Cancel

Open app

Search

Winspear Centre

4.5 (54 reviews)
PriceyMusic Venues
Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Winspear Centre Photos

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Winspear Centre

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

They host amazing events like the annual Laugh for Life Gala....
Poonam M.

I have come to the Winspear for ESO (Edmonton Symphony Orchestra) and for other events - notably the Laugh for Life Gala. They always do an amazing job with their events and you can not say enough about the ESO. If you are new to the the city and are looking for an amazing night out the ESO has it all. They do classical, of course, but then they do these amazing pairings with modern day musicians. I just went to Jann Arden Holiday and they played all your holiday favourites. But, it's not just that the conductor talks to the audience, explaining the music so even if you aren't an expert you won't feel like your the only one who doesn't know anything. The Winspear also does this amazing thing for children- the ESO Children"s Symphony. Now don't think it's kids playing - it's the ESO but they offer some entertainment for the kids before the show and it's a nice way to introduce kids to the arts. What a great concept. We are so lucky in Edmonton to have access to such a high quality arts scene it's would be a shame not to take advantage of it at least once to say you did. And once you've done that I'm sure you'll be going back again!

Phantom of the Opera
Jennie L.

Class A venue. I usually come her 10-15 times a year from everything to adult concerts to children's symphony. The acoustics are phenomenal. The staff and volunteers are helpful and friendly. My daughter went to 3 Winspear summer camps and they were amazing. She has complex needs and they were more than willing and able to adapt the program for her. A lot of diverse music to expose yourself to, and very reasonable for tickets...and no Ticketmaster fee!

Ingrid G.

The last 10 years I have been going to the Winspear theatre multiple times a year. For the last five years me and my whole family have been going to the Christmas concert. We absolutely love this Christmas tradition. At Christmas they decorate nicely and there are beautiful Christmas trees up that you can take nice family photos at. I have also enjoyed silent films, jazz and music of rock stars there. I find the prices a little bit high but if you book early enough you can buy the side floor seats for a reasonable price You can now bring drinks into the theatre which I appreciate Another Edmonton gem

Craft activities on main floor preshow.
Cheryl C.

I've been here so many times over the years that I can't believe I haven't reviewed it! I've come here for a couple of my grad ceremonies, a few concerts, and my husband & I have had season passes for the Robbins pop symphony & more recently, the season passes for children's symphony. It's classy inside, although it's really up to you on the dress code...I've seen people dressed to the nines or jeans casual, and it's conveniently connected to the LRT below if you didn't want to struggle finding parking downtown. That being said, there's lot of underground & street parking nearby if you can't get a spot in their paid parking lot. They say, the acoustics of this theatre are so good that you can hear a pin drop. Well, I don't know about the pin drop, but you can hear people cough or clear their throats while the symphony plays for sure. I like how they change lighting to match the mood of the music they play. They also put down a screen to show visual scenes as part of some shows. And periodically there are guest singers or performers on stage too. I've actually found that I enjoy the children's symphony because they have crafts, photo booth, and you can buy popcorn for $3 and eat it in the theatre unlike most events. The children shows are also much shorter than the adult shows, but also highly entertaining. The had an aerial fabric acrobatic on one occasion, and played music in time with Canadian animated short films as well. On this last occasion to end the season, they had activities on all three levels preshow including crafts, singing & storytelling, and dancing with the Alberta ballet. If you hold season passes long enough, you may get invited to a wine & cheese backstage event where you can learn more about the symphony & a couple of the musicians and have the opportunity to listen to them play as well. As an avid music fan & supporter of the arts, I highly recommend attending this venue to hear the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra play.

Warm apple cider and biscotti available during intermission.
Saree C.

I was debating what I should do for my last night in Edmonton. A) Shopping or B) Winspear Centre I chose the latter, and I am so pleased that I did! Magnificent Mozart was a great performance featuring William Eddins, Jacqueline Woodley and Virginie Gagne. I was surprised to see so many open seats when I came in to buy last-minute rush tickets. The venue itself was very cozy and intimate --even from the back, you still get a great view of the performers and experience excellent sound quality. A thing to keep in mind is that no food or drink may be allowed inside. During the intermission you have a short period to buy drinks and sweets which must be consumed there. I believe this rule is only applicable to the Masters concert series based off what one of the staff members told me.

Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert 2016! View from the Upper Circle Centre.
Kat W.

