Graduation Party Tent Check List

As the season approaches for graduation and commencements, there are several items that a renter must consider. Hopefully, this check list will make you're party planning go smoothly and allow you to enjoy the celebration rather than stress over the details. Of course, please visit us at www.oneiltents.com to view our full product assortment and party options.

1. Do I need a permit? - Depends. If your tent is less than 400 sq. ft. (20x20), you generally do not need a permit. Check with your local building department and fire department to be sure of their requirements.

2. How large of a tent should I rent? - Depending on the number of guests and how you'd like to use the space, different tent sizes can accomplish different atmospheres. For a good guide of spacing requirements, please see the seating arrangement page on our website at http://www.oneiltents.com/pages/seating.aspx.

*** It is important to keep in mind that depending on the size of your space, you need to allow some extra room on the perimeter for stakes to be driven to secure the tent. For example, if you have a 20x20 space, we may be able to only set up a 15x15 tent when allowing for the stake line along the perimeter.

3. Can I cook or grill under the tent? - ABSOLUTELY NOT. According to the 2009 International Fire Code,     Outdoor cooking shall not be located within 20 feet of tents. (2404.15.6)

4. Should I rent a pole tent or a frame tent? - Depends. Pole tents are generally less expensive than frame tents but there are certain benefits for each. A pole tent is great if you don't mind center poles partially obstructing your event space. Also, pole tents MUST be staked into the ground for proper set up. Frame tents offer no obstruction throughout the event space and do not have to be staked. Frame tents can be secured using water barrels or concrete ballasts. Depending on your situation one may be a better option than the other.

5. Do I need to rent lighting? - Depending on the time of day for your event, the answer may be no. Of course night time events should be properly lit for the safety of your guests. However, if its a daytime event, odds are you probably don't need to rent additional lighting. If you're looking to add a little flare to your tent, string lights and Christmas lights always look nice.

6. How soon should I be placing my order? We would recommend placing your order as soon as possible. Placing your order early guarantees that our full inventory selection will be available for you to choose from. As we get closer and closer to the event date, supplies go quickly. Also keep in mind that all orders for linens must be placed at a minimum of two weeks ahead of time.

I hope this guide is helpful. If you aren't sure about the size of the space you have available, please call our office at 614-837-6352 and we can schedule a time for one of our representatives to give you a free on site consultation.

3

Off to the Races!

This past weekend, Churchill Downs hosted one of the oldest and most repected thoroughbred horse races in the world, the Kentucky Derby. People from all around the world flock to Louisville, Kentucky to witness the "fastest 2 minutes in sports". For those of us who couldn't make the trip to Churchill downs, there were several opportunities to view the races elsewhere. However, if you wanted to view the race in style, you were at Beulah Park in Grove City, Ohio.


Beulah Park is Ohio's first thoroughbred racing track, built in 1923. It was also the first track in Ohio to offer simulcast wagering on the Kentucky Derby. Each year Beulah Park hosts a derby party as a celebration for the end of their racing season. O'Neil Tents erects a 25 meter wide by 35 meter long clearspan structure right next to the track as a hospitality area for VIP's. O'Neil provides a tent for the buffet line attached to the main structure as well as the tables and chairs for patrons.

To make the experience one to remember, Beulah Park puts its VIP's right next to the track. Being 20 feet away from a thoroughbred horse as it races past you to the finish is an experience like any other. Rain or shine, Beulah wanted their patrons to be a part of that thrilling moment. O'Neil used clear wall for the side panels to keep everyone on top of the action. Luckily, the weather held off during the races and Beulah was able to unfasten the panels, creating open area between the structure and the track.

Whether their bets were winners or losers, everyone at Beulah park was treated to a one of a kind day of fun. Check out some more of our pictures from the day on our Facebook fan page by clicking here: Derby Pictures

Columbus, Ohio ...

Columbus Ohio has many reasons to celebrate. Columbus is consistently ranked by major publications as one of the top cities to live, learn, or let your hair down in. The city is among the nations most diverse in terms of urban, suburban and rural residences. Its citizens work in diverse markets balanced between manufacturing and service industries. Columbus is a center of higher education. Schools range from the very large like The Ohio State University, the nations largest public university with an enrollment of over 60,000, to Ohio Dominican University, a smaller school with 3,100 students, but still an integral part of the community. Columbus does a fantastic job of helping its citizens enjoy their down time with a thriving downtown nightlife, professional sports teams, or with festivals and fairs. Columbus has many reasons to celebrate. That's why O'Neil Tents & Party Supplies is proud to serve the party rental needs of Columbus, Ohio whether it be where the people live, learn or play.

O'Neil Tents & Party Supplies made our name a long time ago by providing the best tent rentals in the state of Ohio. Several years ago, we set up tents for county fairs or local festivals exclusively. We were the best at showing up to an empty field, setting up tents, tables and chairs and turning it into a festival by the end of day. We still are the best, as evidence by our work with the Dublin Irish Festival, the Asian Festival, and the Ohio State Fair. Around 1960 though, our focus started to expand.

Columbus Ohio needed party equipment for their residential and corporate events. Doing what any good business does, we satisfied the need demanded by our market. Our inventory expanded to include tents that were more suitable for the Morgan's wedding as well as MOPAR Nationals race course. We added specialty items like linens, dish and barware rentals to accompany our tent, table and chair rentals. The combination of our developed skill in tenting and growing specialty items made O'Neil a great fit for corporate events and universities alike.

Regardless of job size, O'Neil recognizes that our results must be exceptional. We deliver the same results for large Ohio State University tailgate parties as we do for back yard graduation parties. The reason for this is simple: Our goal is to give you the best event experience possible. Because the Columbus market is diverse in its needs, O'Neil has made our inventory equally as flexible. Our inventory can be as big or small, elaborate or simple as our customers need it to be.

When you go out and see our tents or event rentals, whether its in the Arena District, the Short North, the Campus Area, or its to your local Festival or Fair, you can be comfortable knowing that over 100 years of knowledge and experience went into that event. O'Neil Tents has grown with the City of Columbus over the years and we have been happy to help it celebrate its many occassions large or small.