We went here for my husband's convocation. In general, the rooms were good. I have mobility issues and that elevator takes forever. And surprise surprise the escalator was broken again. Luckily it wasn't too busy for the Friday afternoon. It is beautiful to look out onto the river valley. My husband had a banquet and the food was so so. I definately expected better. The appetizers were set around the table but it was akward to ask people to pass the vegetables and dip over. I would have much perfered our own plates with the appetizers. And even though it was plain I would have eaten more of it knowing how lousy the main would be. For sure my favourite thing was the salad. Fresh and flavourful and interesting. The prime rib main meal was cold by time we got it to our table. The prime rib even though it looked good was tough to cut. I gave up on it. The chimichuri sauce was good. The potatoes were grainy and cold. Dessert was decent. I am not a sweet fan but I did eat more than i normally do because of the main. When I asked for tea our server looked disgusted at my husband and I and said, "We don't serve tea." BS the last event I was at they had the usually Tazo blend. I said can I speak to your manager. She huffed away and finally she came back with two random low and behold Tazo tea. We had a rock, paper, scissors to not be stuck with camomile. If you are here you knda get stuck with whatever they choose for you. And don't ask for tea. read more

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We came here for the Rocky Mountain Wine Festival. It's was a wonder time. The facility is well kept with friendly and polite staff. They always provide coat check services and well maintained washrooms. The actual event was well organized and a lot of fun. read more

love the sustainability being forefront of this convention center. The room spaces are good and has nice views. The only two issues were there was homeless people coming inside and wandering around and hanging around outside the back patio as well. The other issue is the catering they have for the conference I was at was so expensive and you had to pay for everything ( nothing was included for your lunch). The sandwiches were especially pitiful. Otherwise it was a nice place for a conference. read more

I was working winefest as an exhibitor and as part of the package we were treated to a meal at the break between sessions. Edmonton Convention Centre's chef Serge Belair recently won bronze at the Canadian Culinary Championships so naturally I was excited to try his menu! Of course this is a convention centre and they make food on a mass scale so it has to be the type of food that can appeal to many. They catered the whole winefest and they had some very impressive dishes. The ones I got to try were this delicious tomato soup with sandwiches (egg salad, tuna salad, and ham with cheese), and home made cesar salad which was delicious and garlicky. My favorite sandwich was definitely the egg salad with the tuna salad a close second!! The deviled eggs were also to die for, and the meatballs were absolutely delicious also.) The flatbread pizza with fresh veggies (which seems like such a treat now a days that veggie prices are sky high. My favorite pizza was the vegetarian squash pizza which had a subtly sweet flavour and oh so yummy. Edmonton Convention Centre and their staff did an amazing job hosting this event. Everything was very clean, the staff although they were mostly very young, they were attentive and detail oriented. The bathrooms were so clean and everything ran so smoothly!! A huge success!! read more

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We were here for Beerfest. It did not disappoint. So many different varieties and a great crowd. Loved the swag that was being handed out. This venue was perfect for Beerfest. There were a lot of people and we paid a bit extra to get in at 3 instead of 4. That was worth it. The size of the venue made it so it wasn't too crowded and walking on top of people also no line ups at the washrooms. That was nice too. The energy on Saturday was great it was such a positive vibe and the crowd was just as positive. Live music was great and the food was great. read more

Edmonton Convention Centre - Banana beer - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

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This is a great place to attend a conference! The location is great and I love that I was able to walk to the park during the lunch break to get away from the hustle of downtown and enjoy the serenity of the river valley. What a gem and it was great to see people out for a walk. It's so easy to get to going down the stairs. There are a lot of conference rooms but the walls are too thin and sometimes you can hear the session next door. The washrooms are kept clean and tidy for the most part. The food and service are usually great too. The coat check is open for events/conferences for $2 per item. I look forward to the next conference that I'll attend here. read more

Absolutely trash experience. Nowhere on their website does it state that you will be denied access if you are wearing steel toed boots. Yet when we get to the end of the line they kicked my brother and I put of a $100/per ticket show because I was wearing steel toes. Completely unjust and unreasonable to not state there are dress code regulations. read more

