Camelot Special Events

STEMWARE: Plastic or Glass? - Rent or Buy?

2010-12-13T09:47:00.000-08:00

Pin It Usually, the thought process involves whether to buy glass stemware, or save money and buy disposable plastic stemware. Renting Stemware (as an option) may not even be considered. As it turns out, the cost of renting glass stemware, such as the Champagne Flute is actually LESS than buying disposable plastic (at less than 50 cents each, how can you go wrong?), and you can have it delivered right to your door!

Don’t get me wrong, plastic disposable stemware can be useful on trips and vacations as well as pool-side (glass is no fun when it breaks there). It is sold as two-pieces, stores compactly and can be thrown away, so it does not matter if it gets broken. But, for your local parties and events, it does not make sense. If you decide to go this route anyway, make sure to buy more than you think you need. Your guests will throw them out and get a new one for their next drink because they know they are disposable.

Disposable Plastic stemware must be assembled, and when you are holding your plastic champagne flute, the bottom can fall off. This means you cannot put your glass down, which may be OK, if you really like champagne, but poses a problem when you need both your hands to hold your plate and get more of those delicious New Years Eve appetizers.

CHEERS !

The feel of a glass champagne flute, with the heavier weight in your hand and thicker rim when you sip makes a difference in your enjoyment of the New Years toast. Think back to the last time you picked up a piece of disposable plastic stemware. Did you get a feeling of high expectation about the beverage and the event? When you “clink” glasses, does it ring with that festive sound? or sound more like a dull “clunk”?

You could buy the stemware for a New Years Eve party or other important event. If the money is not a problem, storage space may be. Storing different pieces of stemware would require plenty of cabinet space that could otherwise be used for kitchen appliances and food items. Renting the specific stemware and glassware needed for a particular party or event is a great space-saving tactic for your home or event venue. It also saves you from having to wash, dry and buff them - before (because of “storage dust”) - and after events.

So, be greener by keeping that disposable plastic stemware out of land fills (not everyone recycles - especially after a New Years Party). Save money (another kind of being green): with the less costly stemware rental, not to mention the water/sewer, electricity, and dishwasher soap expenses. And - Save time from the chore of glassware cleaning - just dump the liquid in the sink and put the stemware back in the glass rack - your party/event rental company will pick them up and wash & buff them to make them ready for the next time you need them. Just think of all the storage space you will gain !

Mark Saponaro Email me camelotspecialevents.com

Don't “Skirt” the Subject When Planning Your Event

2010-11-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

Table covers make any table look better – Table Skirting brings it up a notch by dressing your table to the ”nines” and giving it more depth.

While over-size table linen can be used in place of skirting on rectangular tables, it has more of a two-dimensional hard look to it. A nice “shirred” skirt hangs better with more of a three-dimensional look, the folds softening the appearance.

Do not overlook linen skirting when planning your event. Using table skirting on the appropriate tables can really help set the mood you are trying to create. If you have a formal event, make sure to skirt the food service and display tables. Choose a color that says “Black Tie”.

For a corporate branding event, table skirt colors should be chosen that match the corporate logo (red for Verizon, green for Citizen's Bank, etc). If there is enough lead time prior to your event, order some custom table skirts with the company logo emblazoned on them. These can be “sprinkled” throughout the venue for a subtle message.

Make a fun event more whimsical by adding lighting on top of or behind the table skirting to illuminate it. Tiny clear Christmas lights work great and pick up whatever color skirting you are using. The head table at a wedding can look really great by adding this lighting feature.

A panel discussion on a stage where the participants are seated at a table definitely calls for table skirting. It acts as a modesty panel and hides microphone wires nicely. It also lends a professional look to the group and can tie in with the stage skirting or drape backdrop colors.

Expos (or trade shows) have vendor areas that may be defined with Pipe & Drape, or they may use the “table-top” method without booth drape. Whatever type of expo design is used, the table should always have a table skirt (and table cover). The skirt and cover are what makes the expo show look more cohesive. You are essentially branding all the vendors under your expo “umbrella”. Without the common skirt color to tie all the booths in with the show, especially if there is no expo pipe & drape used, the show ends up looking disconnected – with some vendors set up on a bare folding table and no uniformity throughout the show.

Set your event standards high and use table skirting to help get you there.

Mark Saponaro Email me camelotspecialevents.com

Frame Tents, Pole Tents, and Frame Tents

2010-09-11T06:14:00.000-07:00

WHAT ARE FRAME TENTS ?

Commercial grade Frame Tents have pipes or beams that are joined together with steel fittings to create a frame that holds up the tent top fabric. A frame tent will essentially stand up without any tie-downs or stakes – that is, until the wind blows. Safety dictates anchoring all frame tents to the ground with stakes or some kind of extremely heavy weight at each upright (or leg).

Because of their weight and design, commercial grade frame tents must be installed by trained tent installers with special installation tools.

NOT ALL FRAME TENTS ARE ALIKE

Traditional Frame Tents:
Traditional frame tent designs require the installers to put the roof framing together first and then attach the tent top fabric to it. The frame and top are then lifted into position with special jacks, and the legs along with bracing are connected to the roof frame. Finally, the frame tent is staked to the ground around its perimeter.

Wind can be a issue during the critical installation and removal phases, so the installers have to pay special attention to the weather, prevailing wind, and tent location to avoid any problems. Special precautions have to be taken at these critical times to ensure safety.

Integrated Frame Tents: (see photo above)
A new type of frame tent requires the installers to construct the entire frame first and stake it to the ground. The tent top fabric is then pulled through channels in the frame to attach it. The tent top and frame are interlocked as each panel of fabric is installed. The top becomes integrated with the frame in this design.

There is no way for the frame and top fabric to be caught by the wind during installation and removal with this type of frame tent as the frame is always staked to the ground.

Should there be a storm forecast with high winds, requiring the tent to be taken down, only the top fabric has to be removed. Having the ability to leave the frame up saves hours of time. This is an extremely important benefit when the re-install has to be done on the same day as the event. Traditional frame tents would have to be taken down entirely.

This integrated frame tent is also a more formidable structure than traditional frame tents (especially in 30 or 40 foot wide sizes). The frame consists of beams, rather than pipes, and has far fewer pieces. This means there are fewer legs, rafters, braces, and pins. This makes for a clean uncluttered looking tent. It is also a much quieter tent, because it has fewer parts to bang and jangle in a moderate wind. The design of this tent is such that once it is staked, it hardly moves at all in a wind. It will also take a snow load that would crumple traditional frame tents making it an ideal tent for winter installations.

FRAME TENTS VS. POLE TENTS

Frame tents can be installed on surfaces that pole tents cannot. A brand new parking lot might not be the best place to bang stakes in – water barrel weights can easily be used to hold frame tents from moving around. In situations where there is some stake-able surface and some non-stake-able surfaces, water barrels and stakes can be mixed.

On sites where there is not a lot of room, frame tents can literally be placed right next to buildings or obstructions.

Pole tents need to be staked out away from the perimeter of the tent so the guy lines have enough resistance to hold them up. This effectively increases the space required for pole tents by about twelve feet in both directions. A 40 x 40 pole tent would need 52 x 52 feet to allow for staking. A 40 x 40 frame tent would need much less – maybe 45 x 45 – because you need a little extra room to build the frame and then lift it into position. (Note: a traditional frame tent (TFT) needs more room than an integrated frame tent (IFT) because the TFT roof is built on the ground and when it is lifted to put the legs on, they stick out diagonally making it wider. The IFT is built in place with the legs and rafters all attached.)

Frame tents are clear span tents that do not have any supporting center poles. You can put any furniture and other equipment anywhere you please. A dance floor can go exactly in the center of the tent. Pole tents may have a center pole in the spot you want to put something.

Pole tents can be much nicer looking than frame tents. By the nature of how they are constructed, frame tents tent to be rectangular. Some types of pole tents have high vaulted ceilings (high peak style) and are preferred for events such as weddings.

Pricing on frame tents is higher than pole tents because of all the extra labor involved in carrying and assembling the frame. A typical 40 x 40 frame tent may have 18 rafters, 16 eave/ridge beams, 14 legs, 14 leg stakes, 16 cross cables, and the tent top. While a 40 x 40 pole tent has one center pole, 16 side poles, and the top. Both tents have additional stakes & tie-downs to secure it to the ground.

Mark Saponaro Email me camelotspecialevents.com

Chair Layout Part 2 - Installing Chairs

2010-03-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Setting up the chairs:

Typical rental chairs are 1 ½ feet wide by 1 ½ feet long. A chair row plus a walking aisle between the chair rows should be a minimum of three feet. This will allow a 1 ½ foot walking aisle. Any less than this and it becomes difficult for your guests to move in and out of the rows of seats (especially with other guests seated). Any more than this and the seating in the room will not be maximized – even a one inch increase in the walking aisle will decrease your room's capacity by one or two rows (this is 60 to 120 chairs less in a room with four blocks of chairs that are 15 seats wide each).

Supervisor's Responsibility:

Once you have a drawing to work from and a crew to help, you are ready to start the chair installation. Find the center of the room and measure out a center aisle (a 6 foot aisle is a typical size). If you have a large procession (more than 2 abreast) moving up the center aisle, you may need a wider aisle.

