Custom event tent guide.

Tent sizes and what fits under each

Tent sizes are the frame measured in feet. A 10x10 covers 100 square feet. A 10x20 covers 200. That sounds like plenty until you put a table, a cooler, a box of flyers and two people under it.

• 10x10. One 6 ft table, two staff and a flag out front. This is the standard booth space at most farmers markets, school carnivals, church festivals and outdoor expos.
• 10x15. One table plus a display rack, a product shelf or a small demo area. Good for retail, food samples and contractors showing material.
• 10x20. Two 6 ft tables, three or four staff, and room for visitors to step in out of the sun. Built for dealers, sponsors and anyone running a line.

Check the booth space before you buy. If the event sells 10x10 spots, a 10x20 won't fit, no matter how good it looks.

Which size to buy first

For most small businesses, the first tent should be a 10x10. It fits every booth spot you'll be offered. One or two people can set it up. The frame folds down small enough for the back of most SUVs.

Move up to a 10x20 when you're already turning people away at a 10x10, or when you sponsor events that give you a double space. A 10x15 is the middle step for businesses that need a display next to the table, like a roofer showing shingle samples or a boutique with a clothing rack.

If you work a lot of events, two 10x10 tents can beat one 10x20. You can split them across two events on the same weekend, or set them side by side when you get a double spot.

Plan the first tent around the events you already do. Look at last year's calendar and count how many were 10x10 spots. For most small businesses, that's nearly all of them.

The canopy is the billboard

The canopy is the part people see from across a parking lot. We print it full color with dye sublimation. The ink goes into the fabric instead of sitting on top, so it won't crack or peel when the tent folds up.

Full color means photos, gradients and exact brand colors cost the same as a one color logo. Use that. A solid brand color across the whole roof reads from farther away than a white canopy with a small logo in the middle.

• Pick one dominant color for the roof panels.
• Repeat the logo on all four sides so it reads from every direction.
• Save the phone number and web address for the valances and walls.

Walls and half walls

A canopy alone is a roof. Walls turn it into a booth.

• Full back wall. Blocks the view of the booth behind you and gives you the biggest flat print area. If you only add one piece, add this.
• Full side walls. Shade and a wind block. Good for afternoon sun and open fields. They also hide your boxes and coolers.
• Half walls. Waist high panels on the sides. They frame the booth without closing it in, so people still walk in.

Walls print the same way as the canopy, so colors match from roof to ground. Pricing for walls and half walls is quoted on the ticket based on the frame size and how many sides you want.

Table throws, feather flags and weights

The tent gets people to look. The pieces at ground level get them to walk over.

• Fitted table throw. A 6 ft fitted throw is $185. It hides the boxes under the table and puts the logo at eye level for anyone standing in front of you.
• Feather flags. A 14 ft feather flag is $149. Two flags, one on each front corner, make your booth easy to find in a row of plain white tents.
• Weights. Pop up tents catch wind like a sail. Many outdoor events require weights on every leg, often 40 pounds or more per leg. Sandbags or plate weights both work. Weights are quoted on the ticket.

For the table itself, our promotional products cover giveaways people actually keep, from koozies to tape measures.

How to design for a tent

A tent is a sign people see from 50 feet away while they walk. Design it like a sign, not a brochure.

• Logo on the peak. The roof panels are the highest thing in the row. Put the logo big and centered on each one.
• One line on the valances. The valance is the short strip that hangs off the frame edge. Use it for a name, a phone number or a web address. Pick one.
• Letters that read from 50 feet. A common sign rule is 1 inch of letter height for every 10 feet of distance just to be legible. At 50 feet that's 5 inches minimum. Go bigger when you can.
• High contrast. Dark on light or light on dark. Thin script fonts and light gray text disappear outdoors.
• Nothing important low on the walls. Tables and people block the bottom third.

Design is free on tents. Send your logo, your colors and the event you're headed to, and we'll lay it out. Starting from nothing? A logo design is $250 flat.

Price, proofs and shipping

• Price. Event tents (10x10 and up) start at $999. Larger frames, walls and add ons are quoted on the ticket.
• Design. Free on tents.
• Proof. Proofs on new jobs come back in 1 to 2 business days.
• Production. 2 to 5 business days, then it ships FedEx with tracking.
• Shipping. Free. Pickup in Hutto or local delivery also works if you're close.

You can start a tent order in our online shop or send the details on a job ticket. Payment is cash, check or card, and approved organizations can get Net 15 or 30 terms.

Caring for a printed tent

A printed tent lasts a lot longer when you treat the canopy like the sign it is.

• Never pack it wet. Rain happens. If you have to pack up damp, open the canopy at home and let it dry all the way before it goes back in the bag. Wet fabric in a bag turns into mildew.
• Spot clean only. Mild soap, cool water and a soft cloth. Skip bleach, pressure washers and the washing machine.
• Take the canopy off for long storage. It keeps the fabric from creasing in the same spot on the frame.
• Lower it in high wind. If gusts pick up, drop the legs to the lowest setting or take the canopy down. Weights help, but they don't make a tent wind proof.

Keep the bag, the stakes and the weights together in one bin so nothing gets left behind.

Before you order

• Confirm the booth size the events you work actually sell.
• Ask each event if they require weights, and how heavy.
• Ask if the venue needs a fire rating certificate for fabric. Some indoor venues do. Put it on the ticket so we confirm the options before we print.
• Find your logo in vector format (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF). Our print ready files guide explains what that means.
• Decide what else goes in the booth. The trade show booth kit guide lists every piece, from banners to staff shirts.