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Chicago's lakefront festivals, enjoyed each summer by millions of local residents and visitors to the city, include services to assure accessibility for people with disabilities. The Chicago Blues Festival, the Chicago Gospel Music Festival, Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Country Music Festival, Viva! Chicago Latin Music Festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival, and Celtic Fest Chicago are city-sponsored and free to the public.
During this summer's "Viva! Chicago," the Latin Music Festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival, and Celtic Fest Chicago, the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) will have an information tent stationed at the corner of Jackson and Columbus, at which representatives will be available to answer any questions concerning accessibility throughout the lakefront music festivals. MOPD also offers limited access to personal assistance attendants. Other accessible services include Braille and large-print brochures (or readers, upon request), as well as TTY phones, available at the north end of Columbus near Monroe.
For more information on festival accessibility, call MOPD at (312) 744-7050 (voice) or (312) 744-4964 (TTY). For festival schedules and program information, call the Mayor's Office of Special Events at (312) 744-3370 (voice) or (312) 744-2964 (TTY), or visit the City of Chicago Special Events website.
Most performances are held at the Petrillo Music Shell, located at the corner of Jackson Boulevard and Columbus Drive, in Chicago's Grant Park. Open lawn and pavilion seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. One-night passes for access to the reserved seating area are available for $10.00. Season memberships are also available, which include reserved seating for all concerts as well as invitations to special events. Convenient parking is located at three nearby garages: the Grant Park East Monroe Garage, the Grant Park North Garage, and the Millennium Park Garage.
The Grant Park Music Festival is committed to making its concerts at Petrillo accessible to all Chicagoans and visitors. The following special services are available: spaces for wheelchair seating, designated drop-off area, wheelchair accessible restroom facilities, wireless headsets for patrons with hearing impairments, wireless headsets for patrons with hearing impairments, large print programs for patrons with visual impairments. For further information on these services, please contact the administrative offices at (312) 742-7638.
In 2004, the Festival will move to its new home a state-of-the-art music pavilion in the newly constructed Chicago's Millenium Park designed by internationally renowned architect Frank Gehry.
For more information, please call the Grant Park Music Festival Hotline at (312)-742-GPMF (4763) or visit the Festival's website at http://www.grantparkmusicfestival.com.
Set on 36 acres of beautiful woodlands along Chicago's North Shore on Lake-Cook & Green Bay Rd. in Highland Park, IL, the Ravinia Outdoor Music Festival features performances by the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra, critically acclaimed solo and chamber musicians, popular entertainers and dance companies as well as jazz, world music and children's programming throughout the summer.
All facilities at Ravinia are wheelchair accessible. Each performance venue has designated spaces for patrons in wheelchairs and their companions. Advance reservations are requested to prevent disappointment in the event of a sold-out performance. The Pavilion, Martin Theatre and Bennett Gordon Hall are equipped with assisted listening systems and wireless headsets. There is no charge for this service, a major credit card or driver's license is required as deposit. A nurse and physician are on duty at every performance. Parking for patrons with a valid handicap license plate or other authorized identification is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For those with paid Park admission there are many free events at Ravinia throughout the summer, For full details see the concert calendar.
Children under the age of seven are not allowed in the Pavilion (except for Kraft Kids Concerts), Martin Theatre or Bennett Gordon Hall. Ravinia requires parental supervision of all children admitted to the Festival.
For more information, show times, charter bus and handicapped parking information, call (847) 266-5100 or visit the Ravinia website @http://www.ravinia.org.
The Muskegon Summer Celebration is an 11 day all star music extravaganza complete with family fun for all ages. Other activities include the Art in the Park artfair, Fireworks, and a Midway to list a few. The Muskegon Summer Celebration goes to great lengths to make events accessible to all visitors. A limited amount of handicapped parking spaces are available at Heritage Landing, filled on a first come, first served basis. The person for whom the handicapped permit is registered must be in the vehicle as stated in Michigan Law. Accessible handicap seating area for concerts has been expanded to accommodate those with special needs and is available for concerts beginning at 5:30pm. First Aid services at Heritage Landing and Art in the Park are provided by the Muskegon-Oceana Chapter of the American Red Cross, and are available during all operating hours. For more information contact Muskegon Summer Celebration at 587 West Western, Muskegon, MI 49440 or call (231) 722-6520 or visit their website at http://www.summercelebration.com.
