10 Tips for Buying a Vendor Tent for Outdoor Markets
Nothing beats standing outside in the sunshine, talking about your passion and selling your handmade goods at an outdoor market. But you don’t want to suffer at the hand of weather extremes so if you’re a vendor looking to participate in outdoor markets. You’ll need an outdoor vendor tent.
They’ll shelter you from the sweltering sun on the hot days and keep you and your handmade products dry when it’s drizzling. Some can even help protect you and your product from the wind.
Here are 10 things to keep in mind when picking out a vendor tent for your next outdoor market.
1) How much to invest in an outdoor vendor tent
The first thing to think about is how many outdoor markets, craft shows, festivals, etc. you’ll be signing up for to sell your handmade products. If you’re doing an entire season and more to come, it’s best to invest in a good quality vendor tent with all the bells and whistles.
If you plan to sell at one or two, you can probably get away with a vendor tent that is of lesser quality and may even want to look into whether it’s more cost effective to rent one.
To buy a basic vendor tent for markets, you’ll likely need to spend between $100 (check places like Amazon and Walmart) and $700 (this should get you walls and a carrying case).
Of course, you can always venture outside this range and may find a good deal on Kijiji or Facebook marketplace. But generally, the quality won’t be there with tents under $100 and spending over $700 is likely more than you need for a basic market tent.
If you’re a vendor who gets into every outdoor market possible, traveling to different cities and spending every weekend from Spring to Fall outside, then you may want to invest in a more expensive tent; $1000 and up.
2) How easy the tent is to set up
Make sure it’s something that’s not complicated to pop up or assemble. You don’t want to be struggling to get your tent up the morning of the market when you have all your handmade products to unload and a display to create before customers start arriving. This factor is especially important to consider if you’ll be attending markets by yourself.
3) Quality of tent fabric and poles
You don’t want the fabric ripping or poles bending after a few uses or on a windy day. For a vendor tent that will last you for several market seasons to come, look for one that has a heavier, waterproof material for the roof vs. a light nylon. And go for sturdy steel poles over aluminum ones.
This is going to add weight when it comes to transporting the tent to markets but will be worth it in the long run. The strength of the poles is something else to keep in mind if you’ll be using them as part of your display and hanging handmade products off them.
4) How heavy the tent is to transport
Vendor tents aren’t light. Consider one that comes with a case that has sturdy handles that make it easier to load in and out of your vehicle. Some cases also have wheels, which make it much easier to roll it from the parking lot to your vendor space. If the tent you like doesn’t come with a case, you can buy one as an add-on (however, you may need to spend an additional $100+).
5) Appropriate tent size for markets
Most outdoor markets sell vendor booths by 10′ x 10′ spaces. If you purchase a tent that’s bigger than that, you may have to buy two booths. If you plan to purchase a bigger vendor space, it’s typically best to buy two (or more) 10′ x 10′ tents and combine them. It’s a good idea to research the markets you hope to sell at and determine the size of spaces they sell to vendors.
6) How the legs are positioned
Look for vendor tents that have straight legs, not splayed (angled out). The base of the legs should measure 10’ x 10’ but will angle in towards the top. It doesn’t decrease your space by a lot, however, it will narrow the opening shoppers walk in and out of and doesn’t allow you to attach walls to your tent (to block wind, visual noise, and create more display space).
7) The color of the tent material
Think about which color will go best with your branding; you don’t want your handmade products or signage to clash with your tent color. Colors can also fade over time as the sun beats down on them and they can also alter the color of anything under it (a red tent may make lighter colored products appear pink). Most markets won’t have restrictions on tent color, however it’s always best to check. White is always a safe option. You can add signage, banners, curtains, etc. to update a white tent to match your branding.
8) How the tent can be weighed down
You’ll need weights for your tent as many outdoor markets will inspect that each vendor has them as a safety regulation. They don’t want tents being blown around, knocking things over, or injuring someone.
Some tents will come with weights but you can also buy them separately that are specifically for pop up tents; here’s a good example.
However, you can DIY your tent wights. Some people use sandbags or fill objects like plastic jugs or PVC pipe with sand or concrete and tie them to each corner of their tent.
Consider shoppers when choosing your tent weights. If they’re too bulky, they can become a tripping hazaard.
Check with the market to see if there’s a minimum weight they must be.
Here’s a video on how to make weights, you could even paint them in your colors or add your logo/business name!
9) If you need side walls
Not all tents come with walls but they’re a good accessory to have. Some walls even create a smaller doorway (like this one), which will block more of the wind and could create intrigue from shoppers wanting to see what’s inside. But on the other hand, it’s harder to use your display/products to draw shoppers in.
