ACCESSFEST SCHEDULE

May 31, 2025 | David Pecaut Square, Toronto

MAINSTAGE

UNFILTERED AFMAPMISSIONs

Mainstage

WELLNESS HOUR – 9am-10am
9:00 am
Therapy Dog Visits

Need a dose of joy? Spend time with certified therapy dogs, here to offer gentle cuddles, wagging tails, and stress-relieving smiles. 

 

A smiling golden retriever with a light, fluffy coat is centered in a playful graphic frame of blue and purple ring.. The dog looks directly at the camera with a joyful expression, representing a therapy or support animal.
Sunshine Therapy Dogs
9:00 am
Accessible Yoga in the Square

Join us for an all-levels, all-ages accessible yoga session led by Orli Ziv, a certified yoga therapist. Whether you’re seated in a chair, or standing on a mat, this session is designed for every body. No experience needed, just bring your breath (and your personal yoga mat if you have one).

 

Orli Ziv, a woman with short silver hair and light eyes, smiles gently while wearing a neutral scarf over a black top. The portrait is framed by vibrant blue and purple graphic rings
Orli Ziv

Yoga Therapist

9:00 am
Chill Zone Opens

Take a moment to rest and recharge in our Chill Zone, a soft, welcoming space designed for sensory breaks, relaxation, and calm. If you need a break from the crowd or just want a quiet place to breathe, this is your space to reset. Open all day.

 

Morning block – 10am
10:15 am
Welcome and Opening Ceremony

Hosted by Spencer West, with reflections from AccessNow founder and CEO, Maayan Ziv. We’ll kick off the day together with community spirit, inspiring words, and lots of cheer.

Spencer West, a man with a mustache and beard, smiles widely in a black and white portrait. He wears a hat, round glasses, a dark T-shirt, and a necklace, with one hand playfully pulling on the chain. The image is framed by bold yellow and orange rings on a vivid pink background, giving it an energetic and empowering vibe.
Spencer West

Motivational Speaker, Content Creator

10:50 am
Fireside Chat: The Future of Accessibility

An intimate, thoughtful conversation between Maayan Ziv and Canada’s Chief Accessibility Officer, Stephanie Cadieux. Together, they’ll explore what’s next for accessibility across Canada and around the world — and how we build a future with inclusion at its center.

Stephanie Cadieux, a woman with short dark hair and glasses, smiles warmly while wearing hoop earrings and a teal blazer over a black top. The portrait is framed by bold pink and magenta graphic rings, giving it a vibrant and contemporary look.
Stephanie Cadieux

Canada’s Chief Accessibility Officer

MID-DAY block – 12:30pm
1:00 pm
Disability Influencers Changing the Game

A powerhouse conversation featuring some of todays leading influencers.  Dive into how social media is reshaping disability awareness, leadership, and culture — and why authentic voices are leading the way.

Three disabled advocates sit smiling in a bright studio space. Two people use power wheelchairs and one uses a manual wheelchair. The woman on the left wears a blush blazer and black outfit, the woman in the middle wears a navy hoodie and sneakers, and the man on the right wears glasses and a red sweater. They are surrounded by plants and studio equipment, creating a professional yet relaxed atmosphere.
Maayan Ziv, a woman with straight dark hair, smiles confidently while wearing a light heather grey top and a delicate necklace. The portrait is framed by bold pink and magenta graphic rings, creating a vibrant and empowering visual.
Maayan Ziv

AccessNow
Founder,CEO

Taylor Lindsay-Noel, a woman with long, straight hair and caramel highlights, smiles brightly against a vibrant orange and pink graphic background. The portrait is framed by bold yellow and magenta rings, creating a cheerful and empowering visual.
Taylor Lindsay Noel

Content Creator, Entrepreneur

Spencer West, a man with a mustache and beard, smiles widely in a black and white portrait. He wears a hat, round glasses, a dark T-shirt, and a necklace, with one hand playfully pulling on the chain. The image is framed by bold yellow and orange rings on a vivid pink background, giving it an energetic and empowering vibe.
Spencer West

Motivational Speaker, Content Creator

Matt Maxey, a Black man wearing sunglasses, a light button-up shirt over a white T-shirt, and a smartwatch, poses expressively with one arm crossed. The black and white photo is framed within a bold pink graphic shape
Matt Maxey

ASL Performer

2:00 PM
Comedy with Courtney Gilmour

Get ready to laugh out loud with one of Canada’s top comedians. Courtney Gilmour brings her brilliant, bold, and hilarious take on life, disability, and everything in between.

