The Accessible Events Show (AES), the only conference dedicated entirely to accessibility in the events industry, will hold its first U.S. edition on December 4, 2026, at United Way Worldwide headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, and online. The event arrives as new federal web accessibility requirements take effect, making compliance a pressing issue for event professionals serving government, education, and related sectors.
Launched in London in 2025, AES 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. Performedia is now producing the U.S. edition, which will feature panels, keynotes, and hands-on workshops covering digital accessibility, hybrid production, assistive technology, and WCAG conformance.
The timing is significant: one in four U.S. adults lives with a disability, according to the CDC, and a new Department of Justice rule requires state and local governments to bring their websites and apps up to WCAG 2.1 AA standards starting April 2027. That mandate extends to vendors and contractors, making accessibility a compliance 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.
Speakers include accessibility experts, event organizers, and disabled professionals sharing lived experience. The 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. More information is available at www.aesusa.org.
AES was co-founded by industry insiders, including Shani Dhanda, Orla Pearson, and Catherine Grinyer. Registration details and speaker announcements will be released in the coming months.
