These Are the Biggest Disability-Related Events in Each State
Below are many of 2015’s conferences, advocacy events, fundraisers and sporting events geared toward people with disabilities. There’s a lot going on, and we’d love to hear from you if you attend any of these this year. And if you or someone you love plan to attend an event not mentioned on this map, please include any information about it in the comment section below.
Scroll down for the biggest disability-related events in each state.
Alabama
Alabama Assistive Technology Expo and Conference
Auburn, Alabama
October 20-21, 2015
Alaska
The Arc Dreamweaver Luncheon
Anchorage, Alaska
May 28, 2015
Arizona
Arizona Special Olympics Summer Games
Glendale, Arizona
May 7-9, 2015
Americans With Disabilities Act 25th Anniversary Gala + Awards Ceremony
Tempe, Arizona
July 18, 2015
Arkansas
Developmental Disabilities Provider Association 9th Annual Spring Conference
Little Rock, Arkansas
May 18-20, 2015
Arkansas Special Olympics Summer Games
Searcy, Arkansas
May 21-23, 2015
California
Special Olympics World Games
Los Angeles, California
July 25-August 2, 2015
Superfest Film Festival
San Francisco, California
November 14-15, 2015
Colorado
15th Annual Coleman Institute Conference on Cognitive Disability and Technology
Broomfield, Colorado
October 15, 2015
Connecticut
St. Vincent Special Needs and Kristin Nicole Appleberg Golf Tournament
Trumbull, Connecticut
June 1, 2015
*18th Annual Arc Quinebaug Valley Rubber Duckie Race Fundraiser
Danielson, Connecticut
August 9, 2015
Delaware
Run, Walk & Roll 2015
Wyoming, Delaware
May 2, 2015
Florida
DisAbilities Expo
Davie, Florida
October 3, 2015
Georgia
Premier Conference on the Americans With Disabilities Act
Atlanta, Georgia
May 10-13, 2015
*Summer Institute on Theology and Disability
Atlanta, Georgia
May 26-29, 2015
Hawaii
Pacific Rim Conference on Disability and Diversity
Honolulu, Hawaii
May 18-19, 2015
Idaho
Sprout Disability Film Festival
Boise, Idaho
April 30-May 2, 2015
Illinois
*Abilities Expo
Chicago, Illinois
June 12-14, 2015
*12th Annual Disability Pride Parade
Chicago, Illinois
July 18, 2015
ReelAbilities Film Festival
Chicago, Illinois
September 10-13, 2015
7th Annual disABILITY Resource Expo
Champlain, Illinois
October 18, 2015
Indiana
*National Disability Rights Network Annual Conference
Indianapolis, Indiana
June 1-4, 2015
Sprout Disability Film Festival
Indianapolis, Indiana
October 3, 2015
The Arc National Convention
Indianapolis, Indiana
October 3-5, 2015
Iowa
Iowa Special Olympics Summer Games
Ames, Iowa
May 21-23, 2015
Kansas
The Arc Annual Art Show
Wichita, Kansas
July 29-August 2, 2015
Kansas Department of Education Annual Conference
Wichita, Kansas
October 27-28, 2015
Kentucky
*National Sibling Leadership Conference
Louisville, Kentucky
May 30-31, 2015
American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Louisville, Kentucky
June 1-4, 2015
Louisiana
2015 Disability Rights Day
Covington, Louisiana
April 29, 2015
Maine
Maine Special Olympics Summer Games
Orono, Maine
May 5-7, 2015
Maryland
*World of Possibilities Expo
Timonium, Maryland
May 2, 2015
Sprout Disability Film Festival
Columbia, Maryland
June 21, 2015
Massachusetts
Abilities Expo
Boston, Massachusetts
September 18-20, 2015
Michigan
2015 Learning Disabilities Association Conference
East Lansing, Michigan
May 1, 2015
Michigan Association on Higher Education and Disability
East Lansing, Michigan
May 15, 2015
Minnesota
ReelAbilities Film Festival
Minneapolis, Minnesota
June 11-14, 2015
*Association on Higher Education and Disability Conference
Minneapolis, Minnesota
July 13-18, 2015
Mississippi
Mississippi disAbility MegaConference
Jackson, Mississippi
June 18-19, 2015
Missouri
The Arc Annual Golf Tournament
St. Louis, Missouri
May 18, 2015
Montana
