The Festival of Inclusion
August 3, 2024
Brown's Island
11:00am - 4:00pm
The ASCV's Festival of Inclusion is a sensory-friendly festival designed to include and accommodate individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. Through zoned areas throughout the festival, we will honor our local autism community, as well as highlight the incredible work that the ASCV and fellow local organizations do to make Richmond a more inclusive city. The festival will be held on Brown's Island from 11AM – 4 PM and will include music, family activity zones, food and so much more! The Festival of Inclusion is free and open to the public.
Read on to see all the incredible activities from our Community Partners in the Festival of Inclusion!
Be sure to check out our Sensory Guide charts, letting you know what senses will be engaged by each activity: sound, touch, sight, smell, and taste. Engagement is rated from 1 to 5, with 1 being low engagement, and 5 being high.
When you arrive on Brown's Island be sure to stop by Duck Central to purchase t-shirts, souvenier ducks. You can also pick up your complimentary carwash card and t-shirt if you have already purchased your duck race entries. Simply show your proof of purchase to one of our volunteers.
You can also pick up a paper program that includes the day's schedules, booth descriptions, and a festival map. As you visit exhibitors in the Festival of Inclusion, be sure to get this program stamped. Once you've earned 10 stamps, turn in your program at the ASCV tent to earn a prize! While there, snap a photo in our photo booth and learn about the incredible work of the Autism Society of Central VA!
Before entering one of the Zones, be sure to stop by the 12 On Your Side booth by Duck Central.
Check out 12 On Your Side’s famous prize wheel at the tent and stop by and say hi to members of the anchor and weather teams!
Visit the Connection Zone to meet, share, and learn more about inclusive resources and programs available right here in Richmond! The Connection Zone will help you build new relationships with unique and understanding organizations.
Connection Zone Exhibitors:
A Better Understanding: Celebrate with A Better Understanding and pick-a-duck for a prize!
Anthem HealthKeepers Plus: Learn about Anthem’s Medicaid programs and pick up some swag!
Capital One: Stop by and say hello to the Capital One Team! There will be swag and info to share!
Henrico County Sheriff’s Office: Stop by the tent to learn more about Project Lifesaver and enjoy lots of sensory toys!
REACH Program: Stop by and decorate rubber ducks, play a bull's eye duck game, and have fun with bubble wands!
Richmond Region Tourism: Check out the mobile Richmond Tourism center to learn more about what RVA has to offer. There will be bubbles and giveaways to enjoy too!
Richmond Raceway: Stop by and visit the official Pace Car for the NASCAR Cup Series Race!
VISTRA- Hopewell Power Plant: Come play in the duck “pond”, collect some sensory toys and Vistra swag.
Virginia Down Syndrome Association: Spin the wheel for prizes! Prizes could be sensory toys, games and Jackpot for bigger gifts!
Whitten Brothers Auto: Come and help out with their collaborative art project! Anyone can add their art throughout the day!
Let your imagination soar in the Creation Zone! Featuring a variety of inclusive and adaptive local art groups, visitors to the Creation Zone can immerse themselves in the visual arts. Join in the demonstrations and art projects to express yourself, get creative, and learn more about the maker scene in RVA.
Creation Zone Exhibitors:
Acorn Health: Let your imagination run wild with big cardboard blocks which you can build, stack, or pretend-play with!
AnswersNow: Come on over and create a butterfly out of play-doh!
Art on Wheels: Join Art on Wheels to create unique art prints using one of our favorite materials- Legos!
Best Buddies: Join Best Buddies in Virginia & DC to explore the meaning of inclusion, friendship, and community through coloring. Take a moment to relax, express your creativity, and bring your ideas to life. Perfect for all ages!
Commonwealth Autism: Join us as we create Origami card holders!
Friendship Circle Of Virginia: Decorate a frame for a photo of you and friends! Plus build your own duck sticker.
Hybridge Learning Group: Splish-Splash Bubble Land - dance through bubbles and cool off in our water table
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden: Come on over and participate in a butterfly creation craft!
Northstar: Visit for temporary duck tattoos and stickers to get in the Duck Race spirit!
Nest Academy: Make your own slap bracelets and get a temporary tattoo!
VCU Family and Youth Research Network: Label, color, and learn the parts of the brain with researchers! There will be cardstock printouts of a brain to color at the booth or take it home.
Looking for adventure? Check out the Exploration Zone to find places to explore both inside and outside! This area will give you a chance to explore new hobbies and make new friends. See what is available right here in Richmond!