Start at the front of the room and tape two strings on the floor (Gaffer's tape is the best to use because it holds well and releases without leaving behind adhesive) to show where the left and right sides of the center aisle will be. Your set-up crew will use these guide strings to keep the chairs straight and the aisle a consistent width. Lay another string down across the front of the room showing where the first row of chairs will start. Many event venues will stipulate minimum aisle widths to comply with local fire codes (or their organization's safety office recommendations). These must be adhered to as the installation progresses, and the guide strings will keep your crew on track.

Lay out the first row of chairs to the left and right of the center aisle. This will show you where the next aisle string should be placed. Then just measure six feet over from that string and place your second aisle string. You will now have 3 aisles laid out. Continue with this process until you have the entire front of the room laid out. Now there is plenty of work for your crew.

The best way to lay chairs out in a perfectly straight row is by using a string. When the row string is pulled tight between two weights it always forms a straight line. A brick works well as a weight, but any weight will do - we have used chrome stanchions and even folding chairs. It is a good idea to make your crew (and anyone else in the space) aware of the strings so they will not get kicked loose.

Measure from the back leg of the chair in the previous row 3 feet to where the next row will be placed. This measurement is taken at the far left and right of the chair row to be set up. A string is then run the entire length of the chairs and wrapped around a heavy weighted object (such as a brick). The string should be pulled tight and placed at the three-foot measurements taken.

Crew's Responsibility:

Once the row string is in place, the crew can begin placing the chairs in front of the string with the back feet of the chairs almost touching the string. The feet cannot touch the row string or the whole line of chairs will be off. Any time a chair touches any layout string it will be pushed out of alignment, so watch your crew to make sure. When the chairs are placed at the aisles, they should not be over the aisle strings. Once the row is complete along the entire length of string, it is an easy matter to move the weights and string back three feet to be ready for the next row of chairs.

HINT: Instead of having to measure each row with a ruler, two pieces of wood can be cut to three feet (one for each person measuring). The wood should be placed against the back foot of the previously completed row. Then the string with weights should be moved just behind the wood to prepare it for the new row.

Pull the string tight to make sure it is straight. The person measuring should take care not to move the previously placed chair. Even if the chair were moved only a quarter inch – the row of chairs would be off by an inch after four rows were set up, then two inches after eight rows, and so on...

Install chairs faster:

Setting up chairs is not “rocket science”, however, there are procedures that can be used to minimize wasting time. This will benefit you by allowing you to finish setting up when the installation time allotted is small. It will also save money on labor when you are paying a crew to set up chairs.

All chairs to be set up should be on “dollies” (4 wheeled carts). It will then be an easy matter to roll large amounts of chairs into a room in a short amount of time. As installation progresses from one row to the next, the dolly with chairs can be easily moved along.

While your crew is setting up, they should keep the chair dolly close to them at all times. This will cut down on unnecessary walking and allow them to set the chairs up faster with less effort.

Watch your crew as they work and offer suggestions to minimize unnecessary movements. They will appreciate you making their job easier and you will be building a better crew. After a while, you may be able to delegate one of your responsibilities to a high performing installer, such as laying out the guide strings. They may then become a trainer for new chair installers.

How many people are needed to install chairs?

Figure on an inexperienced chair installer setting up about 100 chairs per hour (this includes moving dollies around to get them positioned for set-up). If you have to set up 1000 chairs, it will take 10 people one hour (or 5 people 2 hours). The numbers above assume the chairs are in the room at the time of set-up and the crew is run by an experienced supervisor (who also lays out the strings).

The less experienced the crew (or supervisor), the more time or installers are needed to complete the chair set-up. Always have more people than you need – it is better to finish early. Having extra crew available will also be extremely helpful when someone calls out sick at the last minute.

After working with the same crew for several jobs, you will be better able to better estimate set-up times with them. They should also get faster with experience.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Chair Layout Part 1 - How To Design A Layout To Fit Your Event Space

2010-03-16T17:14:00.000-07:00

Designing an Optimal Chair Layout:

The most important part of the chair layout is not the chairs themselves - it is the aisles. If the aisles are not planned properly, your guests will spend a lot of time waiting to get into their seats, delaying the start of the performance. Safety is always important, so the access aisles should also allow your guests to get out of the room quickly.

Row Aisles:

When planning the layout for an audience, it is important to allow enough room between rows of chairs for guests to enter and exit the rows before and after a lecture or performance. The absolute minimum is eighteen inches. Any less than this and you could have major problems with moving the audience in and out of the space in a timely fashion. The amount of chairs in the row should be no more than fifteen. Your guests in the center of the row will then have to walk only ten or twelve feet to get out of the row.

Middle Aisles: Center Aisles, Side Aisles & Lateral Aisles

The other place to pay attention to aisle space is between blocks of chairs. This can depend on where the exit doors are in a building. You want to construct a straight line with the access aisles (between the blocks of chairs) and the exit doors to facilitate traffic flow.

Perimeter Aisles:

If you cannot line the middle aisles up with the exit doors, the perimeter aisles that allow access to the exit doors should be wider than the middle aisles that run between the blocks of chairs. The maximum size aisle here is figured by adding the widths of all the exits together that the particular aisle leads to. The aisle width should not exceed this. This will allow for a constant flow of people out of the room because it will minimize in-room bottlenecks.

Ample space should be left in the front perimeter aisle (where a stage would normally be located). this aisle width can vary from four to twelve feet, depending on the size of your audience, audio/video/lighting placement, decorations, and security requirements.

Figuring out how many chairs you can fit in a room:

The general rule of thumb for standard chair installations is eight square feet per chair. For example, an 800 square foot room (or a 20 x 40 Tent) should fit 100 chairs – this includes aisle spacing. Anything else that needs to be in the room will reduce the chair count, so any stages, audio/video, band, registration tables, or anything that takes up floor space will have to be figured for square footage and then subtracted from the room's total square feet before figuring the amount of seats that will fit.

The rule of thumb assumes chairs will be set up in rectangular blocks that are parallel to the rectangular room. If the chair layout is diagonal to the room's walls, as much as 20% loss of chair capacity can result. So, to maximize room capacity, keep all the chairs going in the same direction as the walls (in a standard rectangular room).

Have a professional figure it out for you. Many rental companies can put together a CAD drawing for you. If you are renting your event equipment, have your rental company visit your site and measure it out. They will then use those measurements to make a drawing on their computer that can be faxed or emailed to you. Most companies provide this service for no charge if you are a client.

Mark Saponaro Email me

camelotspecialevents.com

USING A PODIUM FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING

2010-02-25T07:02:00.000-08:00

Podiums are a necessity for any meeting or presentation. Once the audience count gets above a dozen or so people, it gets very difficult to hear. To capture their undivided attention, you have to have a booming voice, or lacking that, a podium with sound system to create that effect.

A podium with built in sound can help you gain instant authority. The mere act of walking up to the podium identifies you as the speaker and will let your audience know the speech is about to start.

Use your podium to hold notes that mark the important points you want to make in your speech. Checking your notes for the next point to be made while you are finishing up your previous point will keep you on track.

Hiring an audio crew to come in and set up an expansive system with onsite tech to run the complicated equipment is one way to go – and some events require it. But, there is no better way to cut your audio budget than by renting a Podium with sound that you can operate yourself.

A podium with built in sound is compact and takes very little time set up. Just plug it in, turn it on and you are ready to go – great for meetings where there is little advance notice.

Some Speaking tips while at the Podium:

Do not lean on the Podium or slouch on it or around it. Your voice quality will suffer.

By standing up straight, you will allow your voice to project clearly and be better understood.

Don’t rock back and forth with the podium or prop you feet on the podium's base. These are distracting movements that will take the audience’s attention off your speech’s subject matter.

If you are losing your audience’s attention, move around, and away from the podium from time to time. Use hand and arm gestures to make your points. Movements get people to look at you and hear what you are saying. If you find yourself gripping the sides of the podium, the microphone, or your notes - let them go so your hands will be free to make your “1000 points of light” gesture.

Engage your audience by looking them in the eye and connecting with them as you talk.

Other Public Speaking Tips (excerpt from HR.com)

There are many misconceptions about how to speak effectively to an audience. People look for formulas and rules to follow with the belief that public speaking is a mechanical process. It''s not; it''s a human process. Other people think they could never become a public speaker-they just have no talent. While exceptional speakers usually do have a real talent for it, this doesn''t mean that we all can''t give a speech that will engage our audience and be a personally rewarding experience at the same time. A good book to help overcome the fear of public speaking is: In The SpotLight, Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking and Performing

The more you hold onto old-and often misguided-beliefs about public speaking, the less effective you''ll be on the platform. You must go in with an open mind and, in some cases, work to change your thinking about giving presentations.

With that in mind, here are nine of the most common myths about public speaking-along with some food for thought to help you dispel the myths in your own mind.

1. I''m not a public speaker. Wrong. Everyone is a public speaker. Every time you speak at a staff meeting, you''re speaking in public. Anytime you stand up and introduce yourself at an association meeting, you''re giving a presentation. The waiter who recites the specials of the day is presenting. When you complain to the customer service department or go on a job interview, you''re presenting yourself.

Reality: We all speak in public. Public speaking goes far beyond standing on a stage in front of 100 people. We''re presenting ourselves all the time. In fact, life is one big presentation.

2. Don''t speak with your hands. This myth surfaces in many of my presentation skills seminars. One person confided that her father had told her never to talk with her hands. His experience was that people would think she was an immigrant. Think about yourself in a one-to-one conversation. We all talk with our hands. We''re just not conscious of it.

Reality: Expressive, dynamic speakers use their hands. Speakers who don''t use any hand movement appear stiff. So let your hands speak for themselves!

