FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CR MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 1997 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 FESTIVAL TO BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES UNDER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AGREEMENT Minnesota Renaissance Festival is the Largest of its Kind in the Country WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Under an agreement reached today with the Department of Justice, Mid-America Festivals, the operator of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, will make its facilities more accessible for persons with disabilities. The festival, which is the largest of its kind in the country, features a variety of entertainment, art and crafts vendors, and food specialties from Renaissance Europe. It is held for seven consecutive weekends, starting in mid-August, on 22 acres of land in Shakopee, Minnesota, just outside of Minneapolis. The festival is designed to resemble a 15th century village. "People with disabilities should have the opportunity to experience the unique culture of a Renaissance festival," said Deval L. Patrick, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "We hope that all festival operators will follow today's model policy." Today's settlement resolves a complaint filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by a Wisconsin man who uses a wheelchair. He alleged that he was unable to visit many of the shops and booths at the festival because they were not accessible, and that some shops had ramps that were dangerously steep. Under the agreement, Mid-America Festivals will: lower ticket booths to make them accessible to people with disabilities; provide assistance to patrons who use parking designated for persons with disabilities; maintain an accessible prepared path to the entrance and exit of the facility; provide food booths with accessible counters; providing accessible portable restroom facilities and telephones; ensure that all barriers to access are removed from independently owned shops where readily achievable; and, pay civil penalties to the government. The Festival operators have already implemented many of these changes for the 1996 festival as a result of the Department's investigation. People who are interested in finding out more about the ADA or would like to obtain copies of today's agreement can call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514- 0301 or (800) 514-0383 TDD or access the ADA home page at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm. # # # 97-016