We are honored to partner with Charlotte Pride (a destination PRIDE that is one of the biggest pride festivals on the East Coast!) to share with you the Charlotte Pride Accessibility Guide shown below. We worked with their fantastic Communications team, headed by Liz Schob, to cover and consolidate all the accessibility accommodations available at the festival.
"Accessibility at Charlotte Pride events is very important to us," said Liz Schob, Charlotte Pride's Communications Manager, "and ensuring that everyone can enjoy our festival regardless of ability is a top priority. Working with Friendly Like Me has been absolutely fantastic and I hope readers find the resources we put together meaningful."
Also available (below) is Friendly Like Me's signature research to map and identify accessible local businesses and organizations in and around the parade and festival grounds.
Want to see even more accessible businesses in Charlotte? Check out our guide to Queen City's Friendliest Places.
Scroll and explore below to ensure everyone in your party can enjoy the fun!
Accessibility at Charlotte Pride 
Questions during the festival?
Feel free to approach Pride staff and volunteers with any questions or concerns you may have. You can easily identify them by their Mint Green “STAFF” or White “VOLUNTEER” shirts!
Parade Viewing:
For the best parade experience, head to our dedicated accessible parade viewing area next to the community stage on the corner of Tryon St. & 4th St.!
ASL:
ASL interpretation will be on the main stage. The best way to approach if you want to go to the ADA area is to come in from 4th St. ASL interpretation will also be available on the community stage as well as the parade stage on Sunday.
Take a Break
Parades and festivals are… a lot! Check out these spaces to take a second to recenter yourself. When nature calls, we've got you covered with comfortable and accessible options:
- Wells Fargo Atrium: Our friends at Wells Fargo have graciously opened their atrium space to Charlotte Pride attendees, offering ADA-compliant restrooms and gender-neutral, family-style restrooms, along with refreshing air conditioning. This is a lovely space to plan for taking a break and a moment of zen. The Wells Fargo Atrium will be open to the public all weekend, including Sunday.
- Romare Bearden Park
- First Ward Park
- 7th Street Market (a place to cool off and recharge, not necessarily quiet)
- The Mint Museum
- The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture
- The Levine Center for the Arts
Restrooms
ADA-accessible porta-potties are conveniently located at the following spots:
- Main Stage
- Community Stage
- Church Street & Levine Ave
- M odd block of MLK Blvd (south, towards College St.)
- 300 block of 3rd St (south, towards College St.)
Special Activities:
Flourish Activation Saturday 1-6pm:
Wells Fargo Atrium of Tryon St. is our Flourish Activation zone, a festival within a festival! Here you can enjoy art by local artists while taking a moment to relax.
Youth and Family Zone Saturday and Sunday 12-6pm:
The Green, on the 400 block of Tryon St. is a great place for families to gather and recharge. A shaded, drug & alcohol-free zone with seating for people under 21 and their families. This sensory-friendly area has a lactation station for nursing parents, an arts and crafts zone, and a pop-up library.
Safety & Emergencies:
Medic: Your safety is our top priority! Heat is the biggest health risk and generates the most calls for medical attention so it’s critical to bring hydration. If you need assistance feel free to approach our friendly staff or volunteers or make your way over to one of our 2 medic tents:
- Near VIP Tent on the Southern End of Martin Luther King Blvd near at the Tryon St intersection.
- There will be medics and ambulances near the Parade Staging Area.
- More safety information can be found here: https://charlottepride.org/safety/
Accessible Businesses in and around Charlotte Pride Festival areas
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible interior, restrooms, parking, and entrance.
- A wide variety of seating, including chairs with no arms, is available in lounge and dining areas.
- "Patio" in this review indicates poolside area, and it is comfortable for people of size.
- Shower wands are available in accessible rooms.
- Accessible alarm clock and telephone ringers; flashing door knockers.
- Bathtub seat and non-slip grab rails.
- Lowered view ports, night guards, and deadbolts on doors, lowered electrical outlets.
- TTY/TTD compatible phones.
- Self-operating life or a sloped entry into swimming pool.
- Service animals are welcome.
- Friendly Notice: Bar stools at the bar all have seat backs, but other stools do not.
- Friendly Notice: Guests in mobility-accessible rooms may inquire about lowering the bed height
Accessibility Checklist:
- Ramp entrances to the grassy area of the park.
- There is one accessible restroom for each gender, with automatic sinks.
- Park seating is available.
- There are wide, paved sidewalks throughout and around the park.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Pathways in the park are accessible.
- Park seating is available.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance on the right side of the church.
- Accessible parking.
- Accessible interior with an elevator.
- Offers chairs with no arms (pew style seating).
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance, interior, and restrooms.
- Accessible parking spaces, including van spots, are available in the Mint Museum Uptown’s Levine Center for the Arts Parking Garage on Level P1 and P2.
- Doorways to outdoor areas are equipped with automatic openers.
- Accessible interior with elevators access to all floors. Spaces for wheelchairs are available in the James B. Duke Auditorium.
- Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on every floor. Single user/all gender restrooms are located on Level M.
- Accessible drinking fountains can be found at the Mint Museum Uptown on every floor.
- Social Narratives for Mint Museum Uptown are available for families and visitors with developmental disabilities.