3. Look over the heads of the audience. Another variation on this myth is to stare at a spot on the wall instead of looking at your audience. You may have heard that these strategies will reduce your nervousness when presenting. But either technique will only increase your nervousness. You''ll quickly begin to feel alienated from your audience. Would you meet a person face to face and stare over that person''s head?

Reality: Look directly at key individuals. We connect with each other through our eyes. Effective speakers look at a few people, one at a time. This creates a relationship, and it''s less scary giving your message to each person than to a large crowd.

4. Memorize your speech. Memorizing your presentation word for word increases your nervousness. What happens if you blank out and forget a word? You''ll have to quickly skim your text or tolerate long, embarrassing silences.

Reality: It''s more effective to memorize concepts, not words. If you forget a word, you can make your point another way or go on to a new point. Your audience will not know the difference. When possible, avoid using manuscripts. Notes and outlines will better help you to stay on track.

5 Stand in one place. While you don''t want to pace all over the platform, you don''t have to make yourself a human totem pole. Some speakers think that they have to retreat behind a lectern, like a turtle hides inside its shell.

Reality: Purposeful movement can be dynamic. Watch some of the top motivational speakers, like Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, and Les Brown. They work the crowd. They move across the platform. By doing this, you''ll increase the energy in the audience.

6. Cover all your points in your speech. Most speakers buy into this myth. They have so much to give the audience that they cram all the information into the allotted time. The result: information overload for the audience members.

Reality: Consider the time frame and modify your talk. Give three major points instead of six. Condense your examples. Tell shorter stories. People will be more likely to remember your speech if you take this approach instead of trying to squeeze too much into too short a window of time.

7. Start with a joke. While humor is important, it''s different from comedy. If you''re not a ''natural'' at telling jokes, you might alienate the audience. Even if you''re good at telling jokes, you almost always risk offending or perhaps confusing someone.

Reality: Don''t do it. You don''t have to be funny to be effective. Use humor or irony instead of telling a joke. Or, simply start with a story or a quote. Throw away the jokes. More often than not, they backfire.

8. Shut the lights off to show slides. Many presenters blacken the room when presenting with overheads or slides. They believe this will increase visual clarity and command attention.

Reality: In total darkness, your audience members will fall asleep. And they''ll be startled when you turn the lights back on. Use a dimmer instead. Give people enough light to see the slides, and be sure you can see their faces as well.

9. You shouldn''t be nervous. Says who? Most people come to presentation skills seminars because they want to eliminate nervousness.

Reality: you can control and manage your nervousness, but you can''t eliminate it. For most of us, the fear of making presentations never really goes away. Even the top speakers get nervous. But some nervous energy is good for you. It keeps you dynamic. The goal is to channel your nervous energy into a positive performance.

For more information on public speaking you may want to check out this book: Public Speaking (8th Edition)

HOW TO USE A PODIUM:

Position the Podium with speaker grill facing the audience.

Make sure nothing is obstructing the speakers such as signs, nameplates, and decorations or sound quality and range will be adversely affected.
Plug podium into a three prong grounded AC outlet with 115 Volts (60Hz). If no AC power is present, DC power will automatically be enabled (Battery indicator light will illuminate red).

The hole inside the base of the podium is designed to run the power cable and other feed cables through. The podium’s power cable when routed through the hole extends approximately three feet from the podium – a three prong grounded extension cord long enough to reach the power source will be required in most cases.
Adjust podium microphone and flexible arm to a position 6 to 8 inches away and pointing slightly below your mouth for best sound pick-up.

Turn all control knobs to the left at the control panel near the podium microphone. Do not turn power on until all knobs are set to LO.

Turn the power switch on. Amplifier light will glow red.

Turn microphone pre-amp volume knob clockwise (located on control panel closest to microphone) to the 1:00 position.

Then slowly turn the Master volume knob clockwise while speaking into the microphone. Adjust the sound where you want it. If you hear a ringing or feedback, turn the master sound knob down until it goes away. Note: Auxiliary microphone and auxiliary input: pre-amp volume knobs work the same as above and should be individually tested for sound quality.

Reading light switch is just above the control panel in the center of the podium. Push in once for on and again for off. Light operates off AC power only – the battery powers only the amplifier.

Turn podium amplifier off when not in use. Note: keeping the power on unnecessarily while powered by battery will drain the battery’s power. Unplug your rental podium when not in use.

Other Info:

Podium is rated at 60 Watts.

Podium microphone is a unidirectional cardioid, electret type.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

How To Install Pipe & Drape and Save Money

2009-11-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

As with many types of event rental equipment, eliminating labor will save you money.

Pipe & Drape is often installed at event venues that host back-to-back events. This means installing pipe & drape the day before your event may not be allowed. To save the labor costs involved in after-hour installation and removal of pipe & drape - consider installing it yourself.

The rental company can deliver the Pipe & Drape to the storage area of the venue. You would then move the pipe and drape equipment into the room, set it up, and return it to the storage area after the event.

Depending on the amount of Pipe & Drape involved, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars in labor fees.

How Much Pipe & Drape Do I Need?

The hardest part of pipe & drape is figuring out how much you need. The event coordinator typically does this.

The event coordinator is the one who will make the entire pipe & drape project work.

They will go over to the site and measure the length of the floor where the pipe & drape will be installed. Doorways that have to remain accessible will be included in those measurements (making note of how the door swings to prevent accidents).

The ceiling height will also be measured to make sure it is higher than 8 feet everywhere the pipe & drape will be used.

A hand drawn sketch of the room should be completed before leaving the site to ensure all pipe & drape measurements are correct. By laying a measuring tape on the floor where drape will be installed, it is an easy matter to transfer those numbers to your sketch.

Removable tape can be used as a guide to show where drape walls stop and start while you are getting measurements. This way, if there are any questions about a particular measurement, it is an easy matter to go back and check.

When you are done, the sketch should show how many uprights you will need along with how many drape supports. This will be your ordering list. It will also be your layout guide for installation.

At some venues wind can be an issue. Loading doors, when opened could allow wind to blow down the drape causing property damage and personal injury. While visiting the site look at where the outside doors are and open them. Talk to the site manager to find out if wind is ever an issue. If it is you will need to have either larger bases or weights for the pipe & drape bases.

Installing Pipe & Drape:
Standard pipe and drape layouts use eight-foot high drape. The four components needed are:

1) Aluminum 8’ uprights
2) Steel 8’ bases
3) Adjustable aluminum horizontal drape supports (can be made 6’ to 10’ long)
4) Drape panels (three panels per support).

The installation process is fairly simple, it includes:

Screwing the upright into the base
Laying out the Pipe & Drape
Threading the drape panels onto the drape support.
Hanging the drape support (with 3 drape panels) between the uprights.

The actual installation process goes much quicker if more than one person helps. On layouts of ten sections of pipe & drape or more, three or four helpers can make the job much easier.

Screwing the upright into the base:
One person can screw the uprights into the bases and place them roughly where they should go (a helper can assist placing them). Take care not to “cross thread” the upright by holding it perfectly straight up when screwing it into the base.

After the upright engages the threaded base properly, rock it gently back and forth while screwing it in to make sure it is completely screwed in. This will keep the upright from wobbling in the base.

There are normally two holes in the base to screw an upright into. If you always use the center hole you will never be wrong. The center hole gives the best support to the upright wherever it is standing.

When handling these long uprights, care should be taken not to hit chandeliers, walls, ceilings, and decorations (or people hanging them).

Laying out the pipe & drape line:
The second person would space out the uprights every 10 feet the using one of the drape supports extended out to ten feet long (the second button position).

While laying out your uprights, look at how far it is to the end of that drape line or the corner of the room. You probably will not be able to fit ten foot drape supports across the entire room. If the room’s wall is, say 16 feet, you could use a 6’ and a 10’ drape support to make this up. However, it would look more uniform if two 8’ drape supports were used instead.

Keep an eye out for light fixtures along the wall – you will have to create your drape wall away from them – and you do not want to hit them with the pipes unless you have figured breakage into your budget.

Also watch for low ceiling areas (typical to some hotels) – if you cannot stand the 8’ high upright with base under the low ceiling, then you will have to end that drape line and start another just after the low ceiling. This is an excellent reason to order several extra uprights and bases – even after a pre-event visit to the venue – it is possible to miss something. Each new drape line created needs another upright & base – an unexpected separate drape line will leave you short on uprights.

The drape support you use to space out the uprights is six feet when fully closed. As you slide the support open there is a button that will click into the first hole at eight feet. To get it to ten feet you will have to press the button in while extending the support further. The button will then click into the second hole at the ten foot position.

Threading the drape panels:
The third person would be sliding three drape panels on each drape support (extended out to 10’) preparing them for hanging.

The drape panels have a pocket sewn at the top of the drape – the drape support slides inside it. Try to face the hems of the sewn pockets to the same side so they can be installed away from the view of guests attending the event.

Space the drape panels evenly across the drape support so the drape folds will look uniform. This will avoid the drape looking smooth is some areas and “bunched up” in others.

It is a good idea to create a “drape threading” station (or stations) with two eight foot tables spaced about eight feet apart. This will keep the drape from getting soiled on the floor and will allow the drape hanger handy access to them.

Hanging the drape:
The fourth person should be a basketball player – this way they can hang the drape at the eight-foot height without a problem. If you are not lucky enough to have this taller person handy, you will need a stepladder (or chair) to hang the drape with.