I've been to this venue many times over the 17 years I've lived in Edmonton. So seen how they set up and handle grads, conferences, concerts, beer and wine fests, trade shows, etc. They always hold fun events but access and lack of parking are my biggest issues with this venue. The location itself and the staff get good marks. After all you do get some amazing views from inside and outside the building. Staff have always been helpful in my experience. However, if you're not there hours before the event, forget trying to find parking anywhere nearby or find anything reasonably priced. Also, if you're mobility limited, be forewarned that the elevator moves slowly but for the most part usually is functioning. Another option would to plan to have uber or a can drop you off at the bottom so you don't have to worry about trying to get to the event. Also for people that have trouble with stairs, I think it's good for you to know the escalators are being worked on for replacement until Sept 2017 (it's long overdue considering the last 5 times I've been to this venue they're always broken). read more

Getting pretty shabby. For goodness sake, could you please have ONE working escalator? This is getting ridiculous. Not great for concerts. Bad acoustics. I like the location. read more

I've been to many events at the Shaw. It is a beautiful location with awesome views of our river valley... but with parking struggles. If you park on Jasper, you need to watch the meter and if you park in their private lot below the Shaw, it's a matter of if there's still room to get a spot. If the escalators aren't working, there is an elevator to help those who are disabled access any of the floors. The venue itself is large and different sized ball rooms on different floors accommodate any event. From concerts, to trade shows, to wine festivals, there's a room to accommodate everyone. There is also security on site. read more

I haven't been to Shaw for any concerts, so I can't really vouch for sound quality on that front. But like most locals, I've been here for a couple graduation ceremonies, and they weren't so bad. The halls are large, with enough space for dining and dancing. The food is never that impressive though. I remember it being bland and a little tough to chew; even I could cook better at home. Other than graduations, I've been here for the Christmas Festival of Trees, and Chinese New Year celebrations with family. I think they have the biggest Chinese New Year party once a year here, and it was somewhat of a family tradition until my family migrated to the west coast. Again, I think what makes it a good venue for big events on that scale is their amount of space. The architecture of the building is definitely something to be admired. The entire building is made of glass, and is perched right on a hill, overlooking the Saskatchewan river valley (let's hope there's never a landslide). One warning: the angle of the building is really steep, so if you're a bit of a klutz you might want to opt for the elevators, or at least the escalator. A friend of mine experienced a not-so-graceful tumble down the stairs once. Fortunately she didn't break her crown or spill her pail of water. read more

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I've been to the Shaw Conference Centre quite a few times for concerts. It's a pretty good venue, especially since it's located downtown, walking distance from the Churchill LRT station. The Shaw is a nice compromise between a very large (the band looks like ants) concert and a very intimate concert in a seedy bar (although, these are my favourite). If you show up early, you'll avoid the super long line up that winds up the stairs, out the doors, and down Jasper Avenue. I'm always late and almost always miss at least one opening act. The line up usually moves pretty fast ,and if you can put up with a few ganja-smoking peeps, then you'll do okay. For concerts, the Shaw is always set up the same: a huge open area in front of the stage for people to crowd in and two sets of seat areas on either side of the open area. There's also a beer garden area at the very back. The food and drinks they sell during consession are always a rip-off, but sometimes a lifesaver, if you have nothing. Last time I was here, the washrooms were surprisingly clean! I've come here for a Metric all-ages show, and that was really great, but I stayed on the floor close to the stage, so I got pushed a lot. There were also some idiots that were throwing bottles and stuff on stage, so the band almost walked off. I was also recently at a Rancid concert, and because I'm kinda old to be in the mosh pit, I sat in the seats. It really wasn't that bad, since I sat in the seats that were closer to the stage. It was an awesome show! read more

Was at the SCC for the Festival of Trees. Only venue large enough in Edmonton to make this even happen. I guess you could go to Northlands but then it might end up smelling too much like horses. This was a fine event. I wasn't really wow-ed but the trees and the decor were alright. It's hard to dress up an urban airport hanger. I'll go back to the Shaw for many more events and they'll keep doing a great job. I didn't eat while there but I know that they do one of the best jobs of catering for large groups. I'll also go to the Festival of Trees again as it's a great way to kick off the Christmas season :) read more