Montana Special Olympics 2015 Big Sky Area Games
Bozeman, Montana
April 29, 2015
Nebraska
Disability Rights Nebraska Social Role Valorization Workshop
Lincoln, Nebraska
May 19, 2015
Nevada
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
Sparks, Nevada
July 21-22, 2015
37th Annual Conference on Learning Disabilities
Las Vegas, Nevada
October 1-2, 2015
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Special Olympics Summer Games
Durham, New Hampshire
June 5-7, 2015
New Mexico
2015 Southwest Conference on Disability
Albuquerque, New Mexico
October 6-9, 2015
New Jersey
Abilities Expo,
Edison, New Jersey
May 1-3, 2015
New York
*Young Adult Institute International Conference on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
New York, New York
May 4-7, 2015
*Sprout Disability Film Festival
New York, New York
May 5, 2015
*27th Annual Developmental Disabilities Awareness Day Conference
Niagara Falls, New York
May 28, 2015
Disability Mentoring Day
Syracuse, New York
October 21, 2015
North Carolina
Diversity Matters National Conference
Charlotte, North Carolina
October 21-24, 2015
North Dakota
The Arc Inter-Agency Picnic
Grand Forks
June (date TBA), 2015
Ohio
Tech II: Technology Toward Employment Conference
Columbus, Ohio
May 13-15, 2015
Oklahoma
The Arc’s 20th Annual Shot in the Dark Golf Tournament
Tulsa, Oklahoma
May 8, 2015
Oklahoma Special Olympics Summer Games
Stillwater, Oklahoma
May 13-15, 2015
Oregon
Sprout Disability Film Festival
*Eugene, Oregon
May 6, 2015
*Bend, Oregon
May 8, 2015
Corvallis, Oregon
May11, 2015
Behavior Management Strategies for Students With Disabilities
Portland, Oregon
October 8-9, 2015
*2015 The Association for the Severely Handicapped (TASH) Conference
Portland, Oregon
December 2-4, 2015
Pennsylvania
Sprout Disability Film Festival
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
April 25, 2015
World Conference on Special Needs Education
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 17-20, 2015
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Special Olympics Summer Games
Kingston, Rhode Island
May 29-31, 2015
*The Arc Quinebaug Valley Golf Tournament
Foster, Rhode Island
July 10, 2015
South Carolina
South Carolina Special Olympics Summer Games
Columbia, South Carolina
May 1-3, 2015
South Dakota
South Dakota Special Olympics Summer Games
Chamberlain, South Dakota
May 28-30, 2015
Tennessee
Disability MegaConference
Nashville, Tennessee
May 21-22, 2015
Texas
Abilities Expo
Houston, Texas
July 31-August 2, 2015
*Cinema Touching Disabilities Festival
Austin, Texas
November 6-7, 2015
Utah
Utah Special Olympics Track and Field Competition
Logan, Utah
April 25, 2015
Vermont
Summer Olympics Summer 2015 Games
Burlington, Vermont
May 29-31, 2015
Virginia
Sprout Disability Film Festival
Arlington, Virginia
May 4, 2015
The Arc of Virginia’s State Convention
Virginia Beach, Virginia
August 10-12, 2015
Washington
Behavior Management Strategies for Students With Disabilities
Seattle, Washington
May 7-8, 2015
*Seattle Commission for People With disAbilities
Seattle, Washington
3rd Thursday of every month
Washington, DC
*ReelAbilities Film Festival
Washington, DC
April 26-May 3, 2015
*M-Enabling Summit
Washington, DC
June 1-2, 2015
*Annual Conference on Independent Living
Washington, DC
July 27-30, 2015
Abilities Expo
Washington, DC
December 4-6, 2015
West Virginia
Walk/Run for Independence
Huntington, West Virginia
July 4, 2015
Wisconsin
Disability Pride Festival
Madison, Wisconsin
July 25, 2015
Wyoming
Wyoming Special Olympics Summer Games
Statewide
May 7-9, 2015
The Arc Oktoberfest Fundraiser
Cheyenne, Wyoming
September 26, 2015
*This event is not represented on the map above.
Want to end the stigma around disability? Like us on Facebook.
And sign up for what we hope will be your favorite thing to read at night.