Each of the uprights has four slots at the top (at positions 12, 3, 6, and nine on a clock). These slots allow you to run the pipe & drape either in a straight line or at a ninety-degree angle to accommodate the corners of a room. The drape support has a hook that hooks into this slot and prevents it from sliding out of the upright. Make sure the hook is pointing down when you hang the drape support or it will fall out.

Adjust the length of the drape support to match the uprights previously spaced out before attempting installation. Just hold the drape support next to the uprights you will be installing it in and depress the button on the support while sliding it smaller. When you reach the correct width – hang it up.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Host a wine tasting

2009-11-04T07:43:00.000-08:00

Pin It The next time you are planning a get together with friends, consider a wine tasting. It will add some variety to your social gatherings and can be coupled up with a dinner party.

Start by selecting a date to invite your guests over. Use email to simplify the process of figuring out when everyone’s schedules are clear. In your email you might ask for suggestions on what types of wine your guests like or might want to try.

There are two great ways to set up the wine selections:

The first is called a vertical wine tasting. Select different years of the same type of wine by the same maker. For example If “Barefoot” Merlot is the wine you select, then 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 might be the years. This is a very good method to find out which year’s wines you like from a particular maker. Afterwards, you can stick with buying that year for your regular “wine with dinner” or make it a point to bring a bottle of it to the next dinner party.

The second way to arrange the wine selection is called horizontal. You would use the same year and type of wine with different makers. Maybe a 2006 Merlot from: Yellowtail, Sutter Home, Kendall-Jackson, Robert Mondavi, Barefoot, “2 Buck Chuck”, and Woodbridge could be the makers chosen. This type of tasting is bound to give you an abundance of different tastes, since the grapes are grown in different regions.

A twist on the methods above is to have a mystery tasting where all the wine bottles are covered and your guests try to guess the wine maker (label), the year, and how much the bottle costs – “Charles Shaw, 2006, for $2.00”.

Aficionados can be more daring and host a wine tasting which spans from white to red, but when hosting a tasting of this sort, you must follow a particular order:

Taste the white first: with different whites, taste the dry first and then progressively sweeter wines.

When tasting both red and white, the red should be tasted after the white is done. Then taste the light reds first, moving on to progressively more full-bodied reds.

How many bottles of wine do you need?

That depends on how many guests you are entertaining. There are 12 two-ounce “tastes” per bottle, so 12 guests can taste from one bottle – if you have 24 guests, you will need two bottles of each type of wine to allow everyone a taste. To go one step further, if you taste eight different wines with 24 people, you will need sixteen bottles of wine (two of each kind).

Practice with a measuring cup pouring 2-ounce portions of water in a wine glass to find out how high to fill for the tasting. Wine glasses should be identical to make pouring the correct amount easier.

Your guests can bring wine to the tasting to help spread the cost. Put the names of the wines you have selected in a hat and draw them to decide who will bring each wine. You may want to put a dollar limit on the wine selection to make it as fair as possible (under $20, for example).

What you will need:

Enough bottles of wine for everyone to taste (see above).
Wine bottle covers. Each bottle’s label should be covered so nobody will be influenced by the name. Heavy construction paper taped around the bottle (top and bottom to avoid slipping and a mess) with a number printed (or written) on it will allow everyone to properly identify “wine bottle #6” when rating the wines.
One 8 ½oz wine glass per guest - or one per guest per type of wine to avoid having to rinse and wipe glasses between different wines (6 tasters and 6 wines would mean 36 glasses).
A dump bucket (or bowl) for leftover wine.
Water glasses and a pitcher of filtered water or bottled water (to avoid tap water chlorine taste tainting the wine flavor).
Plain bread and/or crackers to cleanse the palate between different wines.
Light food and appetizers for before and after the tasting.

A stack of wine tasting scoring cards for each wine (enough for every guest).

The wines should be arranged in the order you will taste them especially if you are hosting a more daring red/white style tasting (tasting a sweet wine and then a dry will not be the most pleasant of experiences).

The Process:
If you have a small group of guests there should be plenty of time to taste each wine and then discuss it. With larger groups, you will have to forego discussion in order to finish the tasting.

For discussions, everyone should be aware of some terms used to characterize wines. Use the five S’s in the order they are listed -- See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Savor:

- See: “Clarity” is how clear the wine looks (not cloudy). The tasting table should be covered in bright white linen so the glass of wine can be viewed against the white background.

- Swirl: An 8 ½oz wine glass allows enough room for swirling without spilling. “Legs” are the strands of wine that cling to the sides of the glass while slowly dripping down after the swirl. More legs mean sweeter wine (the sugar makes it thicker).

- Sniff: The “Nose” is what the wine smells like (its bouquet). Swirl the wine in the glass before smelling it to release the aroma.

- Sip: Tasting the wine will let you know if it is “dry” or “sweet”, and if you have a wine taster’s palate will yield essences of maybe cherry, or chocolate, or a variety of different tastes. Most people can detect maybe 3 or 4. To try for more, suck air through the wine, then spit it out (or not) and allow the vapors to travel up your nasal passage where more tastes may be found.

- Savor: The “Finish” is how long the flavor of the wine lasts after you swallow it.

Every taster should have a pencil (with eraser) and a preprinted sheet listing different wine qualities they can check off with an area for comments.

The Winner:
The best wine will be the one that scored the highest when averaged across all tasters.

If your guests all bring a bottle of wine to the tasting, and their bottle wins, they can get a prize such as a set of Wine Charms, for example.

After having your wine tasting, you may want to make it an annual event - "The Second Annual Fall Wine Tasting" - it can be a simple event or as complex as you like. Use the information above as a guide and tailor your winetasting event to your "tastes".

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Fundraising With Raffles!

2009-10-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

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 the most important element of a fundraiser raffle. The more expensive the grand prize, the more investment you have to overcome before making a profit. Don’t attempt a raffle half-heartedly.

Issue a press release and make sure it reaches the appropriate people at local media outlets such as newspapers, radio stations and local television.

Also get the word out through your newsletter and website as far in advance as possible. Try to build excitement and anticipation with your group’s members for the prizes to be offered. They in turn can use word of mouth at their work, the store, or wherever they happen to be to drum up interest and ticket purchases.

Assign ticket sales, poster hanging, newsletter writing, web site notices, and all other tasks you deem necessary to as many people as possible. Keep the most critical, widest reaching promotional tasks for yourself (eg: Cable TV announcement). One or two people cannot handle everything. You will reach a much larger number of raffle ticket buyers by including as many people as possible. Ticket sales are everyone’s responsibility!

Do the math: Have one of your volunteers work up some projected earnings based on different levels of ticket purchases. Use these to figure out what your organization can afford in a worst-case scenario (especially if you have never run a raffle). If you have a feel for how many tickets you will sell, you can go for a better-case scenario where you will make a higher profit. Try to keep the prize costs to one-third of your projected revenue.

What Type Of Raffles Are There?

Door Prizes: Door prizes can be included as part of the admission price of the fundraising event. They are used as an additional promotion to get people to want to attend your fundraiser. The Door Prize should be a desirable prize and printed (with photo) on all your promotional material. If you are having a charity dinner, a dinner certificate to a local high-end restaurant is a great raffle prize.

If you are selling raffle tickets, make them available at the door as guests arrive and you will get impulse buys.

Multiple Prizes: Offering multiple raffle prizes will increase your participant’s chance of winning - it will also increase the chance that they will buy a ticket (or multiple tickets).
Your fundraiser event guests believe their odds of winning are better when there are multiple raffle prizes.

Sit down with your volunteers and brainstorm about the most appealing raffle prizes you can offer. This way, more of the fundraiser attendees are likely to identify with and want them. What better way to increase raffle ticket sales?

Some of the most popular prizes are big screen Sony High Def TVs, Wii video game players, iPods (iPod Touch), gift certificates, spa visits, and weekend getaways.

Another idea is to make up baskets to raffle off. They can be made up with an theme in mind to appeal to different tastes. Some raffle baskets themese are: Golf - Tees, golf balls, free round of play and other accessories; Spa - Bath salts, oils, hand creams, free spa treatment certificate; Weekend Downtime basket - Bottle of wine with glasses, chocolate, DVD movie, games, etc; Lady Luck basket - Assorted scratch tickets, lucky scratch coin, deck of cards, "how to play poker" book, playing chips, mini roulette table layout; Spring has sprung basket - Gardening shovel, flower seeds, foam kneeling pad, miracle grow fertilizer. The themes are endless and can be customized to the organization's main interest, for example, a car club can have a basket of car care products.

50/50 Raffle: These raffle drawings are extremely easy and have a low overhead. You have to buy the tickets but there is no cost for the prize because the prize is half the ticket sales. It really simplifies the process and most people like winning cash.

A 50/50 raffle works great at many kinds of events such as football/basketball games, Las Vegas Nights, and Texas Hold-em Poker Nights, but it can also be used at any event even if it is not primarily a fundraising event.

The 50/50 raffle can be run periodically throughout the evening of your event to generate even more fundraising profit. Just be sure not to overdo it, or ticket sales will drop off considerably.

Automobile or Motorcycle Drawing:
A car or motorcycle raffle is a huge draw, it appeals to almost every adult.

These are expensive prizes, so you will need to decide how much to charge for tickets and what you want your total profit to be.

Car and motorcycle raffles are usually priced at $100 or $150 per ticket. The cheaper your ticket prices are the more of them you will have to sell to reach your profit goal. If you want your raffle ticket cost to be $50 (instead of $100), you will have to sell twice as many tickets.

