Abilities Expo: A Disability Disneyland


Abilities Expos provide a place to shop for products, try new activities and connect with peers.
Abilities Expos provide a place to shop for products, try new activities and connect with peers.

September 16-18 may have been a typical New England fall weekend for most people in Boston, but for those with disabilities, Christmas came early. The annual Abilities Expo was in town and for three days the convention center and exhibition hall in the heart of the Massachusetts capital was transformed into a disability Disneyland filled with vendors, exhibits, demonstrations, speakers, high tech adaptive equipment, workshops, resources and information catering to all types of disabilities.

Established in 1979 in Los Angeles, Abilities Expos were started as a way to provide information, support and engagement for people with disabilities all under one roof. Whether you have a mobility impairment, progressive disease, visual or hearing disability, there are a plethora of workshops, products, fun events, exhibits and much more aimed at people with more than 50 types of disabilities — as well as their families, friends, caregivers and medical professionals. “The concept was to provide a venue for the gathering of the local and regional disability community where folks could network, source information, experience ‘hands-on’ new products and services and get an education,” says David Korse, president and CEO of Abilities.com. “I’d like to think we’re staying true to that mission today, we just have a bunch more events!”

From Los Angeles to New York City to Houston to Miami, the Abilities Expo has blossomed into a nationwide event, traversing the country every year holding expos at virtually every big city in the continental United States. Wheelchair dance performances and yoga, service dog demonstrations, expert speakers and cutting edge assistive technology are just a few of the countless features at the Expo.

Catering to today’s technology-obsessed society, the expos feature all the latest adaptive products to hit the market. JACO Robotic Arm demonstrations, Focus Braille displays, and workshops showcasing the latest state-of-the-art power and manual wheelchairs as well the latest models of adaptive transportation are a handful of the highlights. Some other workshops include Traveling with a Disability, Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities, Intensive Pediatric Physical Therapy, Living with Chronic Pain, Care for the Caregiver, Exoskeleton Technology and many more. “There are always new things at each event,” says Korse. “We always have new exhibitors, returning exhibitors are always introducing and launching new products, there are always new demonstration activities in each expo’s Event Arena, and there is always new content in our onsite consumer workshops.”

And the entertainment is not lacking, either. Wheelchair basketball and tennis, face painting, learning how to handle a service dog, interacting with therapy horses and monkeys, adaptive video gaming, and freestyle dance workshops are just a few of the hands-on interactive events to take part in.

Why not take a dance class while at the expo?
Why not take a dance class while at the expo?

 
A brand new highlight at the expos this year is the debut of “The Meet Up Zone” where people can gather and share their experiences with each other as well as mingle with vendors to chat about products being shown, garner advice and information from experts in the disability profession, and meet speakers and performers. “This is a large area on the show floor where folks can gather to chat, network, post to their social networks, etc.,” says Korse. “We have a ‘step and repeat’ banner for selfies and we encourage all of our speakers and Event Arena performers to visit the zones after their events to meet folks, answer questions, sign autographs, and pose for photos.”

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After almost 40 years, Korse says the expos continue to see larger and larger crowds each year with people of all generations attending. “In 2015 we had over 30,000 adults and over 6,000 kids under the age of 18 that attended at least one of the expos for at least one day,” says Korse. “Nearly every segment of the disability community was represented with the largest representation from those with mobility challenges.”

The next expo takes place in the San Francisco Bay Area November 18-20, followed by the D.C. Metro Expo on December 2-4. For a complete list of the upcoming expos as well as information on all the events at each expo, visit abilities.com.


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