Aberdeen City Council are committed to improving the experience for visitors with accessibility requirements or additional support needs and, following feedback from last year’s event, has been working with local partners to develop these arrangements.
For 2025, Spectra will once again partner with We Too! and Abledeen to provide on-site support for those that need it. This year we’ll also welcome A-ND and their sensory bus Binky, which will be situated near the Central Library to provide a safe and relaxed chill-out space for families who require it. Abledeen will be based at the Town House during Spectra, providing mobility equipment for those that require it. In addition to the Binky bus there will be two more chill-out spaces located on the top floor of the Art Gallery and at Marischal College for those who feel the need to escape the crowds.
Spectra will continue to provide an alternative entry system for visitors who are unable to queue due to disabilities, mobility issues or additional needs. This will help reduce waiting times , but please note some queuing will still be required to enter the sites due to the volume of attendees.
Resources and information is available from our Accessibility Welcome Desks at Town House, Queen Street and Central Library, Rosemount. Visitors who need to use alternative entry must first visit an Accessibility Welcome Desk to receive a wristband. These desks are also there to help and support visitors who have additional needs or accessibility requirements, providing advice, and signposting to facilities around the site. The Accessibility Welcome Desks will be open from 5pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Spectra.
We Too! will be on hand throughout Spectra this year to support visitors with additional support needs, hand out visual guides as well as any sensory aides which may be required. Look out for their Ninjas wearing bright green across the Spectra sites!
Accessible parking provision has also been increased this year, with spaces made available on Queen Street, Littlejohn Street and Blackfriars St. These spaces are for blue badge holders and available on a first come first served basis each evening. Normal city centre parking is available outwith the main event footprint. Details of the traffic management restrictions are available here Check road closures and diversions | Aberdeen City Council.
Accessible toilets will be available at Marischal College, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Town House, and Central Library. Event accessible toilets will also be available within Union Terrace Gardens and on Union Terrace.
Each of the event sites is fully accessible for those in wheelchairs, with sites using routes that avoid stairwells. We’ve spent the year since the last festival listening and looking at ways to improve the overall visitor experience, including making Spectra more accessible. There will be a range of improvements big and small, but please remember that this is a learning process and the festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors each night. The Spectra team welcomes all feedback that will help us further improve the festival for all visitors in future years and a survey link will be published following the festival.