Lower your prize cost by convincing the car (or motorcycle) dealer to give your organization a deep discount in return for publicity at your fundraising event. Many companies have community relation goals and are willing to get involved with either the prizes or a direct donation.

How Can I Sell More Raffle Tickets?

Tickets do not normally sell themselves. Your ticket sales people have to take a proactive approach. Use your most energetic, outgoing volunteers to sell the most raffle tickets possible.

Selling to Family, Friends, and Coworkers:

The easiest place for you to start is with family, friends, and coworkers. With acquaintances, you should ask for their help and hand them a flyer about the fundraising effort. The raffle flyer should clearly state (in a very readable format) what the cause is, what the prizes are, and what the raffle ticket price is. It is also helpful if the date and place of the raffle drawing are mentioned.
The raffle tickets being sold should be in your one hand while you give the flyer out with the other. Just after asking for their help, assume they want to buy some tickets and say how many would you like?

A good selling tactic to boost sales is offer more tickets at a discount. If you are selling one raffle ticket for $1, you can sell four for $3 (the discount), for example. This will triple the profit on that sale.

Do not try to explain everything in detail – that is what the flyer is for. Your objective is to sell quickly and get to the next potential ticket buyer. You only have so much time to sell the raffle tickets, so maximize the use of your time by not devoting too much time to each buyer.

Before allowing your volunteers to start selling raffle tickets, get together with them to brainstorm about possible objections to buying a ticket and what their response should be. By arming your team with the appropriate responses, you will sell more tickets. Remember, many people are programmed with ready-made objections to buying a ticket. By countering their objection you will convert a certain amount of them to a sale.

Selling To The General Public:

The largest group of people available to sell raffle tickets to is the general public.

High traffic areas are the best places to sell a lot of raffle tickets. Home improvement stores like: Home Depot & Lowes, membership stores like: BJ’s & Costco, Grocery Stores like: Stop & Shop & Hannaford’s, other large stores like: Walmart & Best Buy, Malls, Shopping Centers, and more are great choices.

Make sure to get permission from the store manager ahead of time. Tell her you want to set up a Raffle Ticket table outside of the entrance.

Set up the table in a place where it will not obstruct store traffic but can easily be seen as people approach the store. Hang signs at the front edge of the table and high up behind you so the people buying tickets won’t obstruct it. The signs should say what the money is being raised for, what the prize is, and how much a ticket costs. Some people will immediately identify with your cause and be ready to buy before they reach your table.

As people walk by, watch if they avoid eye contact and hurry their pace. If they do - let them go by. Focus on the people that are more receptive - watch as these people read the sign - get out from behind the table and hand them a flyer as you ask for their help.

Make your point with as few words as possible, for example: “We are raising money to buy new computers for the Library. Can you help by buying a raffle ticket to win a month’s worth of groceries”?

Sell raffle tickets at times of the day when there are a lot of shoppers. You may have to “stake out” the stores to find what the best times are.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Canopy Rental Installation Tips:

2009-09-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

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 #1:
How do you tie a Jump Rope?

The Jump Rope should be pulled tight toward the ground and tied to the pole. This will keep the tent top tightly pulled against the top of the pole. Wind lift will then not be able to float the tent top off the pole’s pin.

Working backwards in the process, we come to side pole installation. Side poles hold up the perimeter of the tent. They also take a lot of weight off the tent top, which makes it easier to install the center poles.

Tip #2:
What’s the best way to install side poles (and center poles)?

Starting at the four corners: put the pin on top of the side pole through the grommet (and steel plate if there is one) in the tent top. Stand the pole up and swing the bottom of the pole towards the inside of the tent so it is slanted. You may need to loosen the stake rope a little to allow the pole to be lifted.

The bottom of the pole is now tilted diagonally into the center of the tent (about 2 to 3 feet in from the edge of the tent). Tie the “Jump Rope” onto the side pole (see above). Also tighten the stake rope just tight enough to hold the pole from falling over (but not as tight as you can make it. Do the same with the other three corners.

The four corner poles with their bottoms tipped towards the center of the tent will balance the tent top. Four people doing a corner at the same time makes this part of the tent install much easier.

The remaining side poles along the middle edges of the tent can now be installed in the same way. Make sure the stake ropes are not as tight as they can be or it will be very difficult or impossible to lift the center poles.

Now is the time to install the center pole(s). One person holds the center pole at the top (near the pin) and another can follow with the other end of the pole. The person near the pin goes under the tent first and finds the center pole hole. Once the sky can be seen through the hole it is time to put the center pole pin through it.

If the stake ropes are not too tight, one person can put the center pole in, but it is easier with two. Stand the center pole vertical and tie the “Jump Rope” to it. Do the same with the remaining center poles.

Go back to the corner side poles at this point. Adjust the tension on the stake rope so it is not too tight. Stand the previously tipped corner side pole straight up and check the stake rope tension. It should be very tight. If not, tip the pole inward again and tighten the stake rope slightly then stand it up again. This method will tighten the stake ropes tighter than any knot. Do this with the other three corners next and then all the remaining side poles.

Your tent top will be tight as a drum when the stake layout and stake rope tightening methods above are used. The fabric will not flap in a slight breeze and there will be no drooping between side poles.

Tip #3:
How do you get a “floating” side pole to stay down?

In some cases, the ground at the canopy site is not too level. It can rise or fall significantly between adjacent side poles. This can cause a mid side pole to “float” between the higher side poles to the left and right of it. There are two ways to help this situation. The first is to put wood shims under the pole to effectively raise the ground. The second is to hammer a wooden stake or rebar next to the offending side pole and lash the pole to it with rope.

After you finish the installation, by tying all other (thicker) ropes to their respective stakes - Step back and look at the Canopy – Does it droop between side poles? Does the wind flap the tent top around (even in a slight breeze)?

Chances are, the stake lines are either misaligned or too loose.

Tip #4:
How do you make the tent top tighter?

Aligning the stakes properly is the first step to a tighter tent top. At this stage of the tent install, the tarp is on the ground and the tent top is on top of it. The tent top is pulled out so that it is in the shape of a square or rectangle (the tent size determines this). The ropes attached to the tent top show you where the stakes should be hammered into the ground.

At each corner, two stakes needed. Each one should be in line with the edge of the tent top. Lets say you put a long ruler (or string) along the edge of the tent top and drew a line out into the grass (to line up the stake). Drive the stake into the ground about 4 to 5 feet away from the tent on that line. Do the same with the other edge of the tent to locate the second corner stake. If the stakes have a hook on them, aim it away from the tent (it helps hold the stake rope). If you have a good “eye”, a ruler will not be needed.
The stake rope should be tied (or looped if it has a “slider”) loosely over the stake with enough slack to allow the side pole to be installed.

The ropes along the middle of the tent show where the remaining stakes should be hammered in (4 to 5 feet away from the tent). Make your best effort to line the stake up with the stake rope (and side pole grommet) on both sides of the tent to get it straight.

All the stakes are now hammered into the ground and all stake ropes are tied to the stakes.

When your event is over and it is time to take down the Canopy, all the stake ropes are loosened, the bottom of the side poles are tipped inward, and the center poles are removed. The side poles are removed last. Then the stakes are pulled out of the ground.

Tip #5:
How do you get a stuck stake out?

Extreme stuck stakes can be avoided by paying attention to how hard it is to bang them into the ground.

If a stake went in the ground hard, it will be just as hard (if not harder) to get out. Once the stake is secure, it is a good idea to stop banging it further into the ground. The time it takes to remove a stuck stake can take exceed the time it took to take the entire tent down.

If you are near a large tree, be mindful of the roots. A stake pounded into a root is the absolute hardest to remove. While hitting the stake, try to get a feel for a normal “hit”. You can feel the difference when hitting into a tree root. The ground will also vibrate more as the energy travels along the root.

If you think you are hitting a root (or another unmovable object like a rock), remove the stake and reposition it further away from the tent and the root. Many times you can get an idea of where major roots are by looking at the tree base. The shape of the roots will come off the tree in a “Y”. You should position the stake in the middle of the “Y” if it has to be near the tree. It is better if the tent (or stake line) is located away from large trees.

One way of getting a stuck stake out is to hit the side of it with your hammer close to the ground. If it is really stubborn, hit it on all four sides of the. This will make the stake hole larger and enable you to remove it.

Another thing you can try is to spin the stake. This breaks it free from the ground and enables it to be pulled free. Sometimes a bent stake is harder to pull until it is spun to where you can feel less friction. First try spinning it by hand (or both hands). If this does not work, use channel lock pliers, or a pipe wrench to get it spinning. Many times, just spinning it back and forth will free it.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Give Your Guests The Red Carpet Treatment !

2009-04-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

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 stanchions. You will save the cost of the velour ropes (which can be as much as $1.25 per foot or more) and you can reduce the number of stanchions needed by lengthening the rope between stanchions. For example: A seventy foot long line of stanchion and velour rope can cost about $190 to rent. This is not a lot of money for a high profile event, but if your event has a tight budget and you need some crowd control, just space the stanchions ten feet apart and use white rope between the stanchions to stretch your budget dollars. The cost of the seventy foot run in this case would be about $80, which saves you $110 !! (This cost includes buying one hundred feet of white poly rope).

If you don’t think the narrow white poly rope will look right for your type of event, you can select a different color (check what is available from your supplier). You may even be able to rent the rope from your event rental company – just call and ask.

