Details of the Citywide Birmingham Disability Festival, hosted by BMet College and Aston University on Saturday 4th July, have been announced.
Created by Birmingham Disability Festival Committee (BDFC), this FREE event showcases a wide range of disabled talent through performances, sport, interactive games and disabled business owners and aims to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the UK’s second city.
Birmingham Disability Festival Announces Inclusive Walk as Part of 2026 Programme
Birmingham Disability Festival is proud to announce that, from 2026 onwards, an Inclusive Walk will officially join the festival programme, marking a major milestone in the city’s celebration of Disability Pride Month. The Inclusive Walk will take place between 12 pm and 4 pm during the festival, beginning with an inclusive warm-up at 12 pm before participants take part in an accessible route around Aston University Lake in Birmingham city centre.
The festival Committee welcome this addition as “a powerful next step in our mission: creating space where disabled people can take up public space together, unapologetically and proudly, in the heart of Birmingham.”
The Birmingham Disability Festival & Inclusive Walk —the city’s only disability-led, citywide celebration—remains a free, fully accessible event showcasing disabled talent, culture, creativity, and community leadership. Since its inception, the festival has centered on lived experience, visibility, and joy, and the introduction of the Inclusive Walk strengthens this commitment.
A New Chapter: The Inclusive Walk
The Inclusive Walk will offer a welcoming, accessible route designed with disabled people at the forefront. It will celebrate mobility aids, carers, families, neurodivergent communities, and everyone who contributes to the richness of disability culture. Participants are invited to join for all or part of the walk in a relaxed, supportive and celebratory environment.
More than simply a walk, the event is a public celebration of disability pride, visibility and belonging — creating space for disabled people to be seen, heard and celebrated in the heart of the city.
“It is not a parade for spectators; it is a moment of collective pride, solidarity, and belonging.”
Inclusive Walk Accessibility & Route Information
The Inclusive Walk will take place around Aston University Lake on a wide, accessible paved route ranging from approximately 4–8 metres in width.
Participants can take part at their own pace, whether completing one lap or multiple laps throughout the afternoon. Approximately 5 laps of the route equate to around 1 kilometre in total distance, with each lap taking around 8 minutes at a gentle pace.
The route will be stewarded by approximately 4 to 5 marshals to help support participants throughout the walk.
Attendees are welcome to join for part or all of the walk, making the event flexible and inclusive for wheelchair users, mobility scooters and aids, carers, families, neurodivergent participants and allies.
For the festival, this expansion represents:
- A deeper expression of Disability Pride, centring identity, culture, and community visibility.
- A citywide invitation for disabled people to gather, move, and celebrate on their own terms.
- A commitment to accessibility and inclusion that goes beyond words and into action.
- A celebration that remains free and open to all, ensuring no one is excluded from Birmingham’s growing disability-led cultural movement.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Nearly 800,000 disabled people call the West Midlands home. We’re proud of our diversity and committed to becoming an Exemplary Region for Disabled People”.
“Achieving this ambition means acknowledging the real challenges faced by too many, working to tackle inequalities and make ours a region in which everyone can live, work and travel without barriers.
“I’m pleased to support Disability Pride Month and the Birmingham Disability Festival, and to celebrate the invaluable contribution disabled people make to our region every day.”
Nabila Gardner, Director at Ways for Wellbeing UK CIC a health and wellbeing coaching organisation led by disabled women said “Welcoming the Inclusive Walk into the Birmingham Disability Festival & Inclusive Walk from 2026 is a defining moment for us as the city’s only disability-led, citywide festival. As a volunteer-run event, every step we take forward is powered by community commitment, lived experience, and the belief that disabled people deserve to be visible and celebrated in the heart of Birmingham. The Inclusive Walk strengthens that purpose — it brings our community together in public space with pride, solidarity, and joy. This expansion shows what is possible when disabled people lead the way and the city stands with us.”
Quote from Birmingham Colmore:
Kelsey Dywer, Partnerships and Events Manager at Birmingham Colmore said: “We’re proud to be supporting Birmingham Disability Festival for the second year running, reinforcing our commitment to creating equal opportunities for everyone in our city centre. This partnership is helping us make Colmore Food Festival more accessible than ever, with expert guidance from the Disability Festival team and the introduction of BSL interpreters across our entertainment programme. It’s incredibly important to us that everyone can enjoy and take part in our events, and we look forward to supporting Birmingham Disability Festival to make this year’s event even more successful than last.”
Festival Programme Highlights
The 2026 festival will continue to offer a vibrant programme of activities inspired by previous years’ success. The festival showcases “a wide range of disabled talent through performances, sport, interactive games and disabled business owners” and provides “essential resources to empower disabled people to thrive in their future life.”