Here are some benefits of adding walls:
- Shelter from the wind and rain – especially important if you have light products that will blow over with the lightest gust or delicate work that needs protection from the smallest drops of rain.
- Added privacy – a back wall will help hide empty boxes and extra stock and keep your cash box safe.
- Clean background – walls can cut out the “visual noise” so shoppers can focus on your products. Without walls, shoppers may be looking past your products and into the back of another vendor’s booth.
- Separating your booth from your neighbour’s – gives a clear separation from the vendor next to you and ensures you aren’t impeding on their space and visa versa.
- More display space – a side wall will allow you to push a shelf up against it or hang items without worrying about them being damaged by wind or rain
- Reducing theft – when you have multiple exits, it’s easier for your product to be snuck out. If you have one opening, it’s easier to keep an eye on people coming and going (For looking for some tips on avoiding theft at markets and craft shows, check out: 10 Tips to Prevent Theft at a Craft Show)
10) Consider airflow
Vents are important when side walls are attached to the tent. They’ll allow air circulation and keep it from getting stuffy. Not to mention; if you live in a particularly windy area, the vents will help you avoid a Mary Poppins scenario with the wind picking your tent up and taking it for a ride. Vents will help ensure air can move through and your vendor tent doesn’t become a giant sail.
Brands of Vendor Tents
These are the top brands many vendors swear by. The majority of them can only be found online, so you may have to factor shipping into the cost. There are variations of what’s included from model to model so be sure to read over the specs and choose the style and accessories that best fit your needs.
Caravan Canopy
You may also find Caravan Canopies at:
EZ UP
You may also be able to find EZ UP at:
Impact Canopy
You may also find Impact Canopies at:
- Costco
- Lowes
- Amazon
- Ebay
These next 2 aren’t your quick pop-it-up-in-a-matter-of-minutes option but they are your top of the line artist tents for those who want to invest more money into their tents. These are closer to the $1000 range:
Flourish/Trimline
Showoff
Other places to buy vendor tents
Depending on your area, budget and shopping preferences, there are several companies to check out.
- Local Retailers – there may be some specialty shops near you that make or carry tents so Google “vendor tents in (your city)”
- Hardware stores – Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Rona, Lowes, etc.
- Online – Amazon and Ebay
- Department Stores
- Wholesalers and Superstores – Real Canadian Superstore, Costco
- Used Classifieds – Kijiji, Craigslist or community Buy & Sell forums are great places to find gazebo tents that are slightly used. Inspect the tent before you pay to be sure the item isn’t damaged.
If you have any local retailers you’d like to give a shoutout to, please do so in the comments 🙂
Hey, I’m Erin 🙂 I write about small business and craft show techniques I’ve learned from being a small business owner for almost 2 decades, selling at dozens of craft shows, and earning a diploma in Visual Communication Design. I hope you find my advice helpful!
Hi – Just a couple of additional thoughts:
Weights – I use 5 gallon buckets with a cover ( like a paint bucket or something similar) and fill with Water AFTER I get to the show. I cover it, and tie to tent. MUCH easier ( & trust me I used to LUG weights with me to every show) and dump out the water AFTER the show, and pack away. Just be certain to insert paper or something between the sides of the buckets so they DONT stick together. Note: If they do stick, just google how to get them apart 🙂 Hot water works!
Also, if you are doing more than a one day show, and there is security at the location of your tent, and you want to leave your merchandise overnight, COVER IT, and when you pull down the sides of your tent (if they zipper together) put a zip tie through the bottom of the zipper and tie around the base.. No it isn’t foolproof, but thieves are looking for the easy way , and that one little extra step is WELL worth it. Covering your merchandise gives LESS of a shadow if someone is thinking about stealing, so it almost looks like there is nothing there except your tables 🙂
Hope this helps!
Great suggestions! Thanks so much for sharing Phyllis! Good idea with using water to reduce the weight and space used up when travelling to and from events 🙂
One important issue not covered in this article is the fact that many municipalities now require vendor canopies at festivals and outdoor markets to have labels that indicate they meet specific fire resistance ratings.
Make sure you are checking the requirements for the locations where you will be using your canopy. While it are usually the higher end (and more expensive) canopies that meet these requirements buying the correct one the first time around will save you added cost of upgrading.
Take the time to confirm requirements with market organizers BEFORE you make an investment in a canopy.
Great point Valerie! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
This whole piece is so helpful!
Thank you for posting for us all to use.
Check your local fire codes and regulations for market tents.