Rope weight can be an issue: If heavier velour ropes were clipped together, they could pull the stanchions down. By choosing a 3/8” poly rope or a ¼” cotton (clothesline type) rope, there would be no weight issue. However, if you got your hands on some free dock lines used to tie off boats – the stanchion line is sure to fall over.

Installing Stanchions and Rope:

When setting up your chrome stanchion line, you can “eyeball” the line straight, or use a long string taped to the floor to get the line perfect. Just figure out where your stanchion line should be and run a long string between two points. The string should be pulled fairly tight, but not so tight as to pull the tape up which is securing it. Warn people not to walk over your string or they may kick it loose before you are finished setting up.

You could also mark off the floor with tape every ten feet to get your stanchions evenly spaced. The edge of the stanchion base will be placed just beside the string (not on top of it – this will make the string removal easier) during the stanchion set-up.

When you are ready to run the long rope you bought, the easiest way to install it on the stanchions is to form it into a “U” shape and pass it up through the bottom of the rope ring near the top of the stanchion. Then put the loop over the crown of the stanchion to secure it.

This method will allow you to adjust the length of the ropes between the stanchions very easily. It will also eliminate tying knots at every stanchion (a time consuming task) and make for extremely easy rope removal - just push the loops up off each stanchion, drop them on the floor, untie both end stanchions, and coil the rope.

The above method can be used for stanchion and velour rope installation as well.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Chair & Table Movement

2009-03-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

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, look at the entire path you will be pushing along. If you have any doubts about the smoothness or incline, you will need to carry the items.

One of the secrets to carrying anything is to always use the biggest and strongest muscles you have – your legs. You walk every day, and exercise them –whether you want to or not – so they are in the best shape. Never bend and use your back.

The other secret is to use balance (as Miyagi would have said). When you pick up a table, if you don’t have it at the exact center, it will be much harder to carry. You won’t be just using your legs to carry it, you will be using other muscles to try and keep it from tipping. At best, this will tire you out fast - at worst, you may injure yourself.

If you are not in decent shape, enlist the help of others to help you carry tables and chairs.

Standard Rental Tables:
-6’ long plywood tables weigh between 45 to 50 pounds.
-8’ long plywood tables weigh between 55 to 65 pounds.

Non-standard tables can be much heavier:
-A 6’ long table made from particleboard weighs 72 pounds.
-This is the type of table that would have a Formica top.

Carrying Techniques – Folding Tables:

Two-Person Single Table Horizontal Carry: A rectangular table laid on its long side with the top facing you will have a “runner” on the opposite side. Both people use this “runner” as a handle to carry the table.

Two-Person Two Table Horizontal Carry: Two rectangular tables laid on their long sides with both tops facing you (as above) will have a “runner” on both sides. Both people hold a “runner” in their left hand and their right hand to carry two tables at a time (a “people” sandwich).

One-Person Single Table Horizontal Carry: A rectangular table laid on its long side with the top facing you will have a “runner” on the opposite side. Grab the “runner” in the middle of the table to carry it. Test it first by lifting it to find the balance point.

One-Person Single Table "Suitcase" Carry: A rectangular table laid on its short side (standing tall) with the top facing away from you with the folding legs showing. Grab the lower leg at the horizontal brace as if it were a suitcase handle and use the other hand to balance the table by its edge to carry it. Make sure to look overhead first to determine if there is enough space for the table (some ceilings and doorways can pose a problem). This is a very easy way to carry a table over great distances. If there is a low door to go through at the end, you can switch to the “horizontal carry”.

One-Person Single Table Forearm Carry: A rectangular table, laying on its long side in a delivery truck with the top facing you will have to be unloaded and carried. Grab the table by the top and bottom edges and slide it out of the truck until you can lay it on top of your lower forearm. This arm should be your strongest (dominant arm) as it will bear most of the weight. Using this method, you will easily out-carry anyone trying to hold the table in both hands. When you are ready to put the table down, rotate it to the floor/ground from the balance point and once it is down continue to “roll” it onto its long side to get ready to open the legs.

Opening the table legs: Every so often I see tables set up that do not have the leg locks engaged. The legs hinge open and then there is a bar that should be pushed. It will snap into place securing the folding leg. When the time comes to take down the table, the lock is pushed in the opposite direction to release it. There are many types of tables in the world, and many types of locks. The type mentioned above is the typical Rental Table lock. Another type is the gravity lock which will fall when the table is turned upright – then they have to be slid back to release the legs.

Carrying Techniques – Folding Chairs:

In the table-carrying section above, tables can weigh anywhere from 45 to 65 pounds. Chairs are much lighter and normally carried in groups. A Standard “Samsonite-style” folding chair weighs 7 pounds, while a standard garden chair weighs 10 pounds. This weight will determine how many chairs you can comfortably carry.

If you can easily move thirty-five pounds, then you should be carrying 5 “Sams” or 3 “Gardens” per trip.

Seventy pounds is an upper limit for most strapping young lads who work in the event rental field (for multiple “carries”) and would dictate moving 10 “Sams” or maybe 7 “Gardens”. I say maybe because the garden chairs are bulkier than the regular folding chairs so are more difficult to handle.

Chairs, because of their small size, lend themselves to being carried by one person. Many folding chairs lock together nowadays and that makes them easier to carry. Some of the older style wood garden chairs do not and that raises the level of difficulty.

To get ready, position the chairs in front of you. If they are standing folded leaning against something, grab five (or 10 if that is your comfort level) and lock them together. Then bend your knees and reach through the chairs with one arm just below the seat (this is close to the balance point). Lift with your legs while “hugging” the chairs to your midsection with both arms.

If the chairs are laying flat on a dolly or the floor, pick your amount to carry and lift the top of the chair (the part your back would lean against while sitting in the chair) while reaching through.

Put them down by reversing the process.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

FOR PARTY & EVENT RENTAL NEWBIES

2009-02-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

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 point email (or fax or snail-mail) you a printed quote.

5- If the rental quote shows what you want at an agreeable cost, you then place your order. The easiest way to reserve your order is with a credit card over the phone.

The entire ordering process can take only ten minutes if you have already seen the prices online and know what you want. Have your credit card and your email address (for the quote to be sent to) available when you make the call to avoid having to call back to reserve your order.

Party Rentals can be surprisingly affordable:

Lets say you are planning a party for 40 guests. The rental order would be 40 basic Folding Chairs and 4 Folding Tables (60” round or 8’ long) to fit ten guests on each. Your total cost would be somewhere between $70 and $80 if you pick up and return the items. If you need to have the items delivered, you would have to also pay the delivery/pick-up charge. It is based on how far away from the rental company you are – the fees are standardized and the rental company can tell you what they are when you call.

Larger Orders:

The process is much the same for larger orders that include tents, stages, china, linen, and glassware, etc. The delivery fee is for a truckload (and the trucks are fairly large) so it would remain the same. The only other fees (besides the rental fees) would be the additional services required by the renter.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

6 Ways To Transform Your Event Space With Pipe & Drape !!

2009-01-15T08:54:00.000-08:00

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” the area, effectively making it disappear.

A good example of this is when an event is held in a gymnasium. To change the look of the room, Pipe & Drape is used to cover all or part of the walls to create a better appearance. Stored Gym equipment and Bleachers can easily be hidden this way.

For situations where privacy is a concern, Pipe & Drape can be used to block site lines so the general public will not be able to see into the space.

3-Make a Room appear Smaller:

In large areas such as skating rinks, field houses, warehouses, and such - Pipe & Drape can be used to make the room feel more intimate. This way, when a small group is using the space, they won’t feel lost.

4-Change the Room’s look:

When creating a theme event, Pipe & Drape can be used to line the walls of a Hotel’s Ballroom walls. A futuristic theme might use white, gray, or silver drape and splash colored up-lights on it to achieve the desired effect.

For a Halloween Event, black Pipe & Drape can be used to create a maze that guests can travel through allowing them to bump into the next scare around the corner.

5-Crowd Control:

Pipe & Drape can indicate where guests are allowed to go during an event. Use three-foot high drape to isolate an exhibit while still allowing plenty of viewing space.

When Food Service is located in the same space as the event, Pipe & Drape can create a Food Service Area. An offset chute can be created for wait staff to access the area while preventing guests from seeing in.

6-Other Uses:

Head Table Backdrop, Photographer’s Backdrop, Dressing Room, Testing areas, and Private Interview areas. There are endless ways Pipe & Drape can be used, limited only by your imagination. The variety of colors available makes it suitable for any season or any event.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Propane For Grilling and Heat

2008-12-10T12:03:00.000-08:00

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 the compressed liquid propane fills the tank and gradually shuts a valve so no more propane can enter the tank.

Of course, the pressure relief valve is still there – when it gets hot enough outside and the tank temperature goes up, don’t be alarmed when this valve releases some gas (unless it is near an open flame). You will hear a hissing noise and maybe see some vapor, but that should be it - if the tank was stored properly. Since propane gas is heavier than air, the vapor will sink and disperse (this is a good reason not to store propane where leaking gas can accumulate in a low area).

What Do You Do With An Old Tank?
If you have an old tank without the devices above it is illegal to have them refilled. Also, there is a date of manufacture stamped on the safety ring of the tank. If the tank is 12 years old or older, you won’t be able to get it filled. This is the Propane Industry’s standard life for a propane tank. An old propane tank can be recycled at your local supplier or converted to an air tank with kits they sell online.

