Summer is a blissful time to enjoy the outdoors. Whether you are planning a small outdoor soiree or a large-scale event like a wedding, sports event, or promotional business event – an event tent is the best outdoor shelter to protect you and your guests from the heat and exposure to harmful UV rays.

However, packing too many people under an event tent in summer can also cause the inside temperature to rise more quickly than you anticipated. Nobody wants their guests sweating profusely or feeling suffocated or worse, having a heat stroke at their event. Therefore, one has to look for ways to keep event tents cool during summer.

You can obviously use natural elements to your advantages like choosing a location with trees or a grove or even the shadow of a tall structure (buildings, hills, etc.). It is also better to avoid asphalt as it releases a lot of heat and opts for a grassy patch to pitch your large canopy tent.

However, these options may not always be available in the vicinity of your venue and they will definitely not be enough if the temperatures begin to rise. It is better to plan and arrange other cooling mechanisms to make sure that the event goes smoothly.

In order to make this decision easier for you, we have made a list of different cooling techniques used for event tents. Moreover, since the summer weather in the United States varies across different regions, we have also devised a checklist to give you a better idea of which technique works well for a particular type of climate.

So, scroll further down to look at what we found…

Stop the Summer Heat from Becoming a Torment – Choose Cooling Products and Techniques for Event Tents

Cooling technologies for event tents have grown in the past years and there are multiple options available in the market for customers to choose from. The most prominent amongst these are listed below along with reference images to give you a better idea about your options.

1. Pedestal Fans –

Pedestal fans or floor fans are one of the most commonly used devices. These are stand-alone machines that can be installed to circulate air at multiple places within a tent.

These fans can be used for any event tent irrespective of the size and type of canopy. You may, however, have to determine the exact number of fans that would provide optimum circulation of air and place them accordingly across the structure. Therefore, it is also important to note that they may occupy floor space and be a hindrance to the movement of people within the tent.

2. Ceiling Fans –

Large canopy tent structures can easily support ceiling fans for air circulation. However, do not worry if you have a smaller structure as there are ceiling fan options available for small event tents as well.

There are two types of ceiling fan devices and techniques available –

1. Overhead Ceiling Fans – These are the usual ceiling fans that are large in size with open spokes and are suspended from the ceiling. They require a more robust ceiling structure in your canopy. Though a single fan can be good for a smaller canopy tent, they are more suitable for large canopy tents which require multiple devices for air circulation.

2. Side Ceiling Fans – The side ceiling fans are smaller in size. They are similar to pedestal fans except for the fact that instead of a pedestal on the floor they are suspended from the side structure of the canopy. These are good for both small and large canopy tents.

3. Mist Cooling Systems –

These products and cooling systems produce water mist to keep temperatures down on hot days. There are two types of products available in this category –

1. Mist Fans – These fans are very similar to pedestal fans but instead of simply circulating the air in the room they also spray mist by utilizing the water stored in a tank attached to the pedestal.

2. Mist Cooling Systems – These systems consist of a pipe-based grid that can be attached to the frame of the event tent to release sprays of mist through pressure valves. The biggest advantage of this cooling technique is that it provides all-around coverage.

4. Evaporative Coolers –

These are also called swamp coolers. These devices use a fan to circulate warm air over ice or icy water and the cool air is blown into the tent through ducts. They perform particularly well in cooling an event tent. However, they are not suitable for all weather types. Nevertheless, using evaporative coolers is one of the most cost-effective ways to cool small and large canopy tents. 

5. Spot Coolers –

Though these devices are called spot coolers, technically they are more like smaller and mobile air conditioning units. They use both air and water cooling systems to cool the interior of an event tent. Efficient cooling along with easy portability are the main advantages of using this technique. However, though a single unit is suitable for low-capacity tents, you might require a larger number of devices to cater to the space of a large canopy tent.

6. Commercial Grade AC Units –

Commercial grade AC units are the safest choice if you are planning a huge event for the summer. This technology provides the strongest and most reliable cooling system. The system pumps cool air into the canopy from outdoor units viaducts to maintain a refreshing environment inside the event tent. They are, however, one of the most expensive options available in the market.

Now that you have an idea about the different products and techniques in this category, it is also important to consider which technology would suit you best depending on the summer climate of the region you live in.

Find Out Which Cooling Technique Will Thrive Depending On Summer Weather Types

The dominant weather pattern for any season is not homogeneous across the geographical expanse of the United States. Therefore, typical summer weather can mean different things in different regions of the country.

Summer in the Northeastern part of the country is more warm and wet while the Midwest climate is warm but stormy. As you move into the interior West and further North-west, the summers are warm and dry. The South, on the other hand, experiences a very hot and humid summer climate, whereas the South-west and the region of California are known to be particularly hot and dry during this season.

It is obvious that different types of summer weather would require different techniques to keep your event tent cool. The checklist given below will give you an idea about which product works better depending on the climate type.

This should be helpful in letting you choose the best method for your need and as per the requirements of the weather conditions of your region. 

Conclusion

There are other things to keep in mind while finalizing the plan for cooling a large canopy tent for your event. Some of these we have included below so that you have them in your mind while making a choice –  

1. it is preferable to opt for a heavy-duty tent with sides that roll-up, up in case you require more ventilation
2. if you require more space and are looking for a custom-size tent, you must also consider the need for additional cooling devices as per your size requirement

• furthermore, you can also get a custom-printed tent canopy either in colors that provide better UV protection or to simply display your creative spirit and aesthetic preferences

1. if you are not planning on using air conditioning, it is important to choose a canopy layout with proper ventilation which provides good airflow
2. if you are planning on using air conditioning, you should opt for a commercial grade tent that can be sealed properly from all sides so that the devices are effective in cooling the entire space.

If you are still unsure about any other aspect of your large canopy tent and the requirements for cooling it on a hot summer day, we advise you to speak to a manufacturer directly to clear your doubts. Premium brands provide on-call services as well as free mock-ups of the canopy layout. Therefore, it is better to get a branded event tent rather than cheap local items that are unreliable.

We know that planning this event has been an exhaustive process for you. There are so many tasks that still require your attention. Hopefully, our information has helped you take one task off of your list. 

Rest assured that once you have finalized and organized the cooling system for your event tent, you will have a summer party that no one would want to end!