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ACCESSIBILITY

Awesome Con strives to create an inclusive and friendly environment for all of its attendees. We are happy to provide a variety of services to help you enjoy your experience! To ensure you receive up-to-date Accessibility information the week of Awesome Con, please subscribe to our Accessibility list.

GETTING TO THE SHOW

By Metro

The Mt Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metro station on the Yellow and Green Lines is located about three blocks from the Convention Center. From there it’s a short distance down the street to the Accessibility entrance of Awesome Con located on L Street.

For information about Metro accessibility, please visit the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority’s website at www.wmata.com.

By Car/Parking

There are twelve designated public parking spaces designated for vehicles displaying disability parking placards/permits or license tags in the following locations:

  • 7th Street between L Street and Mt Vernon Place (3 metered spaces)
  • 9th Street between Mount Vernon Place and L Street (3 metered spaces)
  • 9th Street between L Street and M Street (3 metered spaces)
  • 9th Street between M Street and N Street (3 metered spaces)

All of these handicapped spaces are accessible at the sidewalk side; although the spaces are not marked for wheelchair transfer. These spaces are public parking spots and are on a first come first serve basis. We cannot reserve these spaces. There is no public parking inside the building. There are parking garages and lots available in order to accommodate events at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and other downtown venues. The hours of operation and hourly rates vary at each facility, so please be aware when leaving your vehicle.

ENTERING THE SHOW

Premium & Accessibility Entrance: The official Accessibility entrance is conveniently located on L Street between 7th and 9th.

Once you’re safely inside the building, Staff and Crew will be on hand to welcome you and guide you to nearby Room 156 where Accessibility Registration is located. If the Exhibit Hall is not open yet, you will then be directed to the Accessibility Queueing area until it’s time to rock and roll!

AT THE SHOW

Accessibility and Companion Bracelets

Awesome Con provides accessibility bracelets to attendees with disabilities and up to one companion. [Both the attendee and the companion must have an Awesome Con badge to attend the event.] Bracelets are for individuals with mobility, vision, hearing, or other difficulties and allow attendees and companions wearing accessibility and companion bracelets to avoid waiting in long lines for autographs and photo-ops.

To receive an accessibility and companion bracelet, please request one at Accessibility Registration located on L Street, from any Info Booth, or from an Awesome Con Staff member. Bracelets do not include admission to Awesome Con.

Panel rooms will have designated accessible seating toward the front of the room. If you need assistance finding that seating, please ask an Awesome Con Crew or Staff member. Please know, you are not required to sit in those seats if you do not want to.

Most panel rooms at the show are not cleared, however, our Main Stage may be cleared after certain events. Signs will be posted indicating which spaces will be cleared between sessions. For Main Stage panels, please make sure you’ve lined up at least 30 minutes before seating begins. If you have trouble standing in line for long periods of time, please speak to a Crew of Staff member about having your companion wait in line for both of you.

Note: While staff will always do their best to make accommodations, once “General Loading” begins, accessibility seating cannot be guaranteed. Qualification for services does not guarantee the availability of seating.

ASL & MOBILITY SERVICES

ASL Services

We are pleased to be able to provide ASL interpreting services for all of our deaf and hard of hearing fans. These free services are available for you to utilize during panels and programming, autographing and photo op sessions, fan meetups, and more.

Main Stage Panels: All Main Stage panels will be ASL interpreted. Head to the front of the room and look for the ASL interpreter near the left or right side of the stage. There will be specially labeled seats near this interpreter for you to sit in. Please let our staff know if additional accommodations need to be made. Panels and events that have requested ASL interpretation will be labeled in our mobile app and online schedule. Simply head to our Programming page and filter by ASL to find these panels.

Other panels, autographs, photo ops, and special requests: Our ASL interpreters are available in a limited capacity, on a first come, first served basis for onsite requests for additional panels, autographs, and photo ops sessions. Requests for ASL interpreters should be placed through our application form, however, if the form has closed, please email [email protected] with your request and we will do our best to accommodate it. If you are at the show, you may check at the Accessibility Desk located in Room 156 for information on ASL interpreter availability not requested in advance.

Mobility Device Requests

Please be aware that Awesome Con covers a large portion of the convention center and can require a lot of walking. Registration covers about a city block, the Main Stage is about another city block and the Show Floor is about three city blocks, which amounts to over a quarter of a mile of walking.

While Awesome Con does not provide wheelchairs or other mobility devices for the event, you may reserve one for pickup via Scootaround. Please make sure to contact them early at 1-888-441-7575 to reserve your mobility device as same-day requests cannot be accommodated. On the call, tell them you would like to rent for Awesome Con 2024.

Please be sure to enter the convention center at the Accessibility & Premium Entrance located on L Street between 7th and 9th Avenue. All scooters and wheelchairs will be available for pick up at the designated Accessibility Information & Registration area, located in Room 156.

GENERAL ACCESSIBILITY OF THE CONVENTION CENTER

The official Accessibility entrance of Awesome Con is located on L Street.

If needed for any reason, there is also a curbside drop-off for wheelchairs and sidewalk curb cut-outs located at each corner of the Convention Center perimeter and ramps leading from the 9th Street and 7th Street corners to the doors at the Mount Vernon Place entrance. Automatic doors are located at the L Street, Mount Vernon Place, and Metro (7th and M Streets) entrances.

Inside the Center, meeting rooms, exhibit halls and public areas are all served by conveniently located elevators. Telephones, drinking fountains and restrooms throughout the building are wheelchair accessible. The taxi curbside cut-out located at Mount Vernon Place is available for wheelchair drop-off/transfers.

Elevators

Passenger elevators located throughout the Center provide access to all public areas of the building. Elevators are alarm-equipped with two-way communications to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center Command Center and have tactile Braille call buttons inside and outside the cars. Elevators will be marked with where the elevator will go. Please note that only those with accessibility and companion bracelets or those with strollers will be allowed to use the elevators.

Restrooms

All of the Center’s restrooms are accessible to persons with disabilities and contain stalls, sinks, and mirrors that are wheelchair accessible.

Additionally, if you are a nursing mother, there are nursing pods available in the convention center.

Service Animals

Trained service animals are permitted in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center with proper supervision. Building staff is permitted by law to ask that an animal be removed from the premises should if it is not housebroken, behaves aggressively, or is otherwise posing a threat to human health and safety.

Sensory Friendly Quiet Room

A Sensory Friendly Quiet Room for those needing a break from the hustle and bustle of Awesome Con is available in Room 147A. This room is located on the street level close to the L Street entrance and Accessibility Office. Our friends at ThinkFun and Ravensburger have donated some puzzles and quiet single-player games which will be available for you to enjoy.

Questions?

If you have questions or need clarification, please send an email to [email protected].