Exploration Zone Exhibitors:
All Needs Planning: Bubbles, art, and sensory fun, oh my! This booth will have a sensory pool, bubbles, fans, and devices.
Allianz Partners: Have fun building a paperboard gliding plane and watch how far you can make it soar!
Beyond Boundaries: Test the waters with Beyond Boundaries, and try out their fishing game “Backyard Bass.” An interactive fishing game with fake fish!
Camp Hanover: Have S'more fun, meet the tortoises, and learn more about opportunities for environmental stewardship and education, summer fun, team-building activities and intergenerational events happening on this beautiful 600-acre slice of creation.
CodeVA: Join CodeVA for a beading activity, game giveaways, and other cool computer science fun!
Children’s Museum of Richmond: Enjoy playful hands-on activities with CMOR!
Flagstop Car Wash: Come see and learn about all the parts of a carwash and get the chance to touch them. Make sure to spin the wheel for a chance to win a prize!
The Science Museum of Virginia: Stop by for STEM activities such as learning how to make giant bubbles!
Express yourself! Visit the Expression Zone and experience everything from improv to instruments. With a focus on the live and performing arts, learn ways to express your unique talents.
Expression Zone Exhibitors:
Argent Credit Union: Stop by for fun duck themed swag and to learn more about their services.
Attain ABA: Come check out this booth for handheld fidgets and fun!
CoStar Group: Stop by the CoStar Group tent for face painting and balloon twisting! Fun for all ages!
Bridge 9 Theater: Join Bridge 9 Theater for improv comedy. They will be exploring group storytelling and characters. Come laugh for a laugh with the Bridge 9 Theater team!
Compass Behavioral Group: Join Compass for water play and say “cheese!” in their photo booth!
Genworth: Stop by for some shade and win some fun toys and giveaways!
Mosaic Interpreting Services: Come play with the team and Learn American Sign Language (ASL)
New Agenda: There will be BUBBLES!!! Both to play with and to share/keep!
Reinhardt Harper Davis: Art Profiles with Richmond amateur artist, Andy Reinhardt. Quick sketches to memorialize your time today!
Visions of Grace: Come color and take pictures with princesses, Ariel and Belle!
Jump! Wiggle! Run! The Movement Zone will feature activities to inspire physical agility and coordination! This space is designed to wake up those muscles and get that body moving. Fun for the whole family!
Movement Zone Exhibitors:
Advanced Autism Services: Check out this obstacle course to earn a prize from the treasure box!
Jacob’s Chance: Stop by for Karaoke and a Chuck a Duck game in buckets filled with sensory items!
PEATC (Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center): Throw a ball into a net and receive a prize!
Medical Home Plus (MHP): Cool down with MHP with some fun water play for the kids!
River City Inclusive Gym: RCIG is excited to bring a sample of their gym to Brown’s Island. Stop by to check it out!
RVAccess and Richmond Kickers: RVAccess is an inclusive soccer program run by the Richmond Kickers; come by kick a ball with them!
RVA Paddlesports: Check out rafts for kids to play and bounce on, a throw bag toss, and river safety information.
The Village- Richmond: Try your hand at the Ring around the Duck carnival game- participants can win prizes if they toss a ring around the floating ducks!
University of Richmond Athletics: Learn more about the Richmond Spiders athletic program including ways to become a Kids Club Member and how to attend our football, basketball and lacrosse games! Go UR!
WHOA Behavioral Health: Stop by for a sensory activity, cornhole, and large jenga activities at our booth.
The Quiet Zone is a relaxing space away from the noisy elements of the festival. Come and decompress from the more active parts of the festival and rejoin when you are ready! This space is located on the west side of the Island, providing a relaxing, peaceful setting.
Take a break in one of our three Sensory Zones and enjoy fun, engaging activities.
Dominion Care: Get creative with Dominion Care! There will be a sensory table AND a fun craft with paint and monster trucks on canvas. Stop by to get those creative juices flowing!
Mosaic Pediatric Therapy: Come grow with us! This sensory space will focus on play, learning, fun, and growth. You can get your hands dirty by planting a beautiful flower to take home with you. There will also be other family friendly activities for your kids to enjoy whether that is playing in sensory bins or catching your very own duck in a mini pond.
Spectrum Transformation Group: Stop on by to make your own squishy fidget and also engage in water play in a "duck pond." You can even adopt a cute duckie of your own! See you there!
Cool off in the Misting Zone! The tent features gentle sprays of water to help you keep cool in the August heat.
