Do you rent your land for campouts, festivals, weddings, or other events? Here are some long-term practices to help your place feel more welcoming, usable, and safe for a wider range of people, across ability, age, class, culture, and body.
Thank you for reading this. Your consideration helps everyone know they belong!
Best Practices & What’s the Law?
- While private land for private events may not legally *have* to be accessible in the US, it’s the right thing to do, to the extent possible.
- If the event is open to the public, even private land must be accessible in the US, meeting ADA standards.
- Regardless of the legal requirement, adopting ADA compliance best practices for any event, even those not legally mandated, is encouraged. This creates a more inclusive environment and can reduce potential liability risks.
- Accessibility for events includes ensuring accessible entrances, pathways, restrooms, seating, and communication, among other aspects. Read below for more information
Making your land or venue more accessible for events involves both physical access and social/inclusive design. Not all of these make sense for events that are straight-up camping, but many of them do.
Land-Based Accessibility (Mobility & Navigation)
1. Solid, Passable Paths
- Invest in firm, non-slippery walkways, like compacted gravel, mulch with stabilizers, or boardwalks.
- Keep main paths wide, clear of tripping hazards, and gently graded (less than a 1:20 slope).
- Mow or trim regularly; erosion control helps keep trails walkable.
- Try actually navigating your land with walkers, canes, wheelchairs, etc.
- Consider providing golf carts for transport as part of your rental.
2. Vehicle Access & Parking
- Make sure there’s a flat area near the main gathering space for people to park or be dropped off, especially elders or those with limited mobility.
- Even one or two marked, firm spots close by can make a big difference! Obviously that depends on the size of your gathering.
3. Gathering Areas
- Build level surfaces for seating, dining, or workshops. Flat decks, platforms, or firm earth circles are ideal.
- Add benches or log seating in shady areas along main paths or resting spots.
Toilets, Shelter & Water
4. Accessible Toilets
- Rent or install a ADA-compliant portable toilet or better yet, buy or build a composting toilet with a ramp and grab bars. Have them in key areas.
- The event renters may provide these, but if you can provide it to the event, a lot of energy would be saved, creating a more easeful experience. Unfortunately, not every event planner takes this into account, either.
- Keep it close to central spaces and easy to find.
5. Shelter from Weather
- A tent, yurt, or covered pavilion with room for mobility aids helps in rain or strong sun.
- Offer indoor rest options (if available) or allow folks to rest in cars or shaded areas.
- If you have a space upon which folks might camp, plan for an area that’s closer in with electricity, for folks with CPAP machines or needs to charge wheelchairs, etc.
6. Clean, Reachable Water
- Make sure your water source is easy to reach (not down a hill or across rough ground).
- Low spigots, clean cups, and water tables at different heights help.
Wayfinding & Orientation
7. Clear, Thoughtful Signage
- Use signs with large print, high contrast, and clear symbols. Don’t assume everyone knows the land.
- Consider a welcome board with a map or orientation area.
8. Lighting
- Solar lights or soft low-voltage lighting can help people navigate safely after dark, especially paths to toilets and parking.
Cultural & Emotional Safety
9. Welcoming Diverse Bodies & Backgrounds
- Think about who’s felt welcome on your land, and who hasn’t. Reflect on race, disability, gender, age (elders and young ones), sexuality, size, class, etc.
- Ask yourself, for example: Would a person in a wheelchair or a trans elder of color, feel safe and cared for here?
10. Trauma-Informed Design
- Provide quiet places away from the crowd where people can decompress.
- Offer clear info up front (online or on signs) so people can plan around their needs.
Stewardship & Commitment
11. Build Over Time
- Start small: one path, one toilet, one sign. Make accessibility part of your ongoing land care.
- You don’t need to fix everything at once. Consistency and intention matter more than perfection.
- If expense or labor is a problem for you, you could ask the folks who are renting the space for events to pitch in.
12. Ask for Lived Experience
- Invite feedback from people with disabilities, elders, single parents, gender-nonconforming, or BIPOC guests who’ve visited.
- Offer work trades, honoraria, or gratitude for their time and insight.
13. Accessibility is a Relationship
- It’s not just a checklist. It’s about the ongoing relationship between people and place.
- How your land feels can shape whether folks come back, bring their families, or feel they belong. Does the land feel safe to people? Do they feel seen?
There’s a lot more to consider as a land tender for events. You can learn more in Episode 6 of the Kinship Tending Skills course, which is all about venues and land tending for festivals and other gatherings.