Metropolitan Center for Independent Living will be hosting a free workshop that will teach people with disabilities and their family members what an advocacy letter is and how it can have a positive effect on their lives. The workshop is free to attend and will be held on Thursday, December 4, 2003 at their St. Paul location at 1600 University Avenue West, Suite 16. For workshop details, call (651) 646-8342 (Voice) or (651) 603-2001 (TTY).
Ohio SIBS - Special Initiatives by Brothers and Sisters is hosting their 3rd Annual Ohio Adult Sibling Conference on Friday and Saturday October 31 and November 1, 2003 at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Columbus, Ohio. It is a unique event aimed at bringing adult brothers and sisters of people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities (MR/DD) together to hear directly from MR/DD professionals, educators, politicians and other Adult Siblings. The conference is an opportunity to share information, ideas and family experiences. The $70 conference registration fee covers meals and materials. For more information on this conference, either visit the Ohio SIBS website or contact Tammy Savage at (614)-292-7550 or tsavage@ohiosibs.org.
Grassroots Empowerment Project is sponsoring the annual Mental Health Consumer / Survivor Conference scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, November 10th and 11th at the Sheraton Inn, located at 375 West Moorland Road in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The conference's theme is Revolutionizing the System. For more information, call (608) 697-1480 or e-mail wendy@mags.net.
ARC Wisconsin will be hosting their annual conference for all those affected by disability. Self-advocates, family members, professionals, educators, students and policy makers are encouraged to attend. The conference will kick off on Thursday, October 30 at 8:45 a.m. with several seminars on such topics as Psychiatry and Pharmacy in Rural Settings and Special Education Advocacy. Advance registration is required. This days events will come to a close with a buffet and dance. The conference will continue on Friday, October 31 and Saturday November 1, covering such topics as community legal services, community service providers and resource organizations, the closing of developmental centers, inclusion in religious activities, leadership and self-advocacy, and many others. The conference will be held at Bluff View School in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Full Conference registration is $115 for families, $80 for individuals and $60 for self-advocates with disabilities. To obtain your conference registration form, call ARC Wisconsin at (608) 251-1403.
Do you have a sibling with a disability? If so, United Cerebral Palsy's Common Threads: A Sibling Celebration is a must attend event. The event, scheduled for Saturday, October 18, 2003 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at The Ranch, offers an opportunity for non-disabled siblings of all ages to gather together in a supportive and informative environment. The event will address questions concerning guardianships, residential options, day programs, medical care and health insurance, financial planning and trust funds as well as recreational opporunities. This event is free. The Ranch is located at W187 N8661 Maple Road in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. For more information, contact UCP at (414) 329-4500.
Wisconsin Association for Persons in Supported Employment is hosting their second annual Supported Employment Conference for Wisconsin residents and employers. The conference, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, October 16 and 17, 2003 at Antiqua Bay Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, will feature discussions on topics beneficial to individuals with disabilities and their families and employers alike. Topics include working and living in the community, the impact of assistive technology on employment, employment rights, social security, person-centered transition planning, job club creation, employer incentives, recruiting, hiring, and retaining quality employees, and many others. Registration rates vary from $60 to $90 for consumers and $99 to $155 for others. For more information, visit their website, e-mail wiapseconf@hotmail.com or call (608) 345-0693.
Complete Mobility Systems, an accessible vehicle dealership, will be hosting Mobility Day on Friday, September 12 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Saturday, September 13 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m at their showroom in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Mobility Day will feature product demonstrations, local wheelchair and scooter vendors, automobile manufacturer representatives, a certified driving rehabilitation specialist as well as funding information. Of course there will also be a prize drawing and tasty food as well. Their showroom is located at N8 W22195 Johnson Drive, Suite 130, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53186. For more information, call (800) 649-3434.
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