Great venue. The Shaw Conference Centre is a great place to attend an event. Having never planned an event there, I can't really speak to that but I have attended a few different events there. First of all the building is quite large and can house a lot of people. Its large rooms and wide hallways allow lots of room to move around the large amount of people. The location is also quite convenient and leaves you right near Jasper Ave to continue on to your next location. Large building that's kept very clean and convenient. read more

Awesome food for banquets, cooked by some of the world's BEST chefs... Awesome venue for concerts, trade shows, etc.. Having Cooked here, i may be a bit biased, but knowing the world calibre chefs here... read more

They have warm indoor parking if you get in time, venue is good for concerts and some other events that they have! Every event brings different pros and cons hence the 3 stars :) read more

Edmonton Convention Centre - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

The Shaw Conference Centre hosts many events, and it is a great place for that because of the number and variety of rooms available, from standard meeting rooms to big display areas where trade shows are held. Music concerts are also held here - the acoustics are really not that great because the sound tends to bounce off the roof and against the walls. I attend here most often when my congregation takes part in MissionsFest, which is like a big trade show for religious and missionary organizations. The location is excellent and serviced by numerous bus routes. The Shaw can also be rented for private functions like weddings and parties, although I am not sure what the rates are. read more

Having such a big and shiny conference center in Edmonton makes it possible for our city to host all sorts of visiting trade shows, entertainers and conventions. It is a hub that drapes the eastern slope of the river valley downtown, providing a cool modern structure to contrast the old, more stoic looking Hotel MacDonald nearby. I have been here several times for conferences, and while getting to the right hall can be a little confusing, as signage is not totally clear, the space is big, bright and polished looking. I also like that they've put consideration into the ambiance of the foyer. There are plants, benches, a waterfall, and glass walls to allow ample light in and create a bit of a greenhouse feel. While this is a large space with convenience parking for concerts, etc, the escalators provide only one way to get in and out, and they move rather slowly, so crowds don't move very fast getting out of here, unless you've parked at the back and can simply exit at the east doors. If you've parked on Jasper, getting back to your car's a bit of an ordeal. Other than that, this is a great place to host fundraisers, large community events and grad parties. read more

I've attended many events here over the years, both as a planner, and a guest. The facilities honestly seem to get better every year. The staff are friendly and helpful (especially at the end of the night when I'm tearing down an event). I attended the Offspring concert last month and was amused to see one of the cleaning staff in the women's washroom, standing in the middle, telling girls when a stall opened up and directing us to the vacant ones. They have many different sized halls and rooms to meet your needs. My one complaint is that the escalators seem to be out of order more often than not and that's a pretty big climb after a concert or event. Also... i hate parking downtown, but that's not their fault. And their close enough to the LRT if that's your style. read more

Well, it's a conference centre, what can I saw: It's large, can hold many events at once, is mostly underground save for the absolutely stunning Hall D. Before the construction of Hall D, the Shaw would have got 2-3 stars from me, but that room is so beautiful, with 25 foot floor to ceiling windows that over look the stunning River Valley. I have been to events in the dead of winter in that room that make you realize just how incredibly beautiful this cities River Valley is; all covered in snow, it is a winter wonderland! The other major plus is that it is smack in the middle of the city with underground ped-way access to City Centre Mall, Churchill Square, the Westin, and LRT - all with out stepping foot out side! It also has the huge Canada Place heated underground parking garage unfold right to Hall D. Dear god do I love heated underground parking on days it snows 2 feet! To be able to leave your over coat, gloves, hat, scarf, etc in the car and walk in to your event - priceless. Or about $5 - $10 for event parking at the most! Now the place is not great for concerts, the acoustics are not the best, that is a major down fall. I really struggled between 3 and for stars, Hall D is definitely 5 stars, but the rest of it is only 2-3... Well, I still think it's better then the BMO in Calgary, so 4 it is! read more

