Toronto is currently ranked as the top city for accessibility in Canada by the Global Power City Index; however, on a global scale, the city ranks 22nd overall for accessibility.
Despite that progress, many people with disabilities still face barriers navigating everyday spaces throughout the city. When people cannot move through their communities with the same freedom as everyone else, it can create a deep sense of exclusion.
That is part of what Maayan Ziv has spent years trying to change.
Beyond the Stage: What is AccessFest?
AccessFest will return to David Pecaut Square and feature live music, wellness activities, accessibility workshops, panel discussions, community vendors, and interactive experiences designed to be barrier-free and inclusive from the start.
AccessFest is organized by AccessNow with support from the City of Toronto and lead sponsor TD. The festival has grown into what many describe as one of the world’s most accessible festivals.
The Reality of Navigating Toronto in a Wheelchair
Advocates argue people with disabilities should not feel like outsiders in the communities where they live. Accessible design should not be treated like an extra feature added later. It should already exist as part of how cities, buildings, public spaces, and events are designed.
A venue may advertise itself as accessible online, only for visitors to arrive and discover stairs at the entrance, inaccessible washrooms, narrow spaces, or barriers that make everyday experiences frustrating and isolating.
That reality is one of the reasons Ziv created AccessNow, an app that allows users to search for accessible locations, rate their experiences, and share accessibility information about businesses, venues, and public spaces.
The platform was built to help reduce the uncertainty many people with disabilities face every day. Through AccessFest, Ziv is bringing that same philosophy into a large-scale community event.
Turning Advocacy Into Action: The MapMission Tours
One of the festival’s most unique experiences will be its guided MapMission Tours, interactive neighbourhood tours led by people with lived experience of disability.
Rather than simply talking about accessibility in theory, the tours allow participants to experience it in real time while exploring Toronto’s downtown core.
AccessFest is creating accessible experiences and changing how people experience the city. Guests will visit local businesses, map accessibility throughout the neighbourhood, discuss what inclusive design actually looks like on the ground, and experience accessibility barriers in real time.
Some tours will also include behind-the-scenes access to the Princess of Wales Theatre and Royal Alexandra Theatre, offering participants a new perspective on accessibility inside some of Toronto’s most recognizable cultural spaces.
Visitors can participate in chair yoga and accessible soccer, attend an ASL workshop led by Super Bowl halftime show interpreter Julian Ortiz, and hear conversations focused on accessibility in areas such as travel and dating.
The event will also feature performances from Canadian rapper Haviah Mighty and American rock band X Ambassadors, whose keyboardist Casey Harris is legally blind.
AccessFest serves as an important purpose and eye-opening event. The festival challenges the idea that accessibility should be treated as an afterthought and instead pushes for a future where inclusion is built directly into the design of cities, entertainment, technology, and public life.
By combining technology, advocacy, community engagement, and lived experience, Ziv is not just highlighting accessibility barriers. She is helping create a roadmap toward a more inclusive Toronto and a more accessible world.
Want to support a more inclusive community? Discover more local initiatives on our Events Page or help make a difference today by visiting our Find a Charity directory.
Toronto Event Details
What: AccessFest 2026
When: Saturday, June 6, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: David Pecaut Square
Location: 215 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3C7
Admission: Free
Organizer: AccessNow
Written by: Kamarah Curling
