Maplewoodstock partners with local non-profit Together We Bloom to prioritize and strengthen disability inclusion and accessibility at this year’s event. SOMA’s diversity is its strength, and this includes neurodiversity and disability.  The Maplewoodstock Festival has long been committed to providing an event “OF and FOR the community” — which includes listening and learning from our friends and neighbors in the disability community.

Find details about each of these accessibility and disability inclusion supports below:

• Maps of festival and support access
• Social Stories for kids and adults
• Picture Communication Board
• Sensory-Friendly Zone and Sensory Accessibility Information
• ASL interpretation with “Deaf Access Area”
• Accessible Seating Tent for disabled and senior attendees in partnership with SOMA’s Two Towns for All Ages
• Physical accessibility information and accessible seating tent

Maplewoodstock Social Stories

Social stories/social narratives are first-person narratives written to introduce a new, unexpected, or challenging situation with concrete language and pictures. They help the reader know what to expect and provide options for support.

(The online version and the downloadable PDF version include alternative text for images for accessibility with screen readers for the Blind and individuals with low vision.)

• Download PDF of Adults/Adolescents version or view online
• Download PDF of Kids version or view online

Maplewoodstock Communication Board

Communication boards offer an alternative, non-speech mode of communication for nonspeakers or individuals who benefit from alternative communication during a sensory-intense or overwhelming experience like a music festival.

Download PDF or view online
Learn more about Communication Boards at togetherwebloom.org/aac

Sensory Accessibility Information and Sensory-Friendly Zone

Maplewoodstock is a music and art festival that typically draws large crowds, often exceeding 10,000 attendees over two days.

• The busiest times are generally in the evening and at night, from approximately 5 PM to 10 PM.
• Early afternoons (12 PM to 5 PM) tend to have slightly smaller crowds.
• The area directly in front of the stage is usually the most crowded and loudest.

The sensory-friendly zone, strategically placed away from the live stage and crowded areas, provides a less-intense, more sensory-friendly experience to support neurodivergent or disabled attendees or anyone with sensory-sensitivities.

This area will include:

• Tents for shade, open space away from crowds, and a quieter experience of the music
• Picnic blankets, chairs
• Solo or group activities: Art supplies, games
• Sensory Accessibility Kits: ear defenders or fidgets to borrow
• Sensory Vehicle:  air conditioned trailer with low lighting, reduced sound, and regulating tools and toys to provide a quiet, regulating space

All are welcome to come and stay as long as they like. This area is open throughout the whole festival, noon to about 10 PM.  The sensory-friendly zone is hosted by Together We Bloom.

ASL Interpretation and Deaf Access Area

The festival will be accessible in American Sign Language (ASL), with onstage Sign Language Interpreters for the full duration of the event for anyone who is Deaf or uses sign language to communicate.

The Deaf Access Area is directly in front of the stage (to the right side when facing the stage) and allows unobstructed visual access to the ASL interpreter and performers on stage.  Look for the signs.

Physical Accessibility Information

Maplewoodstock is held in Memorial park in Maplewood which is a large, grassy park with paved walkways throughout.

The viewing area in front of the live stage is a grass hill with a flat area directly in front of the stage. The area on the top of the hill across from the train station, by the accessible seating tent, is mostly flat with paved paths and grassy areas.

The paved walkways in the park are visible on the festival map. While paved paths do provide access to all areas, the festival grounds themselves are on grassy fields.

Accessible parking and toilets are available and indicated on the map.

The music stage is at the foot of a natural grass sloped park amphitheater.  Paved sidewalks and walkways (with some curb breaks) are at the perimeter of the park along Dunnell Road and Oakview Ave.)  See our map.

Accessible Seating Tent

This tent, located adjacent to the accessible parking, has space and seating reserved for individuals with physical disabilities, senior citizens, or pregnant individuals (and their families) with a direct view of the stage.  This is presented in partnership with SOMA Two Towns for All Ages.

Together We Bloom:

For questions or feedback, please email community@togetherwebloom.org

Together We Bloom is a Maplewood-based 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to empower young children with disabilities and their families through equitable access to connection, communication, and community.  The organization progresses this mission through two vital strategies:

1. Providing sliding scale, neurodiversity-affirming individual support
2. Working to transform our community into a place that is more inclusive and equitable for disabled and neurodivergent children

To learn more or to donate to support their work, please visit: TogetherWeBloom.org/support