PRE-CONFERENCE TOURS
Monday, October 19, 2026
Event Safety Alliance Canada (ESAC) is pleased to offer complimentary pre-conference tours in Halifax, providing attendees with an opportunity to explore local sites and event venues. These tours are designed to complement the conference program by showcasing real-world facilities, safety practices, and operational considerations while providing attendees with an opportunity to connect with local industry professionals.
Registration is required for capacity and security purposes.
Registration closes on Friday October 16, 2026.
Parks Canada Citadel Hill National Historic Site Tour
Areas Included: Garrison Grounds | Inside the Fort | North Common
Meeting Location: Citadel Hill (Main Entrance), 5425 Sackville Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 3Y3
Tour Timing: 9:00AM-11:00AM
Description: Step inside this iconic historic fort and discover one of Halifax’s most impressive event districts. The parade grounds are home to the city-produced annual electronic music festival Vibrancy, alongside a wide range of events. Explore the moat event space and get an overview of the Garrison Grounds, a 25,000-person event site with a rich concert history, including Nickelback, The Killers and the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival. From the hill, take in the Halifax North Common, a major event space that has welcomed crowds of up to 50,000 for artists including the Rolling Stones and deadmau5. The Common is also home to the city’s skating Oval, hosting year-round recreation and events, including this year’s NHL Harbour Fest street hockey tournament.
Argyle Street Event Spaces Tour
Areas Included: Halifax Convention Centre | Rogers Square | Light House Arts Centre | Grand Parade
Meeting Location: Nova Centre (Main Entrance), 1650 Argyle Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 0E6
Tour Timing: 9:00AM-11:00AM
Description: Discover a dynamic collection of indoor and outdoor event spaces in the heart of downtown Halifax. The Nova Centre includes the Halifax Convention Centre, featuring 120,000 square feet of meeting space, including a spectacular 30,000-square-foot space overlooking the city. Outside, Rogers Square offers a unique covered event space with permanent video display panels. Argyle Street has a long event history, most recently hosting the 2026 city-produced SailGP concerts. Continue to the Light House Arts Centre, featuring a multi-use performance space and television studio, home to CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Across the street, explore Grand Parade, a historic civic event space and the setting for Halifax’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting and New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Halifax Waterfront Tour
Areas Included: The Queen's Marque | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Small Craft Gallery | Foundation Wharf | The Salter Lot | Pier 21
Meeting Location: The Queen’s Marque (Courtyard), 1715 Lower Water Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 0J4
Tour Timing: 9:00AM-11:00AM
Description: Experience Halifax’s waterfront, where historic sites, major events and spectacular harbour views come together. The Queen’s Marque, opened in 2021, features restaurants, bars and a courtyard that doubles as an event space. Next, visit the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Small Craft Gallery, an intimate event setting surrounded by historic Nova Scotian boats. Foundation Wharf, a provincially owned waterfront space, offers another prime event location. Further south, The Salter Lot was home to the SailGP Race Stadium, featuring 5,000 bleacher seats and incredible views of the races. The Salter Lot also hosts Halifax’s annual Jazz Festival. The final stop is Pier 21, a National Historic Site and home of the Canadian Museum of Immigration, one of only six national museums in Canada, with a range of unique event spaces.
Tour and details are subject to change. All times are displayed in local Halifax time (ADT).
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