Palais Royale Ballroom

The ballroom sits on the Lake Ontario waterfront and has hosted musicians such as Count Basie and Duke Ellington over close to a century.

About the venue

The building was revived as an event venue in 2005. Only one event is held at a time, with access to all available rooms. The main ballroom has a barrel-vaulted ceiling, a stage with art deco railings and two bars beside the original stone fireplace. The venue has a private guest parking lot on Lake Shore Blvd W. Food and beverage is handled by Pegasus Hospitality Group.

On EventPlans.ca it is listed as a banquet hall and unique venue in Toronto, at 1601 Lake Shore Blvd. West, Toronto, ON M6K 3C1.

Event spaces

The venue lists these spaces. Capacities are the venue’s own figures and change with the layout you choose.

• Ballroom
• Courtyard Patio
• Outdoor deck: 4,000 sq ft, two-tiered
• Red Room
• Parlour
• Lower Lounge
• Bridal Suite / Green Room

Capacity

The venue does not publish a single maximum for every room, so ask for the capacity of the specific space in the layout you want: seated dinner, standing reception, theatre or classroom.

A useful rule: a seated dinner at rounds of ten needs about 1 to 1.2 square metres per guest, a standing reception about 0.7, and theatre seating about 0.6, before you add a stage or dance floor. The venue capacity calculator does the arithmetic for your room.

Events it hosts

According to its own event pages, the venue hosts weddings, corporate events, galas and fundraisers and private social events.

For timelines, budgets and checklists, start with the wedding planning hub, corporate holiday party hub, gala planning hub.

Questions to ask on your site visit

Bring these to your walk-through. Get the answers in writing before you sign.

• Which room or combination of rooms fits your guest count, and can another event run in the next room on the same night?
• What is included in the per-person package, and which items are extra (cake cutting, chair covers, late-night food, coat check)?
• Is there a built-in stage and dance floor, and what size are they?
• Can the kitchen handle the cuisine and dietary needs you have, including halal, kosher-style, vegetarian or nut-free menus?
• What time must music stop and the room be cleared?
• How many parking spaces are there, and is there a charge?

Planning entertainment here

Banquet halls usually have the ceiling height and floor space for most acts, from a strolling magician at cocktails to a stage show after dinner. Ask whether the stage has steps and power at the front, and how far the head table sits from it.

Send every performer’s technical needs to the venue before you book: floor space, ceiling height, power, sound and changing room.

Getting there

Check the venue website for directions, parking rates and accessible entrances, and send the details to guests with the invitation.

Official website: palaisroyale.ca