Courtney Gilmour, a comedian with long dark hair, stands on stage holding a microphone. She wears a sleeveless royal blue dress and smiles while performing. The image is framed within a bold yellow graphic shape, creating a vibrant and energetic look.
Courtney Gilmour

Comedian

2:30 PM
ASL Workshop & Performance by Matt Maxey

From touring with Chance the Rapper to signing Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl and lighting up red carpets at the Oscars, Matt Maxey is showcasing the best of performance in ASL. Now, he’s taking the AccessFest stage to lead us through a hands-on workshop in signing music. Come learn, move, and feel the rhythm — in a whole new language.

A man wearing a backwards cap and a dark T-shirt energetically performs in front of a vertical row of colorful LED lights. He gestures expressively with both hands
Matt Maxey, a Black man wearing sunglasses, a light button-up shirt over a white T-shirt, and a smartwatch, poses expressively with one arm crossed. The black and white photo is framed within a bold pink graphic shape
Matt Maxey

ASL Performer

Concert Block
5:30 PM
Crip Rave

Crip Rave is a Toronto-based collective founded by Stefana Fratila (DJ Crip Time) and Renee Dumaresque. They are known for curating electrifying rave experiences that blend deep cuts, immersive visuals, and a commitment to creating inclusive spaces for all.

 

 

A black and white portrait of Stefana Fratila, looking down with a contemplative expression. She wears a textured top and a leather jacket, framed by bold graphic rings in pink, yellow, and orange that create a dynamic, modern backdrop.
Stefana Fratila

DJ Crip Time

6:00 PM
Mattmac

Joining us from Winnipeg, Blind music producer and recording artist Mattmac is quickly becoming one of North America’s rising stars. With millions of streams, a CBC Searchlight win, and coverage from CBC, CTV, and Virgin Radio, his melodic pop-trap beats hit deep.

 

Mattmac, an artist with braided hair, holds a microphone while performing. He wears a plaid jacket over a hoodie with bold text, framed within a vivid pink graphic shape. The stage lighting casts a warm glow as he appears mid-performance.
Mattmac

Recording Artist

6:45 PM
Martin Deschamps

A Montreal rock icon with unstoppable stage presence, Martin Deschamps brings the kind of live energy you feel in your chest. With a career spanning decades, performances at the Paralympics, and a voice that’s pure power, he closes out AccessFest with grit, soul, and serious volume.

 

Martin Deschamps, a musician with long curly hair, wears a cowboy hat, sunglasses, and a red plaid shirt while smiling and playing a black electric guitar. He is seated on a wooden crate, framed by bold orange and yellow graphic rings.
Martin Deschamps

Rock Singer

UNFILTERED AF TALKS

luke, maayan, and jake, sit on a stage sharing a panel discussion smiling.
Unfiltered

No fluff, no filters. These raw, real, and refreshing conversations dive into the topics that matter most. Join changemakers, artists, and disruptors as they get candid about accessibility, identity, and what it really means to show up.

11:45 am
NextGen AF – The Future of Disability Leadership

Bold, connected, and unapologetic — this is what the next generation of disability leadership looks like. This panel spotlights emerging leaders who are shaping the future through creativity, activism, and community-driven change. 

jocelyn who sits in a power wheelchair smiles posing with aarron who holds his white cane, alex, and one more person.
A black and white portrait of Jess, a woman with long hair and glasses, smiling gently with her chin resting on her hand. She wears a dark top and rings on her fingers.
Jessica Watkin

FUTURES Program Facilitator
AccessNow

Vanessa, a young woman with long wavy dark hair, smiles softly at the camera. She wears layered gold necklaces and a light pink top.
Vanessa Leu

NextGen Alum 24′

Portrait of a smiling young man with short dark hair and a trimmed beard, wearing a green sweater with a pin and a collared shirt, against a bold blue and purple circular background framed in pink
Swaraj Bhomick

NextGen Alum 24′

eliza bio photo
Eliza Mouradikian

NextGen Alum 24′

3:00 PM
Designed AF – Inclusive Design in Practice

What happens when we prioritize accessibility in design? This panel explores how inclusive design is shaping the spaces we move through, the products we use, and the systems we rely on.