Key features include:
- Live performances from disabled artists, musicians, and dance groups.
- Inclusive sports and games such as boccia, wheelchair basketball, blind football, pickleball, volleyball, and more.
- Workshops including nature and wellbeing sessions delivered by Ways for Wellbeing UK CIC and BMet College.
- A dedicated marketplace featuring disability led and disability confident organisations, creators, and businesses.
- Cosy Sofa Chats, facilitated by Andrew Bull, with speakers including Nadia Johnstone-Smith, Charlotte Berisford, and others.
- Roving reporting from our social media partners University College Birmingham.
- Play Zone for Adults and children featuring a bouncy castle and creative fun games and circus skills.
BMet College commented ““BMet is extremely proud to be an active partner working to deliver the Birmingham Disability Festival & Inclusive Walk once again, following the very successful events over the last two years. The festival, this year hosted at Matthew Boulton, provides an invaluable platform to showcase disabled talent across Birmingham, celebrate our city’s diverse identities, as well as supporting the ongoing work to improve experiences and outcomes for disabled people.” You can fund out what BMet College offer too!”
Sam Coles, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at BMet College
Quote from Aston University:
“Aston is proud to host the Birmingham Disability Festival Inclusive Walk . This festival is about visibility, access, and joy. We’re excited to partner with organisations and groups across the city and beyond to celebrate the contributions of the community and to foster greater inclusion in our shared spaces.” Rabia Ahmed, Academic Lead EDI (Aston University)
Quote from South and City College Birmingham
We are excited to announce that South & City College Birmingham will be proudly sponsoring and participating in the Disability Festival on Saturday, 4th July 2026!
This is a fantastic opportunity for those attending to visit and speak to a college that continues to showcase its unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion within the Birmingham community.
They’ll be joining us to highlight their diverse range of courses, state-of-the-art campus facilities, and share inspiring profiles of dedicated staff at the college itself.
Together, we can celebrate the richness of diversity and the importance of accessible education for all. Let’s make a difference and inspire others to embrace inclusivity!
Stay tuned for more updates and details about their presence at the festival, alongside many others. We can’t wait to see you there!
The Citywide Birmingham Disability Festival & Inclusive Walk is FREE to attendees and takes place at BMet College Matthew Boulton College Campus, 1 Jennens Road, Birmingham B4 7PS (near to Millennium Point) on Saturday 4th July between 11 am and 6 pm and is fully accessible.
Free parking at Millennium Point car park is available for blue badge holders. Whether travelling by train, bus, tram or car, please check for delays, cancellations or road closures ahead of your journey.
Although the event is FREE, attendees will need to register for a ticket. For more information and to register your attendance, please go to the following link: Eventbrite Link:- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birmingham-disability-festival-inclusive-walk-2026-tickets-1981069528288?keep_tld=true.
Find out more: https://www.waysforwellbeing.com/birmingham-disability-festival-2025/.
For further information, please email bhamdisabilityfestival@gmail.com.
The festival remains fully accessible, with British Sign Language interpreters, quiet spaces, assistance-dog-friendly areas, seating, food and drink, and on-site support from festival organisers.
The festival has a Crowdfunder page set up to help raise vital funds to ensure the festival remains free to attendees:- Crowdfunder.
Birmingham Disability Festival & Inclusive Walk is organised by Festival partners Ways for Wellbeing UK CIC, BMet College, Aston University, and WMCA. Sponsorship for the event includes Birmingham Colmore, Serco, BMet College, South and City College Birmingham, Irwin Mitchell and Midland Mencap.
Event Details
Date: Saturday 4 July 2026
Festival Time: 11 am – 6 pm
Inclusive Walk: 12 pm – 4 pm
Location: BMet Matthew Boulton College Campus and Aston University Lake, Birmingham City Centre, B4 7PS
Cost: Free to attend
Registration: Required via Eventbrite – Free Ticket Registration
(https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birmingham-disability-festival-inclusive-walk-2026-tickets-1981069528288?keep_tld=true)
More information: https://www.waysforwellbeing.com/birmingham-disability-festival-2025/.
Accessibility:
Fully accessible event with step-free routes throughout, BSL interpreters, quiet spaces, assistance dogs welcome, seating areas, accessible toilet facilities, and accessible parking for blue badge holders at Millennium Point Car Park.
The Inclusive Walk route is fully paved and accessible, with participants encouraged to take part at their own pace.
About Birmingham Disability Festival & Inclusive Walk
Birmingham Disability Festival & Inclusive Walk 2026 is a disability-led, volunteer-driven celebration of disabled people, culture, and community. The festival champions visibility, inclusion, and pride during Disability Pride Month and throughout the year. It is coordinated by Ways for Wellbeing UK CIC alongside citywide partners committed to advancing equity and representation.
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