Join me as I take you through a night at Symphony on the Prairie located in Fishers, Indiana at the historic Conner Prairie, from a wheelchair users' point of view. I will cover the accessibility experience as an ambulatory wheelchair user. I will take you through arrival to exiting and everything in between!
Know before you go
You are able to bring in your own food and drinks (alcoholic beverages included) if you would like. They also sell some food and drink items onsite. We find that a little wagon is very helpful for us to haul our chairs, cooler and blanket, so that my husband also is able to help me if needed. That way, we are able to bring everything we need when it is just the two of us.
Arriving/parking
Upon arriving at Conner Prairie, there are signs that clearly mark the accessible parking area. There are also volunteers who are out directing parking. If you have your accessible placard displayed, they will direct you accordingly. There is a generous amount of accessible parking spaces.
After parking, there are golf carts intermittently going around the accessible parking area. You can flag one down if you need help with your items you brought, a ride for yourself, or a member of your party.
I was in my wheelchair, so I didn’t need a ride, but they were more than willing to give my husband and our items we were taking in a ride to the gate if he needed one. It is a short walk to the gate for those in your party who want to walk. The golf carts can only take you as far as the gates where they take your tickets, and you enter the venue.
Entry
Most Symphony on the Prairie performances are well attended, so upon entering it can get congested. I would suggest arriving early to secure a spot that works for you. The gates open two hours before the performance, so that is plenty of time to get set up and check out the lay of the land. At the entry point there is a flat curb cutout so it’s easy to maneuver in a wheelchair, or if you have a hard time stepping up onto a curb. Once inside, there are volunteers who are available to help should you need it.
Getting situated
Once you are inside, you will notice that there are several paved pathways which make it easy to get around. On the north side of the venue, there are 4 designated accessible spots. The spots are a very nice size and are paved, so you can pull right in directly from the paved pathway. There is ample space for you and your party in that area, and the area surrounding it. The views of the stage from these spots are great as well. We chose a spot just at the back of the lawn where we parked my wheelchair. With assistance, I am able to get out my wheelchair and sit in another chair. There are lots of places where you can pull just off the path onto the grass without having to go far into the lawn if you don’t like the location of the paved accessible spots.
Restrooms
Restrooms are located at the back of the venue. There are some portable restrooms on the property too, but only one of those was accessible. To get to the restroom, there is a decently sized incline. Not a problem if you have a power wheelchair or are able to wheel yourself up inclines in a manual chair. I had my husband along with me, so he was able to push me up. There are not any accessible buttons to open the door, so I had to rely on my husband to hold the door for me or hope someone else would. Once inside, there were two accessible stalls located just inside the door. They were very easy to access. They had a lower sink that was helpful for washing my hands from my wheelchair.
Food/activities
There are a few different food vendors on the property, and the paved pathways make it easy to access these areas as well. Due to the weather conditions, the 1859 Balloon Voyage was not operating the evening I was there. Per their website, the ballon is accessible for a wheelchair no wider than 25.5”. If your chair is bigger than that, and you are able, they have a chair for use that you could transfer to for the balloon ride.
Getting a closer view
If dancing is your jam or you just want to get closer to the stage to see the beautiful orchestra, it is fully accessible to do so. Conner Prairie is somewhat hilly, so getting down to the stage, there is a bit of descent, about the length of a football field. Once you are down by the stage, there is plenty of flat area to park your chair and watch or stand if you are able. Going back up, you may need some assistance if you aren’t in a power wheelchair or able to push yourself up a fairly steep hill. If you have difficulty walking, the hill would likely be too steep.
Exiting
The pathways are well lit when the sun goes down, so it’s easy to follow to the exit. If you or someone in your party used the golf carts to get to the gate, they are also available to take you back to your car from the gate you came in. At the exit gate, there are volunteers who hand out little yellow cards to anyone needing a ride back to the accessible parking lot. There is a designated space to wait your turn for a golf cart to take you to your car. Once in your car, there are parking attendants who will help to get out of the parking lot in a timely manner.
Overall experience
From my viewpoint, I found Conner Prairie’s Symphony on the Prairie to be a very accessible experience. As always, I would love to see more accessible buttons on restroom doors to be able to independently get in and out. It is a beautiful place to hear some great music, eat some good food and take in the gorgeous views of the sunset. It was a lovely, relaxing evening!