Frame Tents

There are 3 types of tents to choose from Canopy, Frame, and Pole.

• Canopy Tents are lightweight and are designed to provide shade or protection from light rains. Perimeter staking is required and center poles every 10 feet are required. Our canopy tents allow solid and windowed side walls which is an important factor when choosing a company in Chicago to rent from. Most rental company tents are of lower quality and can not support side walls. If there is a chance for rain, having the option to install sidewalls is invaluable. Ideal use for canopy tents are backyard parties and forest preserves when there is less than 100 people. Canopy tents are for grass setups only.
• Frame Tents are made of a reinforced vinyl or vinyl coated canvas stretched over an aluminum frame. Since they have no center poles, the inside area is unobstructed. Minimal staking or weighting (if any) is required and they are perfect for installation in areas where staking is not practical, i.e. parking lots, patios, decks, driveways, etc. Ideal use for frame tents are Information booths, Vendor booths, Walkways, Presentations Seating.
• Pole Tents are supported by perimeter poles and center support poles. Pole tents require staking around the perimeter of the tent. Center support poles every 15 feet. (Be sure you have an additional 8′ to 10′ of space in addition to the tent size for staking.) Pole tents can be setup on grass or asphalt. For large events around Chicago, pole tents are usually the tent of choice.

Our tent rental packages include:

• The Tent
• Tables
• Chairs
• Setup and Teardown labor (most companies charge extra for this, but we don’t!)

Delivery costs are not included, and can vary based on your event location. Contact us for delivery and package pricing!

• Sidewalls – Solid and windowed sidewalls are available on all of our tents. Windowed sidewalls offer an upscale appearance and will not require additional lighting during the day.
• Fans/Air Movers/Heaters/Air Conditioners – Depending upon the expected ambient temperature, these options can greatly increase the level of comfort. (Tent sidewalls are needed when either of these options are used.)
• Lighting – Lighting can be used for practical application (like to see what you are eating) or to create a desired effect or mood. Lighting is required when solid side walls are used. (unless you are doing a haunted house…)
• Table/chair accessories such as linens, chair decorations, DJ tables, stages, dance floors, bars, band risers, and food/beverage tables are also available.

Select a level area and make sure that you are not placing it in a low area where water will flow or accumulate if it should rain. If staking is required, be careful of the unseen underground factors that may affect the tent placement, i.e. sprinkler systems (checking the sprinkler timers is not a bad idea either), gas and water lines, and telephone and electrical conduit or wires. In most municipalities the local utility companies will be happy to visit the site and mark the locations of their pipes, wires, etc. If electrical service is required to the tent for lighting, etc. try to locate the tent in an area where power can be easily accessed and run to the tent. Electrical generators are also available for areas where electrical power is not readily available.

We setup the day before your event and take down the next business day. For example if you event was on Saturday, we would setup Friday and tear down on Monday. Don’t take the chance of the tent still going up while the guests are arriving which leaves no time for the you, the caterer or band to set up the area prior to guest arrival.

We carry a 3 million dollar liability policy should any of our equipment cause damage or injure someone.

You are required by law to contact JULIE at least 48 business hours prior to installing the tent. JULIE, Inc. will notify local utility companies who will send a locator to mark their underground facilities using paint and/or flags. Once marked, you will know the approximate location of buried utility lines and can install your tent safely. If we are installing the tent we will contact JULIE, but we also need to give them 48 business hours to do the utility locates on your property. The call to JULIE and the services are free. Dial 811 or 800-892-0123.

Wedding or Garden Party
The typical wedding or garden party under a tent will require space for guests to be seated at round tables, as well as space for buffet, head tables, bars and dance floor. Although every party has unique requirements, the general rule for this type of party is to allow 18 square feet per guest.

Cocktail Parties
Since there isn’t the need for as much furniture at a cocktail party, minimal seating, smaller food stations, etc.) the space allowance can be reduced to 10-12 square feet per guest.

Ceremony or Row Seating
For wedding ceremonies or public assemblies, one must allow for the chairs, space between the rows, aisles, and space required for the podium and/or stage. The suggested allowance is 8 square feet per person.

Please remember no two functions are alike. Each event deserves to be looked at individually. Be sure to check with the caterer or band for any special needs.

One 5′ Round table with 8 to 10 chairs, consumes 100 sq. ft.

• 5′ Round table seats 8 comfortably
• 6′ Round table seats 10 comfortably
• 6′ Rectangle table seats 6 to 8
• 8′ Rectangle table seats 8 to 10

This chart will give you a guide to how many people fit under a tent with 3 different seating arrangements. The first arrangement is a Formal Sit Down arrangement that utilizes round tables. The round tables are typically used for weddings and black tie events. It is not uncommon for casual events to use round tables since round tables allow eye contact with every person sitting at the table. The second arrangement is the Cafeteria Style arrangement that utilizes rectangle tables. The rectangle tables are 8 feet or 6 feet in length.

We can help you plan your event, and set up a tailor-made package for your exact requirements. Our professional event planners take into account your budget, venue, expected attendance, and any other relevant factors to put together the perfect package. We can help plan seating, layout, and other logistics as well. Just reach out and we can get started!