Everytime I come to the Winspear Centre, I get excited about having such an amazing venue located in downtown Edmonton. It's such a beautiful place! When you come here to watch a performance, you really feel like it's a special occasion! The Winspear Centre is conveniently located in downtown Edmonton next to Sir Winston Churchill Square. There are plenty of areas available for parking, in and around the nearby facilities (eg. City Hall, Citadel Theatre, Stanley Milner Library, meters on the street etc). The LRT access is literally right next to the building. I love how it's easy to get in and out of here. At other venues, I get anxious just thinking about the chaos of crowds and traffic, before and after the show. Before the show, my mom and I went to the Will Call line to pick up our tickets. We only had a mere 10 minutes, before the show was due to start. The line was long but the service was very quick and efficient. There were three windows with attendants but only one main line in the middle. There was clear signage indicating this was the line to be in. Some people were a bit confused but it all worked out in the end. We made it to our seats on time. We came here to watch the Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert. It was our first time to see it. I guess they have this concert every year! Our seats were in the Upper Circle Centre (2 floors up from the main floor). The view was great! The music was so clear! From our vantage point, we could see the entire stage. We could see the performers' faces and even details in their outfits! Without binoculars! Since I am petite, I also appreciated how the people in front of me, did not in any way obstruct my view of the stage. The seats are staggered in such a way that I had a clear view. This show was jam packed! Full of a variety of talent on one stage! We had the privilege to be entertained by the Strauss Symphony of Canada, Kiev City Ballet, International Champion Ballroom dancers and two excellent opera singers! The soprano was Monica Rebholz from Vienna. The tenor was David Curry from Vancouver. The conductor was Oliver Ostermann from Vienna. All these people have such exceptional talent! Overall, the show was beautiful! I felt like I was transported to Vienna for a couple of hours. The venue and the show were a perfect match! What a great way to start 2016!

view from the balcony

See all

7 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 4
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Bad wine. Like really awful. Had a headache by the time I finished the serving in my cheap plastic cup. Everything else great.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Kat W.
261
365
2453

10 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Ali G.
293
1530
324

12 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 10
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 5
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

15 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 0
Photo of Nicole B.
38
729
879

16 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

18 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

16 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Steve L.
3
102
56

12 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Not a bad seat in the house. The accoustics here will delight musicians and audiences alike.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 2

Review Highlights - Winspear Centre

And although I'm a fan of the ESO, it's also a great place to catch other artists when they come to town.

Mentioned in 8 reviews

Read more highlights

Verify this business for free

Get access to customer & competitor insights.

Verify this business

The Aviary

The Aviary

(3 reviews)

Okay so it's a small music venue for the most part but it has a great little bar and some good…read morespace for performers to set up merchandise tables. The chairs are pretty standard for a venue like this and the stage set up looks pretty versatile. I liked the fact that the restroom was for all genders. There was some great art on display and for purchase as well. While this neighborhood is not one I visit frequently, it is an easily transit accessible location and there was street parking available in the area (I understand this is pretty limited when there's an event going on at the Stadium however). The building looks well weathered but well used as a live music venue. Purchasing tickets in advance was easy and the associated website was good. I'd definitely go to another show here. There is good acoustics for the venue in general. Signage isn't great -- it would be better if the building had better identification.

I'm super lucky I've had a few sneak previews of this place as my husbands band had their single…read morelaunch in there before it was really open to the public (and it was still a building site). From the outside it still looks like a house but it's a funky house, the window coverings are pretty iconic of The Aviary already! The cool thing is, now that it's finished I can really see how much work they have put into the place! The entrance way is more like a venue (and less like walking into a living room) it brings you round to the bar and where you pay cover etc, once properly inside the space has a nice bar the length of the room, a handful of tables and chairs, decent size stage at the back, local art displayed all round and awesome sound! The vibe is cosy, and there big emphasis on supporting local artists - I dig that. I like the beer listings on the wall - mostly craft beer and Phil knows a lot about them and recommended a really nice lager to me while I was there. I already love watching bands in this space and can't wait to go back.

9910

9910

(4 reviews)

$$

Favourite club in Edmonton. They host regular cool nights such as Hip Hop Karaoke, various DJ's and…read morethe occasional band too. I went recently for an 80's night and the DJ's were great. If you don't know where it is the name is the address 9910 109 street and it's downstairs below The common. That's the line up you see as you drive past on a Friday night. It's pretty small and only holds about 130 people but it's popular so expect a line up. Check your coat, there is nowhere to keep your jackets if you want to take them off. The drinks are reasonably priced and the bar is well stocked. It's got fun vibes, and a quirky set up. You can also hire out the venue too. It would be great for an exclusive party or cool small wedding.

9910 is a hidden gem in downtown Edmonton! It's underneath The Common; it has its own entrance to…read morethe left of The Common's patio. They have some great local bands play at this intimate venue. The stage is basically floor level, with various booths around the perimeter of the "dance floor." There's a bar at the back with friendly staff. The night I went, the bands were amazing (Jesse and the Dandelions - had a death cab for cutie-ish sound, which I loved; and The Velvetines)! Also there were these three cloud light things above the stage, which everyone could not stop staring at because they were just so cool. So if anything, you must go there just to see the cloud lights!! Really fun place, can't wait to go back.

Starlite Room - Sold out show!