- Friendly Notice: S.P.A.R.K. Explorer Packs can be checked out on a first-come, first-served basis. Packs contain everything visitors with autism and sensory needs might want to enhance their experience in the museum including: fidget keychains, wiggle seats, headphones, and weighted lap pads.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance.
- Accessible restrooms.
- Accessible interior with an elevator.
- Valet parking is available on College St.
- Friendly Notice: Some locations with Queen City Quarter offer chairs with no arms and booths with movable tables.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance, restrooms, and spacious interior.
- Offers chairs with no arms.
- Wheelchairs are available upon request.
- Staff are willing to partner with individuals or groups to customize disability access with advanced notice.
- Discounted parking is available at The Levine Center for the Arts parking garage, situated on Tryon Street, just opposite the Gantt. The address for the garage is 101 W. Brooklyn Village Ave, and visitor parking is designated on levels P1 and P2.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance.
- Offers chairs with no arms during events in the reception room.
- Friendly Notice: The closest parking deck is The Green deck at 425 S. Tryon St., which is $3 per 30 minutes and is accessible via S. Tryon Street or S. College St.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance and interior.
- Offers chairs with no arms, booths have movable tables, and seating is comfortable.
- Patio is comfortable for people of size.
- Alert: There is no marked, accessible street parking.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance and interior.
- Offers chairs with no arms, booths have movable tables, and seating is comfortable.
- Friendly Notice: There is no marked accessible street parking available, but First Citizens Bank Plaza Parking is a garage available on 209 S Church St.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible parking, entrance, interior, and restroom.
- Accessible guest rooms with entrance and interior doors at least 32" wide.
- Accessible parking spaces are available in the self-parking facility.
- Valet parking is available.
- Accessible meeting rooms, swimming pool, and exercise facility
- Offers chairs with no arms; booths have movable tables.
- Patio is comfortable for people of size.
- Braille room numbers and in elevators.
- Shower wand, portable shower chairs, roll-in showers, and grab bars in bathrooms.
- Digital alarm clocks are available with strobe lights, sounds and vibrating pads.
- Lowered light switches, shelves, door viewports, thermostat controls, closet rods.
- TTY available for guest use.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance, interior, and restrooms.
- Offers chairs with no arms; booths have movable tables.
- All bar stools have seat backs.
- Friendly Notice: There are no marked accessible parking spots on the street, but there is a nearby parking garage at 130 W 3rd st.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible parking, entrance, interior, and restrooms.
- Offers chairs with no arms and bar stools without seat backs.
- Patio comfortable for people of size.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible parking, entrance, interior, and restroom.
- Offers chairs with no arms for inside.
- Outdoor chairs all have arms attached and may not be suitable for people of size.
- Booth tables are fixed like in a diner, but chairs can be placed along side the table.
Accessibility Checklist:
- The entrance is accessible, but only via a ramp on the far side of the building.
- There is an accessible parking spot on the street directly in front of the building.
- Booths have movable tables.
- Seating is potentially uncomfortable for people of size. The indoor chairs have arm rests, and the chairs are short and slight. Patio chairs have high arm rests.
- Alert: There is no public restroom available.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance.
- Accessible restrooms.
- Accessible interior.
- Accessible parking.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance.
- The dining room and breakfast room have booths with movable tables and chairs without arms.
- The hotel lobby and pub have loveseats and couches.
- The lobby bar has stools with seat backs.
- The garage behind the hotel has accessible parking spots. An elevator will take you directly to reception.
- The Premiere Queen Room has a roll-in shower with glass doors that open completely.
- Bathtubs in most rooms can be accommodated with a seat for transferring.
- Seating within guest rooms varies widely; most chairs have arms.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance, interior, and restroom.
- Accessible parking located in parking garage.
- Offers chairs with no arms.
- Booths have movable tables.
- Patio is comfortable for people of size.
- Seating is comfortable and sturdy.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance.
- There is one wheelchair accessible bathroom.
- There is an elevator to get to the second floor, but it is not always operating.
- Offers chairs without arms.
- Booths have movable tables.
- There are bar stools without seat backs.
- Street parking is available but extremely limited. There are also 2 nearby parking garages.
- The patio is not comfortable for people of size.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance, interior, and restrooms.
- Seating is comfortable. They offer chairs with no arms.
- Booths have movable tables.
- Patio is comfortable for people of size.
- Quiet enough for conversation.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance.
- Accessible restroom.
- Seating is comfortable. They offer chairs with no arms.
- Booths have movable tables, and the bar stools do not have seat backs.
- There is no accessible parking.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance.
- Accessible and roomy interior.
- Accessible restroom.
- Seating is comfortable; they offer chairs without armrests.
- Booths have movable tables.
- Quiet enough for conversation.
- Patio is comfortable for people of size.
- Accessible parking is not available.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance.
- Accessible interior.
- Accessible restrooms.
- Offers chairs with no arms.
- Showers have wands and tubs have seats for transferring if needed.
- There is no marked accessible parking, van accessible parking, or self-parking. Valet service only.
- Bar stools have seat backs.
Accessibility Checklist:
- Accessible entrance.
- Accessible restroom.
- Offers chairs with no arms.
- Booths have movable tables.
- Bar stools without seat backs.
- Patio is comfortable for people of size.
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