More booth advice

Vicki C · May 1, 2023

Hi all, after a long season of outdoor markets last year I have some improvements I want to make, and I’m looking for feedback. I like my tent pretty well, and don’t want to buy a new one, but - a) it was SO hot on some days and b) I would love to have an awning for extra shade. I’m wondering about a tent like the first one with a roof vent - but I would definitely need sides. And I’m searching for an add on awning (such as shown here) but they all seem to be specific to the tent brand.

This tent has an awning but no roof vent, which if I were getting a new tent I would want.

This company makes custom awnings, but they are $$$$$ and I’m not sure it would work with my tent.

I am in northern New England so I’m not even in a super warm climate but there were days last summer that were pretty unbearable.
Thanks for your feedback!
ETA this is the tent I have, it retails for $159 and is sturdy. It does have a little roof vent but not as breezy as option #1.

paradisi · May 1, 2023

No advice on vents but canopy sides can make it hotter by stopping air movement. Loose woven fabric curtains might work better for you. Also have you looked at costco? They have models with awnings.

Punkasue · May 1, 2023

My daughter and her friend use a battery operated fan at their shows. She says it helps a lot. Like this one. https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-20-volt-Max-Jobsite-Fan-Batteries-Not-Included/1001044104

Punkasue said:
My daughter and her friend use a battery operated fan at their shows. She says it helps a lot. Like this one. https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-20-volt-Max-Jobsite-Fan-Batteries-Not-Included/1001044104

I think hers is from Harbor Freight. But it works the same. Although it might be less expensive.

Vicki C · May 1, 2023

paradisi said:
No advice on vents but canopy sides can make it hotter by stopping air movement. Loose woven fabric curtains might work better for you. Also have you looked at costco? They have models with awnings.

I haven’t looked at Costco I’ll check them out - definitely agree about sides making it hotter, but I need sides for cool / rainy days and to create shade in some situations.

cmzaha · May 1, 2023

Do not use the sides, fans can help to move air but let's face it you move hot air. If you are doing night markets with electricity you do not need to worry about battery-operated fans. I remember my daughter had a camping portable water cooler she used to use but my husband would not hassle it, but she loved it. I assume they are still available by searching Amazon. The Shade piece will not help you. This is from a person that did numerous years around outdoor markets in Sunny Southern California for 10+years. I tried it all.

Take spray bottles of frozen water to have at all times so you can mist yourself. By the time the water would start thawing, I would need it for spritzing. Spritzing will cool down your body temperature and ward off heat stroke which I am prone too and spent my life playing in the sun and heat so I had to learn how not to get heat strokes. Actually, I would take one with ice and water and at least one with frozen water. The cooling neck towels you can buy also help and gel headbands help. Remember to take an ice chest for lotions, scrubs, lotion bars, and even m&p soaps if it gets really hot. I always rotated my lotion samples so the heat did not deactivate my preservative system and only put my samples out on my tables during the summer so I could rotate them. I would fight 115ºF+ temps in the summer so I had to get creative.

ETA: Summer months and outdoor markets are just plain hard. That is why most of mine were either early morning or night markets although we would have to leave at the hottest part of the day and our truck air did not work. So I either packed up in the heat or left home in the heat. Doing outdoor markets is just hard. One more edit Do not drink Ice Cold Drinks in very hot temps. Room Temp or slightly cool Gatorade is best.
Do Not Forget Your Spray water bottles with Cold Water.