Okay, I'm likely showing my age here, but I saw one concert at the Shaw well over a decade ago...it was Moist. I remember going with my sister and being afraid she'd get crushed in the mosh pit. She's a small girl and was then, too. Still, we were both huge David Usher fans. Aside from that, the experience was okay aside from levitating once in awhile (my feet left the ground and I wasn't crowd surfing) and getting kicked in the head a lot. To be honest the levitating was kinda fun and I decided a kidney pinch was a good way to get back at a boot to the head. (Who me? ~ eyelashes fluttering innocently ~) At one point I got shoved to the front but way off to the side. That wasn't bad, I flirted with the keyboard player a bit. Maybe I've become a bit of a concert snob over the years, and having worked at the Winspear for several years likely influenced it, but the sound in the Shaw for concerts is pretty crappy. Seriously, it's your favourite band live from a tin can. It's kind of fun as a teenager because you generally can't get into the bars and just want to let loose and be stupid anyway. Of course, back in the day you had to go out into the lobby to purchase any kind of beverage and they weren't allowed in the conference room where the band was playing. No tables, either. It was band, mosh pit, wanderers, wide open space, bleachers. I think everyone in the city has attended a graduation ceremony at the Shaw. If not, maybe a wedding reception. You still get the tinny acoustics but who the hell cares, you're just there to celebrate and get drunk. I think it's best defined by its title - Conference Centre. Aside from some really awesome photo ops inside, this is a really cool venue for a trade show - like the annual wine festival they host, arts and crafts fairs, tattoo conventions, that sort of thing. It's the perfect size and the atmosphere is awesome for that kind of event. Lately what I've been going there for is the grounds. The building is built on a hill (cool slanted glass elevator inside!) so outside they have sort of (flower/tree) garden blocks on various levels with benches. You can take the stairs from Jasper Avenue at the Shaw all the way down to the river if you continue on to the park below. Now THAT is an awesome workout! (Again, mind the pot-smoking teens at night. They're a little slow moving but chances are good seeing you will freak them out enough for them to scatter.) read more

Going to a concert? A Tradeshow? A conference? A workshop? A place to skulk about and is connected to the pedway system? Then the Shaw Conference Centre is where you need to be! This massive centre plays host to some of Edmonton's biggest and smallest events, from rock shows, to Festival of Trees to dozens of high school graduation banquets. And you know, they pull off these events quite well. Their staff is well trained, the building is well looked after, and its located in the heart of the river valley, literally sliding into the North Saskatchewan. Beyond events, though, the edifice and grounds of the Shaw are pretty remarkable, with stepped gardens and tremendous south-facing views. If you live in Edmonton, you've probably been to the Shaw. If you don't and are visiting, see if anything's going on here... Or not. Just show up and see this modern facility for yourself! read more

I've been here many times for various events over the years, from my high school graduation to more recently helping set up things for the Stollery Snowflake Gala. It's a very utilitarian space. Occasionally the lighting seems pretty dim in the hallways, but it has lots of great event spaces and the food is actually rather good for events in general! Hall D makes a great addition to the facility, and the proximity to the river valley makes it a great space for many types of events. I like how you can access parking via pedway and take the long escalators up and down the hill. read more

Shaw Conference is a cool building and pretty deceiving. It looks a lot smaller than it actually is. It has many halls and usually hosts concerts, public speakers, graduations and fighting events. I went to a boxing event here and it was pretty awesome. I didn't expect the venue to be so big. It has bleechers and floor seating for all the VIP's. It also had a huge bar in the back. The event went over really well. My only complaint was bathrooms. They are so small in comparison to the amount of people the place can hold. read more

Second time in two weeks at conferences here and second week in a row they ran out of food at break time in the afternoon. Last week they also ran out of breakfast one morning. How is this possible!? The food is mediocre at best but no food is even worse. read more

