Halcyon is a great venue for us.

Immediate access to the outdoors is big. The venue had indoor and outdoor space, walkable/rollable surrounding infrastructure, and adjacent access to a park with trails and a lake. We brought careThe activities that constitute care are crucial for human life. We defined care in this way: Care is “a species activity that includes everything that we do to maintain, continue,… More workers with us to accompany those who needed to get distance.

Ear plugs, headphones, ability to adjust proximity to the speakers, and crowds that were still permeable.

We had cars standing by for those who needed to get out and go home to regulate.

Predictability. One of the StimpunksStimpunk combines “stimming” + “punk” to evoke open and proud stimming, resistance to neurotypicalization, and the DIY culture of punk, disabled, and neurodivergent communities. Instead of hiding our stims, we… More crew scouted the location using their wheelchair vision, took pictures, and layed out the logistics.

Venue’s need accessibility pages on their websites written by disabledThe label “disabled” means so much to me. It means I have community. It means I have rights. It means I can be proud. It means I can affirm myself… More people who know what they’re logistically talking about when something is declared “Accessible”.

Some shade screening would have helped. Many autisticAutistic ways of being are human neurological variants that can not be understood without the social model of disability.If you are wondering whether you are Autistic, spend time amongst Autistic people, online and offline.  If… More people tend to be heat intolerant, as part of their particular hyper sensory package.

We’ve sometimes brought canopied beach chairs, but those can be a hassle and incompatible with some venues. Might try a Sport-Brella next time. Just ordered one.

Food! The food was good and helped stave off cranky meltdownsMeltdowns are alarm systems to protect our brains.Without meltdowns, we autistics would have nothing to protect our neurology from the very real damage that it can accumulate.I don’t melt down… More. I didn’t explore the whole menu, but a kid’s style menu with blander food helps those who are taste and smell hypersensory and food neophobic as a result. We bring our own food so we always have something compatible with us, but hot, fresh options sure are nice.

Like many places, Halcyon has heavy front doors that make me cramp when I try to open them from my wheelchair. I ask to the universe knowing the answer: Why don’t businesses in such a new development that is otherwise quite accessible not have automatic swing door openers?