Listen to this note:
With 10.3 percent of San Mateo County's population living with a disability, it is more important than ever to celebrate this sector of the population and all of the contributions they make to the community.
Thus, San Mateo County residents are invited to celebrate the disability community at the Fifth Annual Inclusion Festival, a free day of food, fun and music aimed at connecting attendees with vital resources, suppliers and each other.
The festival will take place this Thursday, July 25th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Red Morton Park, located at 1120 Roosevelt Ave. in Redwood City.
The park includes Magical Bridge Playground, one of the first open, inclusive outdoor playgrounds in San Mateo County.
Angela Piazza, a longtime member of the County Commission on Disabilities, emphasized the importance of the festival's location.
“The event will take place next to the Redwood City Magical Bridge Playground, a fully inclusive playground, reinforcing the message of barrier-free fun,” she said.
The event originated in August 2018, when the commission first organized the Inclusion Festival as a way for the county community to engage and learn more about people with disabilities.
Originally located at Burton Park in San Carlos, the event received an outpouring of support and attracted over 400 people. In 2023, the festival moved to July to coincide with Disability Pride Month and the Americans with Disabilities Act, the first civil rights law protecting people with disabilities.
“The festival is a time for everyone to come together and celebrate members of our community with disabilities. Our mission is to support and connect all County residents, particularly those with disabilities, with available resources that will enrich their lives,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Warren Slocum.
In addition to hearing from Slocum, attendees will also be able to speak with 47 county department vendors, local representatives, disability agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Informational booths will include Supervisors Ray Mueller and Noella Corzo, San Mateo County Jobs for Youth, the Department of Rehabilitation, San Mateo County Public Health, Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Victim Services Division, and HIP Housing.
The Inclusion Festival is an opportunity to “connect the disability community with resources they may not have known existed,” said Andrew Eng, county liaison to the commission.
The day also includes boxed lunches with sandwiches, chips, cookies and water that will be served by San Mateo County Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) to the first 450 attendees.
Not only will attendees be able to socialize, celebrate and support the disabled community in San Mateo County, but they will also be able to enjoy family-friendly music from a DJ while children receive and play with free balloons.
“This festival not only offers a day full of music, food and entertainment, but it is also a testament to the values of inclusion, especially during Disability Pride Month… It is a place where everyone, regardless of their abilities, can enjoy the festivities and learn about the resources available in San Mateo County,” Piazza said.
You may be interested in: July declared “Disability Pride Month 2024” in California