Oh, the Shaw. The site of every single high school grad in the greater Edmonton area. This is a huge building (that looks tiny) built into the side of a hill on the north side of the river. I think that's pretty cool. You can take a very long escalator or elevator from the top to the bottom of the building and it's actually quite scenic, especially once you get out onto the patio on the lower level. Perfect for photos at a grad, wedding, whatever! There are several conference halls in here ranging in size from a hundred people to thousands of people. Sure, there are a few other conference centres in town, but none so central as the Shaw. You really can't beat the view and the walk from the LRT. The food here isn't bad. I've had breakfasts and dinners at the Shaw. Everything but the eggs were good at breakfast; everything was great at dinner, although the portions were a little small. I've had good service here and relatively short wait times for food given the size of events I've been at here. The best part at the last event was the wine. $6 for a glass of red but they filled it almost to the brim. Very worth the cost of a drink ticket! read more

The Shaw has 3 levels: The Pedway level which has admin offices, security etc and Hall D, which is a giant ballroom with floor to ceiling windows and nice decor. I wouldn't mind having my wedding there. There's a lot of areas with artwork on this floor, and it's pretty attractive. The Assembly level is below that, and it has salons and a gymnasium-like room for exhibitions and such. Underneath that is the meeting level which has about 20 meeting rooms. It's a little confusing to navigate, people tend to get confused about the difference between salons and halls (they're identified alphabetically ie. Salon D, Hall D) and the escalators are a little confusing, but it's a pretty nice place to be for an event or conference. There is a concession stand and a convenience store on the Assembly level. Another thing I like is that a lot of buses stop in front of it. read more

Wine fest !!!!!! Was a great night . There was some awesome wines there .he last wine event I went to where you have to get tickets for each drink was a big downer, had no good wine. But this event had some great ones . The food was always filled and never empty .and all staff was friendly . I would do this event again . read more

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Here for major volunteer conference, Vitalize 2013. Facility is clean and well suited for this event. Great lunch, too. read more

Edmonton Convention Centre - Main ballroom during Vitalize 2013 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Edmonton, Alberta

Premier City Centre conference and meeting space. Although it does not boast the largest single space in Edmonton has the capacity for as large an event as you could probably ever want. I was there today with over 800 people. Lunch was delicious and the staff where friendly and did their jobs well. They hire professionals to do the preparation and as I understand it the kitchen crew is a highly qualified bunch. I didn't hear a single complaint. The river valley view is spectacular and the main hall where we ate benefited from natural lighting. Set up included large wall screens and a great sounding audio system so everyone could enjoy the presentations without any of the annoyances associated with less well-designed systems. You can't beat the down-town location. Nestled on the river valley it is sure to impress all event participants. The multi-levelled design enables the separation of events or the coordination of a series of sessions in a way unique to the venue. Normally open to the public so I highly recommend stopping in just to look around even if you don't have an invitation or business to be there. Would benefit from a small cafe or other public space for visitors, which there may already be but I can't confirm that. read more

Definitely one of the better Venues to hold an event in Edmonton. The shaw is one of my personal favourites when it comes to banquets. It's elegant and classy and the staff are very professional. Easy access via the LRT makes it attractive although the price tag can be a little steep. Overall though I'd say its worth it. When it comes to planning an event if you are hosting a dinner they waive the rental fee. I've been very impressed with the shaw in the past and will continue to attend and host events there. read more

Like Jeanette, concerts are pretty much the only reason I've been to the Shaw Conference Centre, besides my brother's graduation. But I'm not a huge fan; things here are always seem poorly organised. The venue has a fairly large capacity but always has less than 10 people on hand for the rigorous pat-down deemed mandatory for anyone entering the building. As a result, everyone winds up waiting in the blocks-long line and the opening bands end up playing to the handful of people lucky enough to trickle inside in time. They also tend to totally price-gouge on bottled water, pizza and anything else up for sale. At least there's a fountain you can refill at if necessary. If it's beer you're after, get ready to stand in another million-mile long line just to enter the 18+ area at the back of the arena. Finally, the sound in this concrete bunker stinks. But I guess for mid-size concerts, promoters don't really have other options. The one entertaining thing about the Shaw Conference Centre is the mountain of studded jackets, belts, and bracelets that builds up near the entrance throughout the evening. Security guards here have always been especially strict about not letting any sort of decorative, potentially-harmful item through their web, and depending on who's playing, the pile can reach truly ridiculous heights. read more

