attracted 600 delegates from over 15 countries and earned the EN Awards Diversity & Inclusion Award and a Silver Cool Event Award for Disruptor Attitude. Performedia, the production company behind the show, is bringing the conference to the U.S. to address growing demand from event professionals seeking actionable accessibility strategies.
"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 cover digital accessibility, hybrid production, assistive technology, and WCAG conformance through panels, keynotes, and hands-on workshops. 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.
According to the CDC, one in four U.S. adults lives with a disability, underscoring the importance of inclusive events. The virtual experience will include live captions, multilingual support, sign language interpretation, screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and interactive features. More information is available at www.aesusa.org.
AES was co-founded by Shani Dhanda, Orla Pearson, and Catherine Grinyer, industry insiders with deep expertise in disability advocacy and accessible event design. Registration details, speaker announcements, and sponsorship opportunities will be released in the coming months.
