There are many different styles of tents to choose from when you are considering a rental for your event. Many variables play a part in deciding which tent is best suited to the event space, the theme and any additional rental needs. It can seem overwhelming when we begin to explain the different styles over the phone, as it is a lot of information to consume. I want to try to make it a little easier to understand, so I’m creating a short summary of the different tent styles we offer.
I have always found that explaining the most simple tent style first, and making my way to the more complex styles works well, so I’ll start with the Canopy. The Canopy style tent is only the tent top, it has no sidewalls. It is very economical if you are simply looking for a little shade, rain cover, or ambiance! The Canopy must be staked into the ground and requires 4-5 additional feet on all four sides for staking. (Ex. A 20′ x 20′ canopy requires a 30′ x 30′ space).
20′ x 30′ Canopy Tent
We offer customer pick options as well, which is great if you are trying to keep the cost down. You can pick up your tent (and furniture, linens, etc.) a few days before the event and return a few days after. This flexibility gives you ample time to setup and breakdown, rather than rushing around to get ready for your event and to return the equipment. The top is in a canvas bag about the size of a large duffel bag and the poles break down to fit in any size car. We offer (4) canopy sizes that can accommodate up to 80 guests.
40′ x 80′ Party Tent (staked through pavement)
If you would like sidewalls or need to accommodate more people or equipment, the Party style tents are great to choose from. The Party tent is similar in style to the Canopy but is not available for customer pick up. With larger sizes available, the Party tent can host events for hundreds of guests. Our installers use solid wood side poles to ensure the tents are strong enough to handle the additional structural load as a result of the sidewalls exposure to the wind. You may choose to hang sides on all or just a portion of the tent. The sidewalls are available in solid white, cathedral window, clear or mesh.
100′ x 300′ Victorian Tent
The Victorian style tent is similar to canopies and party tents in that it is also a pole style tent; however it is more elegant with its exaggerated high peak pitched ceilings. It is great for a variety of events from showers and weddings to large festivals, commencements and corporate events. Atent for Rent has a vast inventory of Victorian style tents, allowing us to rent hundreds of thousands of square feet at a time. I think the Victorian style is probably my favorite, it has all the elegance and grandeur that a tent should have with the great high peaks and clean, frame-free interior! Victorian tents also require additional space for the guy ropes and staking like the canopy and party tents, but the Victorian tent can secured with concrete weights if necessary.
32′ x 40′ & 44′ x 83′ Sailcloth Tents
The Sailcloth style tents are similar to the Victorian style, also having guy ropes, center poles and high peaks. Sailcloths have no valance on the perimeter and have a natural feel with the cloth top, flags on the peaks and natural wood poles. The Sailcloth tent top is a translucent cloth material great for projecting lights and letting natural light through; but offers less water resistance in soaking rains than our other style tents with their traditional vinyl tops.
The Frame style tent is ideal when there is no extra space for guy ropes, if you can’t stake or when installing in custom locations such as: decks, patios, rooftops, construction sites, up against other structures, buildings or tents, even on large boats! The Frame is typically built on the ground, skinned with fabric and raised into place. The freestanding metal structure supports itself and does not rely on the tension of guy ropes to keep it standing. It can be staked into the ground, anchored to inserts, tied off to weights or in many 
cases a combination of securing methods might be used. The Frame tent has no center poles allowing more flexibility with the interior layout. It also makes them great for tight spaces, maximizing the space inside of the tent, and increasing mobility under the tent for construction sites and catering tents. Frame tents are more sturdy than other styles and can handle high winds and heavier snow loads. We also have a large inventory of clear top frame tents!
18 Meter Clearspan Structure
If you need to go even larger than the frame tents, the clearspan structures might be the best option. We use them often for commencements, weddings, corporate events, construction sites and long term installations. The clearspans are built with gable ends and have a basic “A” frame interior comprised of heavy duty metal construction. Our crew builds one bay at a time and raises it into place. You can check out the process in this time lapse installation of an 82′ x 148′ structure they installed this past April.
Marquee walkway with clear sidewalls
The marquee style tents are great to enhance an entrance, to connect tents to buildings or each other, to cover walkways, or can be used in smaller spaces, like decks, patios, or even to cover a port-a-toilet! We have simple pop-up tents, umbrella tables, Victorian frame tents, pavilion style tents and more! Check out our website or call us for more information!
20′ x 20′ Pavilion Tent