The venue space is spectacular for holding large conferences. The view overlooking the river valley is also breath taking. What drops my rating to a 3 star is the service and food. The majority of the events View attended here had not been provided with exceptional staff. Many were not friendly or offered any assistance to exceed their service. The food seems to be on the mediocre side of things. Their Caesar salad dressing was good as I do enjoy a lovely vinaigrette dressing. All the other items could have been better in quality to match with the extraordinary venue space. read more

I've been here for 2 raves and a business event! It's very spacious for the purpose of both, the staff are very nice at these rave events which is definitely a thing to be commended for! I took a star off for the amount of stairs of this place though, it's legitimately a lot and the you never know if the escalator will be running, so that can be hard in terms of accessibility! Overall though a good venue to host all sort of events!! read more

This review is for Winefest which I went on Friday night. This is the 3rd time for me in the last 4 years. I love my craft beer, but sometimes the classier side of me craves wine ha. The price may seem steep ($80 plus service charge and GST), but if you're a lover of wines and also hate buying drink tickets, then this is worth it. I do love that it is in s a smaller more intimate space, not as huge as the other ones (eg. the beer show). You get to not only try out wines you may never have heard of, but you can also chat with each of the vendors. Everything from coat check to checking in was fast and efficient. As well, here you will find more people a bit more dressed up with a great mix of people, so nice to go somewhere once in a while without people in ball caps or Ed Hardy's ha. There was even a stagette here. The only gripe I would have, which prevents it from getting full 5 stars is the way the food was laid out this year. I liked it in the past when they just had a big table with all the food laid out. Everything this year seemed more sparse, and mainly having people bringing the food around. Don't get me wrong, it's great to have them bringing trays of food around, but also nice to have an area you can just go to when you feel like some munchies, as opposed to searching for the servers. I also have to bring up something that the servers need to really be sure about when it comes to the food. My friend that can only eat glutten free, had asked if the ravioli was, the server insisted it was glutten free. After mentioning many times she can't eat it if it wasn't, she was assured it was 100%. Well, suffice to say, she got very ill later after eating it. Nothing serious, but I think they really need to know what they are serving, since the next person could have more serious side effects if they are told otherwise. Will I go back next year? More than likely, as I have yet to find any other wine show as good as this one. read more

Great Location, Great Shows. i've been here for pretty much any event can you can think of, taboo/tattoo shows to weddings. The venue is always great. I will be honest I do not remember much about the catered food as when theres catered food theres usually a bar, so I tend to get a little tipsy and my memory slips me. For concerts its great for front stage shows meaning shows with no seats but people bouncing around the front of the stage. I like that there is always a number of bathrooms available and usually short lineups when it comes to the concession area, usually really well organized. If its too hot and sticky inside take a step onto the huge outside deck. The deck has a great view of the river valley. They have underground parking to keep your car warm in our 9 months of winter and theres always cabs available at the front doors. read more

HUGE. Great staff. Lovely views. Even concerts there are good despite building not being constructed as a "concert hall".

The concerts held here are the most poorly organized and planned things you will ever experience. One of the most terrible customer service experiences of my life; no one knew what they were doing. I advise you that unless this concert is life or death for you, DO NOT GO TO ANY CONCERTS AT THIS CONFERENCE CENTRE. I'll bet that exactly five chimpanzees could organize an event better than this. read more

The venue was lovely and so was most of the staff. I was, however, very unimpressed with one particular member of their staff who was very rude. As there were no chairs or other seating areas for conference attendees to sit and chat outside of the presentations, I leant up against an unused table. A woman popped out of the back and in a manner I can only describe as b!t(4y demanded that I get off the table. I asked her where there was somewhere for us to sit and she snapped "in the conference" and marched away before I could ask her anything else. This woman, and lack of comfortable seating in the common area very much soured my experience at the Shaw convention centre. I would not book this venue if needing one in the future. read more

Most professional concert I've seen will shock you. STP were veterans of the stage and really rock you to the Core. Okay that was cheesy but I do not care. read more