Starlite Room

(38 reviews)

$$

I've been to two shows here over the years - one just before Covid and one more recently. I see…read moreother reviews talking about a $5.00 membership, but they must have gotten rid of that because I've never been asked to pay for a membership. The venue is old and full of character for sure, but it is not accessible at all if you have any kind of mobility issues. And it's a shame, because the management does seem to WANT to be inclusive, but they are terribly limited by the physical location. It's true that you walk down a dingy and dank outdoor hallway to get to the entrance, and then walk up a whole bunch of stairs to get to the ID checking station. Then you go in and get to the ticket scanning station. Maybe she was having a bad day, but the attitude from her was really off-putting. When you have a mobile ticket, apparently they can't scan the QR Code if you have your phone in dark-mode. I've never had that issue with any other venue accepting my mobile tickets, but maybe their scanner is different. Anyway, she was really annoyed with me for that. Once inside, there were 3 bars open and the bartenders were all super friendly. We went back to the same bartender each time and she always remembered our orders. As others have said, the washrooms are down a flight of stairs. If you choose to leave while there are still people lined up to get in, you will have to squeeze past them in that same dank alley/hallway thing you came in - There are no other exits (though I'm sure you could use the other doors in the event of an emergency). The slanted dance floor is not everyone's cup of tea, but I think it adds to the quirky character of the old building. I thought the sound quality from the performers were great for both shows I saw and the lighting was excellent as well.

This venue gets killer bands in. There's not much more to…read morerecommend. There's hardly any place to sit. They don't have much in the way of good beers. Bar gets very crowded with spectators leaning against it. You are not allowed to exit at East doors by stage, so this means a lot of in and out traffic at the ticket gate. People just need to learn some manners. It's $10.00 to park in the nearby lot. Bathrooms are ok.

The Buckingham

The Buckingham

(84 reviews)

$$

During out trip to Edmonton last May, it was getting pretty late but we were craving some good…read morevegan food and drinks.....thankfully The Buckingham (@thebuckonwhyte ) on the eclectic Whyte Avenue .. was open for the save! Their food is 100% vegan, what you might expect to find in a diner or bar, decadent and hearty hearty hearty! If you want healthy, they do have three salad options to choose from. We went with the Buffalo Mac'n'Cheese, Poutine, Chkn Wings and ....oh my ... Deep Fried Oreos. We don't really have vegan Poutine options here in Seattle (if you know of any, please do drop a note in the comments section letting me know where) so it's always a treat going to Canada and comparing the various Poutine options as pretty much every vegan place has their own take. If you haven't been to visit yet, you owe it to yourself to try them out. If you find yourself visiting Edmonton, make a point to visit Whyte Avenue and walk up and down the strip checking out all of the store and most definitely, including The Buckingham in your visit.

We came for a live music event for Rock'n'for dollars. The theme was Shrek and there were about 8…read moredifferent bands that performed. Each one doing a Shrek cover and then 2 original songs. Door cover was $4. I think it was a really neat reason to hit this place and Whyte Ave. Even though it was a Monday night this place was packed! And parking around was cheap and easy (because it was free after 9pm)! The All-Vegan All-the-time menu was a bit of a surprise but really cool. They also had local brewery Sea Change beer on tap.

Yardbird Suite

Yardbird Suite

(9 reviews)

$$

This is an exclusive jazz club located just off whyte avenue. It is located on a side street, and…read moreis virtually invisible to the unknown eye. My boyfriend took me here as an anniversary present and I loved every moment of it. The place is pretty high end, and it is expected that you do not talk while people are performing. It is VERY frowned upon to do so actually. It has a bar where you can grab drinks, but there is no table service. Popcorn and nuts were also available for a small charge. What makes this venue unique is the quality of musicians that pass through their doors. We went and listened to a Grammy winner and she was fabulous! There is a ticket price per show. There is also a membership price. The membership price varies from $25 to $450 depending on how much you want to save. I would recommend anyone go here at least once for the experience. Just remember: NO TALKING WHILE THE ARTISTS ARE ON STAGE!

Last night was my 3rd visit to The Yardbid Suite. I had…read moreforgotten that they they only take cash at the bar. The closest ATM is across the street at Steel Wheels. Buy your tickets online. You must come at least 30 minutes before the performance. We barely got a place to sit. We shared a guy's table after his 2 companions could not buy tickets at the box office because it was a sold out show. It seems they got the sound system fixed since my last visit. Last night was spectacular. Al Muirhead, Tommy Banks and P.J.Perry. Watch the masters go at it for a couple hours and you will be in awe. The volunteer staff does the best they can, but I feel like they are judging you. Deciding if you are worthy of attending their concert. They are a very dedicated bunch. It's been operating like this since 1957 when it used to be on Whyte Ave. . (Since 1984 in this current location). I used to have a membership, but the flyers for the concerts would always arrive by snail mail way too late and I'd always miss a show. The small savings that membership offers is not really worth it to me. Just check online when you are in the mood, and you'll find something great to see.

Winspear Centre - musicvenues - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...