Accessibility at Fishers District and The Fishers Event Center

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend an evening exploring accessibility at The Fishers District, as well as at the Fishers Event Center. Combining the two, made for the perfect evening for my husband and me.

The Fishers Event Center is located near Fishers District, which offers a variety of different dining and shopping options. Located conveniently off I-69 and 116^th Street in Fishers, Indiana.

Fishers District features a wide selection of different dining options, as well as a few places for shopping. A few of my personal favorites are Rize for breakfast or brunch, and Sangiovese or 101 Craft Kitchen for dinner. However, there are many more places on my list that I look forward to trying.

I have found all the restaurants listed above to be accessible. Each place also has an accessible restroom. Each of these restaurants also have outdoor dining which has been accessible for me in my wheelchair. Many of the restaurants in Fishers District have outdoor seating.

Parking

Throughout the district, you will find accessible parking. It gets very crowded, so those spaces are not always available, but I have been able to park in one more times than not on my many visits there.

There is also complimentary guest parking on the ground floor of the parking garage found in the middle of The District underneath The Mark Apartments.

Getting Around

I found getting around in my wheelchair from place to place in The District to be an independent experience. Where the sidewalks meet the curbs, it is completely flush. There are no curb lips to have to pop up over or ramps to get up. That makes crossing the streets a seamless experience, facilitating independence. The sidewalks are wide enough for easy passing, with a few exceptions where there is outdoor seating along the sidewalk.

Note:

None of the restaurants or shops I have visited in the Fishers District have an accessible button at the entrance. Adding these would be highly beneficial for those with disabilities.

Hotels

There are a couple of hotels in the heart of The District, conveniently just minutes from the Fishers Event Center. Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Fishers and Hyatt Place Indianapolis / Fishers are within walking or rolling distance from the shops and restaurants.

Following our visit to Fishers District for dinner, we drove over to the Fishers Event Center for a nostalgic evening to see Rick Springfield’s “I Want my 80s Tour”. The drive was less than five minutes from where we were.

Once we arrived, a parking assistant directed us to the accessible parking spaces. We parked near the entrance on the North side of the building.

Entry to the venue was quick despite a little bit of a line to get through security. Our tickets were then quickly scanned and we entered the venue.

Immediately, we were asked if we needed help finding the elevators to our seats. That is one thing that stood out to me all evening. There was no shortage of willing employees offering to assist us.

We explored the first floor where there were various food and drink options. Although the venue was crowded, I never felt overwhelmed by the crowd as I often do in concert venues.

The elevator was conveniently located near the entrance where I came in. The accessible seating was on the second floor. Once upstairs, we were directed to our seats.

The majority of accessible seating is located in a few different spots along the top level of the venue. There are folding chairs that are easily removed by staff to make room for wheelchairs as needed. There is also ample space for maneuvering in a wheelchair to get in and out as needed.

Note:

In front of all the accessible seating around the top of the venue, there is a glass wall that extended well above my head while seated. I found that although the glass was extremely clean and easy to see through, it felt like we were closed off from the rest of the venue below. I also felt like it affected the sound for me. I knew someone else sitting in the accessible section I was in, and they also commented that they did not like how this felt so separated from everyone else.

I reached out to the staff at the Fishers Event Center to inquire about the reasoning for such a tall wall in the accessible sections. As I suspected, the reason for the tall glass wall is for safety. Because of the openness of the upper level, they want to make sure that no one falls into the seating below. It also serves as a protection from hockey pucks or footballs.

There is alternative wheelchair accessible seating on the first level concourse in section 112, which does not have a glass wall in front of it, with the exception of the hockey games.

Restrooms

There are accessible restrooms on both levels. The restrooms were just across from where I was sitting. Inside, there was an accessible stall large enough to fit my wheelchair. The sink height in the restrooms was ideal for me to use from my wheelchair.

Note:

Located on the second level near section 219, there is a private restroom with a universal changing table that will accommodate everyone, including adults. The height of the table is adjustable.

As we explored the upstairs area, I noticed a few things. Upstairs, the lighting is dimmer, and it was less crowded. Again, I did not feel overwhelmed with a crowd of people.

There were a few different options for food and drinks upstairs as well, including some quick self-serve grab and go options.

Exiting the Venue

When the concert was over, and we were ready to leave, a staff member was waiting to help get us get around the crowd to the elevator.

The wait for the elevator and time to get to our car was less than 10 minutes.

My husband and I had a wonderful evening exploring the accessibility of these two places. It was fun to go back in time and listen to music from the 80s. The crowd was fun, and the energy in this space was great. I would highly recommend seeing a concert or sporting event at this location for an accessible experience.

Note:

The Fishers Event Center can provide wheelchair assistance if you do not have a wheelchair but would benefit from having access to one while visiting.

For much more on all the different accessibility features that The Fishers Event Center has to offer, make sure to visit their accessibility page.