Additional Propane Information:

Tanks are filled to only about 80% with liquid propane. The 20% of space left in the tank is needed for the liquid propane to vaporize into a gas that then travels through the supply line. The liquid is never supposed to touch the valve – if it does, the valve will freeze, stopping the flow. This is why you are never supposed to lay a tank on its side.

Depending on the demand (rated in BTUs) put on the tank by the by the grill or heater attached to it – and the temperature around the tank – it is possible that you will not be able to vaporize all the liquid propane in the tank (unless you have an electric Powerblanket 100lb Gas Cylinder Insulated Tank Warming Blanket wrapped around the cylinder). Heat is drawn through the tank to vaporize the liquid. If it is very cold outside where the tank is (30 degrees or less), there won’t be enough heat to vaporize the liquid fast enough to supply the grill (or heater). Essentially, you are out of gas.

The way around this is to connect additional tanks to the supply hose. This is accomplished through the use of "daisy chain" connectors or manifolds which allow many tanks to feed a single source. By using more tanks, you increase the surface area, and vaporize more liquid propane. This would satisfy the demand of the propane device.

If you were running an 80,000 BTU Heater, and it was 40-60 degrees out, you would need one 100-pound tank to supply it for several hours. If it were 20-30 degrees out you would require two tanks coupled together. If it were much colder than that you could need three or more (or move to a larger 350 pound propane tank).

I have had issues with my gas grill in the colder weather, especially when the fuel is low in the tank. When I pick up the tank, I can feel the liquid propane sloshing around inside, but it is just too cold out for the liquid to vaporize fast enough to supply the grill. The flame inside the grill looks low and then goes out. So, especially in cold weather, the tank should be full for the best burn time.

So how do you know when your tank is getting empty?

An easy way to see the level of propane in the tank it to warm up some water and pour it on the side of the tank. Since the propane is liquid and cool, the water's heat will cause the tank to form condensation at the current level of the propane. You will also be able to feel the temperature difference in the tank with your hand to tell where the liquid propane is. Do this before your cookout so you will have ample propane on hand before the guests arrive.

Another way to determine how full your tank is would be to weigh it. As you use your tank, weigh it when it is empty and again when it is full. Write the weights on the tank. The next time you want to know how full it is, put the tank on your bathroom scale.

A third way is to buy the new see-through propane tank. The tank does not explode when subjected to intense flames because the container melts and burns and allows the propane to leak out rather than containing it as a steel tank would until it explodes.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

To Brew Or Not To Brew

2008-12-09T16:33:00.000-08:00

When you are hosting or coordinating a sizable event and need a large amount of hot coffee at the end of the meal do you think “Box of Joe”? Well, there is another option. Commercial Percolators.

These are the large coffee pots you would see in a function hall. They are available in several sizes such as 55 cup, 75 cup and 100 cup. There are basic aluminum coffee makers and fancier bright stainless ones for the more upscale events.

If you happen to be a part-time or full-time event planner, you may consider buying one to have whenever you need it. You can also rent one when you need one or when you need additional capacity (more than one).

If you have only a 100 cup coffee pot available and a smaller guest count, you can fill the pot to the 50-cup line, or whatever is appropriate. This is the same for all the commercial percolator sizes and styles.

If you happen to be unfamiliar with how these coffee makers work, don’t worry, they are pretty simple to use.
Fill the coffee pot with COLD WATER using the water level lines (stamped inside the pot) as a guide. You must use cold water or the coffee pot will not brew long enough because the heat sensor will shut off the brew cycle.

Wet the filter basket to keep fine coffee particles from sifting into the brewed coffee. Then add the ground coffee according to how much water you have put in the pot. Make sure the Stem is set down into the well in the center of the coffee pot. This is where the heating element is. Water will boil here, push up the stem and splash down over the coffee grounds in the filter basket.

Put the lid on the coffee pot, plug it in and flip the switch on. Note that some models do not have a switch (such as Faberware) and will go on when you plug them in. The percolator should be plugged into a 110-volt (20 amp) electrical outlet with no other heating or cooking devices on the same circuit. An additional coffee pot will trip the circuit breaker, as will a popcorn machine, refrigerator, space heater, or any device that “pulls” a lot of amps. DO NOT USE AN EXTENSION CORD on the coffee pot or any heating device as it may cause a Fire Hazard.

After the coffee is done brewing, the serving light will illuminate, and the coffee pot will switch over to warming mode. At this point you should carefully remove the basket and stem - they will be very hot - so be careful not to burn yourself. If you leave the basket and stem in the pot, the strength and flavor of the coffee could be adversely affected.

Brewing time is about one minute per cup of coffee. Thirty cups takes about ½ hour and sixty cups takes about an hour. Make sure to consider the time you want the coffee to be ready when starting to brew.

One pound of ground coffee is equal to 4.75 cups (depending on the grind). Use Regular Perk Grind or Coffee Ground for All Coffee Makers. Do not use Finely Ground, as the filter will be unable to keep the grounds out of the coffee.

There are other uses for Electric Percolators than coffee. Tea can be made by putting tea bags in the filter basket, then brewing (not for the connoisseur). Hot water can be made to use with instant beverages such as cocoa, and with instant soups like “cup of soup” or “ramen noodles”. While at your camp you can use it to make hot water to clean with. Off site theatre groups can use the hot water to help remove make-up.

For Downloadable Instructions Click here: "Coffee Maker Instructions"

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

6 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON STAGE RENTAL

2008-11-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

SAVE MONEY ON STAGE RENTAL BY ASKING 6 QUESTIONS
Ask yourself:

1-How big of a stage do I need?

2-What height should the stage be?

3-Do I need the stage dressed?

4-Can the stage be installed/removed during business hours?

5-What is the physical location of the stage?

6-Can I use a self-install style stage?

1-Stage size is determined by what you put on it.

A common size for a band stage is 12' x 16' which allows enough room for a drum set, keyboard, and two to three additional performers (maybe a vocalist, and two guitars). But the number of band members as well as the size of the instruments are what will dictate the stage size (think grand piano). Any supporting equipment which needs to be on the stage such as speaker monitors should also be factored in.

A dance performance may have a number of dancers, and depending on the style of dance, may require a significant size stage. For a lecture with one speaker you can get by with a much smaller stage (8' x 8') because there may be just a lectern with the speaker standing behind it.

Aside from the performers and their equipment, any other items like flags, backdrops and decor should be considered.

If you are new to stages, then it is good to talk to the band or performers to get an idea of their space requirements.

Rent only as much stage as the performance requires and monitor the items on top of the stage which you can control. Maybe only the drums need to be up higher than the floor, or the floral decorations may rest in front of the stage on tables (or the floor). Some items may even be eliminated to keep the stage cost in the budget.

2-Stages can be built to many heights.

The expected size of the audience generally determines how high you want your stage to be. With an audience of 200 - a 16" or 24" high stage is fine. When that number becomes 2000, you may want a 32" to 48" high stage. Some small audiences could use a stage only 8" high.

The height your stage needs to be could hinge on the size of the room if a ramp is required. Since a ramp has to have an incline of a one inch drop over the length of twelve inches, a 48 inch high stage would need a 48 foot long ramp and because that length is greater than 30 feet, you need a landing which brings the total length to 52 feet minimum. Alternatively, a sixteen inch high stage needs only a sixteen foot ramp. In some instances, the ramp could dwarf the size of the stage and the cost of the stage.

Higher stages require more material and labor to make them high. Additional railings, bracing, tools and labor will all conspire to drive your stage cost up - so keep your stage as low as possible - especially when a ramp is required.

3-Dressing Down Your Stage.

A Fully Dressed Stage includes Skirting, Carpet, and a Drape Backdrop as well as Floral, Greenery, and other Decor.

The deck on many rental stages is made of wood and is painted black or grey. For many events this would suffice - especially for a Rock Band. By choosing not to have carpet, the money savings could be used in other areas of your event.

In the same way, skirting could be eliminated for a band stage. If the sides of a stage must be skirted, you may be able to take care of it yourself by taping inexpensive black plastic around the three sides facing the audience.

Backdrops, and other decor may not be a necessity for many types of events.

By managing the finishing on your stage, you will be managing your budget.

4-Scheduling Your Stage Install & Removal.

While many venues (or multi-purpose areas) have tightly scheduled events, you would be surprised how early the room may be available for an installation. Conversely, many times the removal could have been pushed to the next day instead of the night of the event.

Printed or online policies may be just guidelines. Call and talk to the scheduling person about a particular event you are running - you may find the policy is a lot looser than you thought. Sometimes it pays to check the schedule as the date nears - there may be a cancelled event or activity which opens the room up.

By allowing the Stage Rental Company to install and remove during their regular business hours, you will be saving yourself a lot of extra labor dollars.

5-Location, Location, Location.

This is not only the realtor's creed, it may cost you money for your stage install.

Selecting a location that is not readily accessible by truck or won't allow the stage to be "dollied" in will mean the Stage Rental Company will have to hand-carry it. The extra labor required will cost more in dollars (and in time if your event schedule is tight).

Surfaces that are sloped or uneven may require the stage to be levelled, which means additional materials (and labor) for legs, braces and railings as the ground falls away.

Since labor is not cheap, it makes a lot of sense to consider the impact the location will have on the installation and removal of your stage.

6-Self-Install Stages.

Any rental item normally installed by the Rental Company is always less expensive if you install it. Not every Rental Company will let you install their equipment, but some equipment is designed with you in mind, and many companies will have it for you.

