Tents are invaluable event tools. They can extend existing buildings, transform open space into event space, and make outdoor parties possible in unlikely climates and landscapes. And, with the newest accessories, they're not just sturdy shelters but some of the most comfortable, secure, stylish structures around.
FINE LINE
What's on the inside of a temporary structure is just as important as what's on the outside, especially where event designers are concerned. Manufacturers understand, and today they're making tent liners that meet designers' tough demands.
Wilsonville, Ore.'s SEC Group gets mileage out of its much-admired Baytex liners, according to senior sales consultant Barbara Friesen.
Baytex frame tent and pole tent liners are sized to fit tent width and include hip and gable options. Meanwhile, modular liners, which come with aluminum rails to create the framework for liner sections, are a good fit for structures of varied shapes. While they're designed for ease of use, safety and durability, Baytex liners' beauty is what really gets them noticed, according to Friesen. With white, champagne and jet black as standard colors, Baytex liners “transform the interior of a tent into an event venue,” she notes.
In August, Torrance, Calif.-based Anza Event Rental and Tent Design leapt into the liner arena with its own line. Anza liners “are carefully handcrafted using a poly-satin fabric” and are “easy to install, flame-retardant and machine washable,” says general manager Dave Hellman. He notes that the liners, available now for frame tents, soon will be offered for other structures.
While Anza offers its liners in a variety of standard sizes, the com-pany can custom-make liners for frame tents of all sizes. And with white, black, champagne, soft pink and baby blue liners available, the product is “extremely popular with wedding and event planners,” Hellman adds.
GRAND ENTRANCE
While liners add style to a tent's interior, top-quality tent doors provide a feel of permanence, both inside and out.
Evansville, Ind.-based Anchor Industries' AmbassaDoor takes its responsibilities seriously, offering such features as a touchpad-design exit device and cylinder-key lock for added security. Protected with a UV- and corrosion-resistant anodized coating, and available in clear or tinted ¼-inch safety glass, the AmbassaDoor's adjustable aluminum threshold allows it to adapt to uneven surfaces with ease, notes regional sales manager John Fuchs.
FAIR WARMING
For chilly evenings and cooler climates, proper tent temperature is an event essential. Celina, Ohio-based Celina Tent has just the product to keep things cozy.
Celina's table-height heater, introduced this year, is designed specifically for use inside crowd-filled event tents. At a mere 41 ¾ inches long and 36 inches tall, the heater “provides quiet, gentle heat output of up to 125,000 Btu per hour,” according to director of sales Gary Sank. It is also thermostat controlled for set-it-and-go ease of use and comes equipped with wheels and side handles to make moving it a cinch.
RESOURCES
Anchor Industries
800/544-4445
www.anchorinc.com
Anza Event Rental and Tent Design
310/320-6200
www.anzatents.com
Celina Tent
866/438-8368
www.celinatent.com
SEC Group
800/621-2495
www.thesecgroup.com
