Tent Events and Decor

Tent Events and Decor

Worcester | 2023

Somewhere, there are balloon archways and streamers begging to be put back into use at events! But alas, their time has passed and modern decor for tent events has morphed into so many other options!

A tent is a blank canvas. You’re working from the ground up! Size and usage of the tent are variables. Tents can have side walls, be heated or cooled to accommodate weather conditions, or be open air! But enough about that – we’re talking decor! How are you going to “paint this canvas” with color? How do you make this structure appealing to attendees? How do you brand the event tent? Here are a few suggestions…

1. Fabrics. Fabrics provide a fantastic pop of color and can be draped along walls or ceilings to coordinate perfectly with event or organization branding! Fabrics should be fire retardant, but otherwise, is a wide open scope of possibility! Burlap, spandex, satin, to name a few – all provide a different look and feel!
2. Foliage. Plants and topiary provide a natural vibe and add greens to an otherwise unnatural ambiance. Plants may be hung from the walls or ceiling. They may be floral, greenery, topiary, or even silk!
3. Furnishings. Full VIP lounges can be created by bringing in some furniture and drape. The drape would act as the partition from the rest of the tent, as well as wall dressings. Add a little furniture and you have an instant VIP lounge! For an extra bonus, you can provide audio and video screens, so your VIPs can watch the program as it happens from the lounge!
4. Lights. Light up lanterns and/or string lights can establish a relaxing feel. Lanterns add a pop of color and the string lights provide an inexpensive glow for a calming atmosphere.
5. Projection. Projection could be used as a form of branding, either on the inside or the outside of the tent. You could brand the organization’s logo, or project accents relevant to the event’s theme! The projections could be still graphics or in motion. For a more robust projection, you could use moving lights to project GOBOs or breakup patterns!

There are innumerable possibilities for tent decor… Decor opens up a discussion in the planning process about not only creative ideas, but also practicality, timelines, and costs. You’ve got some brilliant ideas for what you’d like your tent events to look like – the rest of the conversation concerns how to make that happen! The following is a list of topics that should be addressed when planning for your decor!

1. SAFTEY FIRST! What are the weight ratings of your tent and how heavy is the decor you hope to hang? The last thing you want to happen is that your tent collapses due to weight problems! So, check the ratings first and foremost!
2. Certifications. Who is hanging the decor? Do they have the proper education and certifications to be rigging in a tent? The price of hiring a certified rigger is nothing compared to the cost if something goes wrong! Don’t skimp on the safety of the event!
3. Proportions. Choose decor items that are in proportion to the tent size! If you have a large tent, you’re going to need something more significant than little hanging plants to adorn with! Likewise, a small tent shouldn’t have giant lanterns hanging from it! Planners and event professionals usually have a good sense of what would be appropriate for the size tent.
4. Obstruction. When planning for decor pieces, you want to make sure they don’t inhibit any viewing of the stage components, viewing screens, or audio speakers. It’s clear that something blocking a viewing screen would be a problem, but it’s just as important to keep speakers unobstructed so the sound doesn’t become muffled, as the sound waves bounce off the decor.
5. Power. Does the tent already have a power source to use for lighting and AV? Does your AV partner need to provide their own power source? How much power do you need? These are important topics to be discussed with your AV partner in advance!
6. Flooring. Does your tent have flooring, and if not, do you need flooring? For some events, a grass lawn prevails. But for other events, flooring of sorts would be required.
7. Weather. Does weather impact the ability to use the tent? If a tent is open-sided, then weather would definitely be a factor. If it rains, does the ground under the tent flood? That would impact flooring decisions.
8. Lifts. Are lifts required to rig and hang decor pieces or other AV requirements? Can a lift be driven safely under the tent? If a lift is required, is it also required to construct ‘travel roads’ for the lift to drive on? If a lift is required for rigging, that would need to be discussed early in the planning process so the rigger has the the proper equipment, and the costs are factored into the budget.
9. Fire Safety. Is your decor fire retardant? In most cases, the city or town’s Fire Marshall will be onsite at some point to inspect and issue a permit for the event. It’s critical to know what is allowed at the beginning of the process, otherwise, the Fire Marshall can force you to take your decor out, or worse, deny permit for the event!
10. Production Schedule. Don’t underestimate the time or budget to rig decor! Factors like weather and lifts could cause delays that may disrupt the schedules of other departments. Plan accordingly so your event starts on time!

Tent events go hand-in-hand with warmer months, especially in the Northeast. It’s exciting to see what can become of the space, but making sure everything runs smoothly can be a challenge! If you’re looking for AV and decor assistance with your upcoming tent event, Revelation would love to help!