A modern, multi-level outdoor plaza featuring a series of wide staircases and switchback ramps surrounded by lush greenery. The design integrates accessibility with aesthetic landscaping, offering handrails and resting areas throughout. Several people are walking along the paths and stairs.
Portrait of a smiling woman with long blonde hair wearing hoop earrings and a white top, set inside a yellow and orange circular graphic frame on a bright pink background
Stacy Ryan

Partner
Deloitte

Luke Anderson, a man with short curly red hair and a beard, smiles warmly. He is wearing a red and navy plaid shirt. The portrait is framed by bold graphic rings in blue and purple on a vibrant pink background.
Luke Anderson

Executive Director
StopGap Foundation

Jake Cohen, a bald man with a close beard and glasses, smiles confidently in a light grey blazer and white shirt. The portrait is framed by bold graphic rings in blue and purple on a bright pink background.
Jacob Cohen

Chief Operating Officer
The Daniels Corporation

kae bio headshot in blue pin
Kae Tran

Designer, Creative, Model

4:00 PM
Represented AF – Disability in Media

How we’re seen shapes how we’re treated. This panel tackles the stories told about disabled people, and who gets to tell them. The conversation will explore media tropes, behind-the-scenes inclusion, and the transformative power of representation.

Screenshot of Sex Ed cast in school
Ioanna Roumeliotis, a woman with straight, shoulder-length brown hair, smiles warmly while wearing a navy blazer over a white top and a gold necklace.
Ioanna Roumeliotis

Co-Host, The Fifth Estate
CBC

Andrew, a man with a trimmed beard and shaved head, smiles confidently while wearing a black suit jacket, white dress shirt, and pocket square.
Andrew Morris

President & Executive Producer
Hitsby Entertainment

Portrait of Gaitrie smiling woman with long curly auburn hair, wearing a green blazer and gold earrings, posed against a bright blue and purple background framed in a bold pink and blue graphic shape
Gaitrie Persaud

Actor, ASL Interpreter
Phoenix The Fire

Prasanna, a man with short dark hair, smiles brightly while wearing a white button-down shirt and a black jacket.
Prasanna Ranganathan

DEIAB Leader, Consultant & Advisor

MapMission TOURS

MapMission

Hit the streets with us. MapMission Tours are guided, interactive adventures that explore accessibility in real time — led by people with lived experience. It’s part discovery, part action, all impact.

Join us as we map the neighbourhood, visit community businesses, and talk about what accessible design really looks like on the ground.

11:25 am
Exclusive MapMission: Princess of Wales Theatre Tour (1 hour)

Go behind the scenes of one of Toronto’s most iconic venues and explore its accessibility features in this special guided tour.

Starting point is by the bicycle art statue on King Street.
Look for the big green pin!

interior of grand princess of wales theatre. red seating and gold lighting.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT
a person with styled blonde hair and dark-rimmed glasses, smiles brightly while wearing a white top and black blazer
Jonathan Marriott

AccessNow

mirvish productions logo
12:00 pm
MapMission:
Streetfront Access – King Street West (30 minutes)

Take a closer look at the retail experience on King Street West. From narrow doorways to surprise successes, you’ll assess how accessible local shops and storefronts really are.

Starting point is by the bicycle art statue on King Street.
Look for the big green pin!

Evening view of King Street West in Toronto, showing a vibrant row of restaurants and bars with neon signs, historic brick buildings, and a blur of streetcar lights in motion, with high-rise condos in the background.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT
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AccessNow
2:30 pm
MapMission: 
City Spaces – Parkettes & the Path to Front (1 hour)

This tour focuses on access in outdoor public spaces, from compact parkettes to nearby restaurants, while navigating the built environment along the way to Front Street.

Starting point is by the bicycle art statue on King Street.
Look for the big green pin!

Person interacting playfully with a bronze cow sculpture in a downtown Toronto plaza, surrounded by several other reclining cow sculptures on a grassy lawn with modern office buildings in the background.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT
a person with styled blonde hair and dark-rimmed glasses, smiles brightly while wearing a white top and black blazer
Jonathan Marriott

AccessNow

4:30 pm
MapMission:
Street Life – Cafés, Patios & Everyday Access (30 minutes)

This tour takes you through a lively mix of patios, storefronts, and shared outdoor areas to explore how accessible, or not, everyday spaces really are.

Starting point is by the bicycle art statue on King Street.
Look for the big green pin!

Evening view of King Street West in Toronto, showing a vibrant row of restaurants and bars with neon signs, historic brick buildings, and a blur of streetcar lights in motion, with high-rise condos in the background.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT
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View of David Pecaut Square in downtown Toronto, surrounded by modern skyscrapers under a clear blue sky. In the foreground is a polished stone plaza with stainless steel railings and a central glass structure housing the Eternal Flame, which burns brightly.
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#218 - 192 Spadina Ave.
Toronto, ON Canada
M5T 2C2

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