Camelot Special Events & Tents, Inc.

Raffles are a great way to raise money. They are inexpensive and easy to organize and can generate enough money to put you well on your way to achieving your fundraising goals. The costs involved in a raffle (other than your time) are the tickets and the prizes. If you choose to run a cash prize raffle, you do not have to worry about getting prizes for the winners. You can also minimize your costs by getting the prizes donated or getting some businesses to sponsor your fundraising event. You will have to get their names printed on the tickets and flyers and maybe put up a sign or banner to give them some marketing exposure for their generosity. Your fundraiser raffle can be quick (within an hour) or over a period of time (tickets can be on sale for a month or more). It all depends on how much money you are trying to raise and what type of raffle you are having. How Do You Ensure A Profitable Raffle? As with any fundraising event, you have to get the word out. Publicity is th...

Rental Canopies (Tents) are not hard to install, and they can save you a lot of money. Most people can set them up in about an hour. You need at least two people and preferably four (one for each corner). During installation, questions may come up about how to complete a part of the install in the best and easiest way, or what a particular part is for. For instance, you may notice there are thin ropes hanging next to each side pole and center pole. They are called “Jump Ropes” and are tied to each of the side poles and center poles to keep the tent top from jumping off the pin at the top of the pole. Once the top lifts off the pin, the pole could either fall over or punch a hole in the tent top. Many people don’t know what jump ropes are for and don’t use them. It is smart to use them to prevent injury to your guests. It can also save you money in repair costs. Not to mention the holes, that once made by the pole will leak profusely during a rain all over your event. Tip #...

Chrome Stanchions and Red Velour Rope are a great way to draw attention to a grand opening, movie premier, or theatre production. Two rows of Chrome Stanchions and Red Velour Rope run along the edges of a Red Carpet really make a statement at your entrance! Other Uses for Stanchion and Rope: Stanchions and rope can also be used for lining people up at graduations, ticket booths, expo registrations, and other events. Car shows can use stanchion and rope to create a safe “no touch zone” around their prized possession. Other artistic or historical displays can use a semi circle of stanchion and rope to keep viewers' fingers off. Define a space with stanchion and rope to create a temporary food court, café or waiting area. By creating an entrance in the proper place, pedestrian traffic is greatly improved by eliminating bottlenecks. Trim your Budget and have crowd control: Save money by renting chrome stanchions and buying small diameter white rope to pass between the ...

Moving Rental Tables & Chairs: It is always best to move chairs and tables with a dolly if you are on a smooth and level surface (like cement). Then, when you are setting up or taking down the equipment, you can move throughout the event area without having to walk back and forth. This will save you energy and time – both of which are usually in short supply before an event. If there are any bumps or larger imperfections on the floor (or ground) you will need to strap the load to the dolly. Not doing so may result in the load shifting as it is being pushed when it hits a large enough bump (the dolly will stop and the load will slide off the top of the dolly). If you are lucky, the load will just fall on the floor/ground – if you are less lucky it may fall on you or others. Not to mention the damage to the nice wood floor… It is always good to have a second person to help you maneuver the loaded dolly over any area that is less than perfect. Before moving any load, lo...

Anyone who needs basic rental items such as tables and chairs for their home to host a party has only five steps to complete : 1- Look online for potential Party Rental Companies and view their web site. 2- Check out photos and information on the different types of chairs and tables available. 3- Make a list of the items you need to rent along with any questions you may have about the services or items. Some Rental Companies have their price list posted online – you can print it out to use as a guide. 4- Call the Rental Company you would like to use to get a quoted price (written). Aside from the rental costs of the items, expect to pay state tax, a delivery/pick-up fee, and maybe a labor charge (for additional services such as set up and break down). HINT: You may be able to save the delivery/pick-up charge by doing a self-pickup and return – depending on how many rental items you need, this may be a feasible option for you. The Rental Company should at this poi...

Pipe & Drape is the material used at Home Shows, Boat Shows, Camping Shows, and the like to create temporary walls . It is used to define vendor areas so nobody encroaches on anyone else’s area. However, there are many other uses for Pipe & Drape. 1-Stage Backdrop: Pipe & Drape is used to create a Backdrop. It can be used on a temporary stage or a fixed stage in an auditorium. Typically the drape would be set at anywhere from eight feet to fourteen feet high depending on the needs of the end user. At a Corporate Event, a banner with the corporate logo can be hung from the Pipe & Drape to help Brand the event. The drape color can then be coordinated with corporate (or school) colors. The backdrop can also match the carpet or skirt colors from the stage to create an awesome focal point for the audience. 2-Mask off areas of a Room: If an area of the Event Space has a less than pleasant view or will distract the guests, Pipe & Drape can be used to “mask...

Propane Tank Safety: In the “old days” propane tanks were just metal cylinders with a screw valve on them. There was also a safety valve ( pressure relief valve ) that allowed propane to escape when it expanded, as it got hotter outside. Those days are gone. Now propane tanks have a safety pressure valve inside the valve you hand turn. This interior valve will not allow you to let propane out of the tank unless it is connected to the correct fitting (which is usually your gas grill). When you screw the fitting onto the tank it pushes in on the interior valve and allows gas to enter the supply hose. Gone are the days when you just turned the hand valve to see if there was gas in the tank (with no hose attached). The second safety valve installed on these tanks is called an OPD ( Overfill Protection Device ). They do not allow the person refilling the propane tank to overfill it (which is bad – the explosive kind of bad). This is basically a float inside of the tank that rises as ...