Tent Walls

I've never used them, but it might have both good and bad effects:
Good: Mesh would allow the wind to blow through, reducing the stress of wind on the tent.
Bad: Mesh would allow the wind to blow through, perhaps blowing art off of racks or where it is hung on the walls.

Good point. thanks

I've done many events (not art-related) using tents. My advice is to do everything you can to keep wind away from your displays. I set posters on easels in front of the tent to draw people nearer and have to duck tape them to the easels and weigh the easels down too. Even then, they can blow over. Stacks of outreach material on the front tables have to be weighed down with rocks. Wind can be a major pain in the patoot in outside venues.

Also, remember that you need to weigh down the tent itself. Do NOT spike it down, most venues that host art fairs have very strict rules about using spikes to secure tents because you can accidentally hit buried lines, be it power, irrigation or the always exciting gas line. If you don't weigh down your tent you could have what happened to a group of us in New Jersey two years ago occur. The wind picked up a tent we were sitting under and slammed it into the windshield of one of our crew's F250's. The chief pilot and crew chief were not happy.

I would look for canvas walls, not mesh. Personally, I don't use either. We "secure" the tent by attaching my racks to the legs in front. There is no fool proof way to keep a tent from blowing over if the wind is determined. A woman next to us had hers "secured" but a good gust lifted it right up and over. There are some tents which have a "wind proof" design-basically a cupola-shaped top that allows air to circulate. Ours is dome shaped and doesn't seem to lift as easily as our previous one.

I use mesh walls in my tent - a trim line by flourish (www.flourish.com) - they also sell the mesh walls. I like them because they are a lot easier to transport. (i use an old nissan pickup with cap). If it looks like it's going to be wet I put the walls over the mesh panels. remember if you're using EZ-ups or similar they are not waterproof and can collapse if the weather gets bad. Here's a picture of my booth. If anyone plans to buy one of these please mention my name when you talk to them.

Thank you everyone for your comments

There has always been the debate on whether the display (walls, shelving, crates etc.) is a secure part of the entire structure.. adding to it's stability.

or

Free of the tent entirely.so as not to be affected by the tents movement in the wind.

It's got to be one or the other...NOTHING IN-BETWEEN

You can put slip covers over the walls - a material that would allow you to put hooks through it to secure your art to the mesh panels. White/off white. Mesh panels would be light to transport and perhaps easy to set up. Back when I was on the road, I made my own panels out of wood and wood lattice - they were sturdy, easy to use with "S" hooks - but HEAVY to load and unload.

I built six 4'X8' wall sections by joining 2X4s secured by 2"X4" black wire fence mesh. I screwed the wood together then hog nailed the mesh on to the frames.

I then bought grey outdoor carpet and wrapped one side the panels.

These are joined inside the tent by heavy wire which also goes around the tent support poles neatly. The outside of these panels can support art as well. My 10'X10' Show off tent was the best display at most shows.
Look at the photos of up my gallery on art shows. I slip curtain pins through the carpet wall onto the mesh to hold up art.

Street festival shows are very laborious to set up and take down.

For weight I put on about 40 pounds on each corner of our tent and in really stiff winds this barely keeps it in place. My weights are 3" pvc pipe filled with concrete. You absolutely need weights on the tent legs. Some people use water filled gallon jugs or concrete blocks.

As for mesh display - I started out with them but thought that they are fine as long as you can't see the backs. If you use the back to hang more work it distracts from the displayed work on the side being viewed IMO. I have used carpeted panels for last decade.

Bill Tomsa

http://billtomsa.blogspot.com/

Much as I would like to use pro panels, I presently don't have the space to carry them or to store them.