Marquees & Tents Glossary

Marquees

• Frame Tent: Aluminium framework with PVC covers. No centre poles or guy ropes.
• Pole Tent: Canvas marquee with centre poles, side poles and guy ropes.
• Traditional Marquee: Pole tent or Poled Marquee.
• Chinese Hat Pagoda Marquee: Fixed size, square single peak marquee. Also called Witches Hat.
• Pavilion Marquee: Frame tent, usually with a peaked roof profile.
• Entrance Awning: Small awning at the entrance to the marquee.
• Connecting Awning: Small awning or walkway joining two marquees together.

Lining

• Flat Lining: Interior skin to hide framework, cables etc. No pleats or ruches.
• Pleated Lining: Pencil pleats from the apex ridge. Obscures shadows and condensation rings.
• Valance: Flat pelmet which covers the join between the roof and the tops of the walls.
• Swags: A deeper pelmet gathered up at regular intervals to form a horizontal scalloped shape.
• Columns: Vertical drapes at intervals equal to the leg spacing of the marquee.
• Roof Drapes: Bands of coloured cloth from the marquee apex to tops of walls.
• Curtain Divide: A screen which works similarly to a theatrical curtain.
• Starcloth: Blackout cloth with hundreds of tiny LED's set into it, a night sky effect.

Flooring

• Natural Matting: Woven coconut fibre imported from India, undyed.
• Boarded Floor: Interlocking plywood boards to give a solid surface for carpet.
• Raised Ringbeam Floor: A levelling system for slopes up to 1:20.
• Parquet Floor: Polished dance floor panels in rosewood finish. Designed for flat surfaces.
• Chequerboard Floor: Laminated dance floor panels forming 600mm chequer squares.
• Exhibition carpet: Single use carpet in a range of colours.
• Anti-Slip Flooring: High grip covering for use on boarded floor in catering tents.
• Temporary Access Panels: Heavy duty plastic panels to protect grass from tyre tracks.
• Steel Deck: Steel framed staging in modular units.

Lighting

• Bird Cage Chandeliers: Ornate black wrought iron effect chandeliers.
• Pin Spots: Very narrow beam spotlights to pick out the table centre-pieces.
• Up-Lights: Floor standing lamps emitting an upward parabola of light.
• Codas: A general soft wash light. Can be fitted with subtly coloured gels for effect.
• Profiles: A sharp, focused light for picking out flower displays or features.
• Gobos: A filter which casts a shaped shadow within the light beam.
• Birdie Bar: A rack of small spotlights for lighting bars and buffet displays.
• Par Can: A general purpose lamp often used for outside effects.
• Fresnel: Theatrical lamp with 'barn doors' to define its area of coverage.
• Gels: Coloured plastic sheet through which light passes and gains colour.
• Rope Light Canopy: Strings of rope light forming a spoke pattern overhead.
• Dapple Projector: Similar to a gobo, projects patterned light.
• Spectrum Blaze: Digital, programmable light box hidden behind lining, which mixes primary colours.
• Spectrum Set: Changing coloured light projected onto the dance floor.
• Intelligent Scanner: Mirror heads reflect light in response to the music signal.

Miscellaneous

• Indirect Heating: Warm air ducted into grilles, thermostatically controlled.
• Mains Supply: 45Amp - 100Amp power supply taken from domestics mains by qualified electricians.
• Baffle Screen: Method of obscuring utility areas from guests view.
• False End: An additional floor to ceiling partition to create a hidden area with one marquee.