Accessibility
2025 Festival Accessibility
We are dedicated to continually improving our efforts to ensure an inclusive experience for all festival guests.
Accessible Routes
Please be advised that the festival grounds are throughout three waterfront parks.
Most routes are paved throughout the festival, with small sections including hills or wooden boardwalks. Access to a few experiences will require guests to travel across grass areas.
We encourage guests to utilize personal forms of transportation, including wheelchairs and scooters. Crutches, walkers and canes are also permitted.
Please note that we will not have mobility devices for rent onsite.
Golf carts and other services will be offered to assist any guests with transportation to the different areas of the festival grounds.
Deck Tour Accessibility
There is no wheel chair access to get on to the ships and there are no accessible washroom facilities on board.
To board the ships, guests must use a wooden ramp, with the pitch varying based on the size of the vessel (larger ships have steeper ramps). For guests using wheelchairs or walkers, we recommend purchasing a general admission ticket without the boarding pass add-on to experience the ships up close. We’ve introduced many new experiences to ensure everyone can enjoy the maritime festivities! Be sure to check out the Festival Schedule for all the details.
These are working sailing ships, so there is limited seating above deck and not a lot of maneuverability. For a sail out cruise, there is more formal seating below deck, but above deck is primarily standing-room only.
If you are unsteady on your feet and require assistance boarding we advise bringing someone with you to help you board.
Effective Communication
Restrooms
All festival areas will have portable toilets. There are accessible facilities available. Permanent washroom facilities with accessible stalls are available on Blockhouse Island and Hardy Park. A site map will be available for reference and download closer to the event.
Accessible Parking
We will have dedicated parking on Market Street East. There are limited parking spaces available, so if you are able to take the festival shuttle bus we recommend doing so. Golf cart drivers will help shuttle those with mobility concerns to different areas of the festival grounds.