The Accessible Events Show (AES), the world's only conference dedicated entirely to accessibility in the events industry, will make its U.S. debut on December 4, 2026, at the United Way Worldwide headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. The event will also be available virtually for attendees worldwide, reflecting a growing urgency among event professionals to address accessibility as new federal web accessibility requirements take hold.
Launched in London in 2025, AES drew 600 delegates from more than 15 countries and earned industry recognition, including the EN Awards Diversity & Inclusion Award and a Silver at the Cool Event Awards for Disruptor Attitude. Performedia, the production company behind the show, is now bringing the conference to the United States at a pivotal moment.
The timing of AES USA aligns with a new Department of Justice rule requiring state and local governments to bring their websites and mobile apps up to WCAG 2.1 AA standards starting April 2027. This mandate also extends to vendors and contractors serving those entities, making accessibility a compliance issue for much of the events industry. According to the CDC, one in four U.S. adults lives with a disability, underscoring the market size and moral imperative.
Peter Hackes, President of Performedia, said: '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.'
Panels, keynotes, and hands-on workshops at AES USA will cover 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.
The virtual experience will include live captions, multilingual support, sign language interpretation, screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, and interactive engagement features, ensuring remote participants can fully engage. Registration details, speaker announcements, and sponsorship opportunities will be released in the coming months. More information is available at www.aesusa.org.
For event professionals in Northern Virginia and surrounding areas, including Fairfax and Arlington counties, the conference offers a critical opportunity to prepare for the upcoming regulatory changes and to learn how to create truly inclusive events. The implications extend beyond compliance: as the region hosts numerous government and corporate events, adopting accessibility best practices can enhance attendee experience, expand audience reach, and position organizations as leaders in diversity and inclusion.