Self-install stages (also called platforms or risers) are like oversize folding tables. They have one or more sets of folding legs attached to them which you fold out and lock to get the height you need. You then put them side by side to create the size stage you want.

They are best used on flat, even floor or ground as there is normally no adjustment in the legs. Some styles have hardware on them that allows them to hook together so they won't separate while being used. For dance performances, Platforms may not be the best choice because the dance moves may cause the platform panels to shift and separate - talk to your Stage Rental Company expert to determine if this is a viable option for your performance.

This is by far the best alternative for a low budget event. You provide all the labor, so the cost is half of what it would be to get a professionally installed stage. You may have to provide skirting for the sides of the stage but that is a small price to pay.

Having the ability to self-install (and remove) also sidesteps many scheduling issues which translates into dollar savings by avoiding additional labor costs.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

KEEPING FOOD WARM AT YOUR PARTY

2008-10-22T06:31:00.000-07:00

Hot plates, crock pots, ovens, stoves, and microwaves
can all be used to keep food warm at your party. They are not the best choice when it comes to a buffet. You want your guests to have easy access to a variety of hot food. The best way to accomplish this is with Chafing Dishes (also called Chafers).

Chafers have their own heat source which is used to heat water which in turn heats the food. There is no direct flame on the food pan so your food stays warm without burning. The heat is most often created by an ethanol (alcohol) based gel in a can (Sterno). The fuel can last two to three hours depending on wind and how much the adjustable sterno cover is opened.

The standard 8 quart Chafer is all stainless steel and consists of a base with at least two removable sterno cup holders and adjustable covers, a water pan, a food pan, and a cover.

Preparing your chafer for use is easy:

First, put about 2" of hot water in the water pan (the largest one).
Next, load the previously cooked food into the food pan (it will sit inside the water pan).
Then put the cover over the food pan.
Finally, pop the lids off the sterno fuel cans and put them into the sterno cup holders. Light the fuel and put the covers on the holders, adjusting them half-way open to a medium flame.

If your cooked food is not hot when you load it into the food pan you should start the sterno about a half hour before serving time. Otherwise you can light it just before. Periodically, the water level should be checked and added to as needed.

Chafer Hints:

Chafers will make your buffet table look more professional and inviting.
You can cook ahead of time and then enjoy mingling with your guests more.
No concerns about electricity (blowing circuits) since they use gel fuel.
Use foil pans to cook in and then place the entire foil pan into the Chafer food pan. This will save you from washing the Chafer and allows you to put the foil pan right into the fridge and then the oven for left-overs !
Get double duty out of an 8 quart Chafer by using two 4 quart foil pans with two different types of food.
Two 4 quart pans also allow you to "reload" the chafer while leaving one pan there for your guests.
Chafers are used to keep food hot but can also be used to keep food cold ! Just put water and ice in the water pan and it will keep the food chilled.
Always put the cover back on the food when not serving to keep it hot.
If you hear a sizzle noise - the water is too low & needs to be added to.
Always make sure you have a full size food pan covering the water pan to prevent steam from entering the food area - or your food will get soggy.
Extinguish the sterno flame by closing the sterno holder cover when the food service is done to prevent accidents.
In windy situations use foil around three sides of the Chafer Stand to allow the Sterno's heat to get to the pan above and conserve the Sterno Fuel.
Never use the Chafer without water in the pan - your food will burn and the Chafer will get super-heated and may be damaged.
The Chafer is designed for keeping food warm, not cooking it, so always pre-cook.
Chafer pans are not designed for open flame or stove use because they are thin walled. The pans will get damaged while the food burns.
Make sure to set up Chafers on a flat, stable surface to prevent mishaps.
Don't forget tongs, serving spoons, and spatulas for each chafer to serve the food with.

Download Chafer Instructions here: Chafer Instruction Sheet

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

How To Display The US Flag

2008-10-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

When dressing a stage for a political event, Flags cannot be overlooked.

Flag Protocol:

When displayed from a staff, the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the speaker's right as he faces the audience.
When used on a speaker's platform, the flag, if displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the speaker.
Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the speaker or to the right of the audience.

CLICK HERE For a printable list of flag protocols:
HOW TO DISPLAY THE FLAG

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

Table Covers - a Rainbow of Colors

2008-10-03T15:20:00.000-07:00

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Whether a simple disposable cover is used, or an ornate fabric one, every table looks better "dressed". Your budget, and the type of event dictate what kind of table covers you should use.

For lower end events or budgets, Plastic Table Covers are just the thing:

They are available in a variety of colors to match your theme or decor.
The cost is inexpensive compared to Linen.
When they get cut, snagged, burnt, stained, etc. there are no replacement costs required. No making sure they are dry and worrying about mildew.
After the event is over, only take what you need off the table, gather the plastic table cover up like a trash bag, and throw it away in one fell swoop !

One available size is the 82" round or octagonal cut cover which fits just about any round table. The amount the cover hangs down the side of the table varies with the table size:

The 72" round table will have a 5" hang all around.
The 60" round table will hang 11"
The 48" round table .......... 17"
The 36" round table .......... 23"
The 30" round table .......... 26"

The other common size is 54" x 108" (there are also rolls which are much larger). This was designed to fit six foot and eight foot long rectangular tables. There is also plastic which comes in a roll 40" x 100' long (primarily used on rectangular tables. This is a great way to save even more money because it is in bulk. The roll will cover 15 six foot tables or 11 eight foot tables if you cut the plastic carefully.
The roll plastic can save you a lot of time if you have to cover several dozen tables. Line up 15 six foot tables and space them 7 to 8 inches apart. Tape the end of the roll to the first table and roll it over all the tables making sure to tape the plastic where necessary to keep it in place. If you have a sixteenth table, roll the plastic onto it or have someone hold the roll while you cut the plastic with a utility knife (the best knife is the kind with the break-away blade you can extend out 4" or so). Then carefully cut between each of the other tables and tape the plastic where needed. This should be done where there is no wind or a lot of tape will have to be used.
Paper, and Plastic With Paper Backing table covers are also available. Some kind of cover is better than none, and it will make the table look better - that is, until it gets wet. The paper will break apart and make a mess and will not be useful as a way to "bag" the table trash at the end of the event.
To hold table covers on outdoors, use blue painter's masking tape and secure it beneath the table. The tape holds well and releases without leaving adhesive residue. Clear plastic table clips can also be used - they clip over the edges of the table and blend well.

A new type of plastic table cover has elastic around its perimeter. No clips or tape are needed as the elastic grabs onto the table's edge so the wind cannot blow it off - always a concern with taped or clipped table covers.

Mark Saponaro Email me
camelotspecialevents.com

How to pop Popcorn with a Popcorn Machine

2008-09-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

Popcorn is great to use during a fund raising event or as a give-away at a trade show or promotion.

The machine is rented and the popcorn supplies and bags are bought. Popcorn usually comes in a pack with the popcorn seeds, oil and flavoring all ready to use. One Pack makes about seven servings.

The machine is easy to use, just turn on the kettle to heat it up, pour in the popcorn pack, close the lid and wait for the corn to pop. As popcorn accumulates in the bottom of the machine, bag it and store it in the machine. The heat lamp in the top and the heat element in the base will keep it warm.

Just make sure to turn the kettle heat off when no longer popping to keep any oils from burning and spoiling the flavor.

Plugs into any standard 20 amp outlet (with no other popcorn machines or coffee makers on the same circuit).

9 Steps To Perfect Pop Popcorn:

1) Turn the Kettle Heat switch “ON”.

2) (On first batch only) Let kettle heat for four minutes.

3) Turn mixer motor on.

4) Turn cabinet heat light on.

5) Cut open popcorn pack, dump contents into kettle and close lid.

6) Listen for rapid popping sound.

7) When popping slows to one every 5 seconds open lid & dump kettle.

8) Repeat steps 5, 6, and 7.

9) (On final batch only) Turn kettle switch to off when popcorn begins to rapidly pop (when

its about halfway done). Turn off all other switches and unplug after last batch is dumped.

WARNING: Keep Kettle (heat) switch “OFF” when not popping.
Typical Electric Specs: 120V/60 Cycle, 1325 watts per machine.

Additional Popcorn Information:

About 20 batches of popcorn can be popped in an hour (140 servings).
One batch takes about 3 minutes to pop after the kettle is heated.
Popcorn bags should be pre-filled as the popcorn continues to be made and stored inside the machine. This will ensure there are servings available when needed. Make sure to keep the doors closed to keep the popcorn hot.
The machine should be set up in a high traffic area near the front of the stand where people can see and smell it. This will help you to maximize sales.

Mark Saponaro Contact
Camelotspecialevents.com

How to save money on Tent Rental

2008-09-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

The best way to save money when renting a tent is to rent a self-install tent (or canopy). You provide all the labor (not the tent company) so you save a good sum of money (typically about half).

Below are links to two pages that make up the instructions for installing a 20 x 30 Canopy. The instructions are basically the same for a 20 x 20 Canopy with one less center pole and two fewer side poles. Just click on the links to view them (or copy and paste them into your browser).

Remember to measure the area the Canopy will be installed in. A 20 x 20 will require approximately 28' x 28' because the stakes are four feet from the tent on four sides. A 20 x 30 needs 28' x 38'.

CLICK HERE For Canopy Instructions:HOW TO SET UP A CANOPY (Page 1)

HOW TO SET UP A CANOPY (Page 2)

Following are some guidelines for installing a canopy:

You want to have a minimum of two people involved when you start the actual install. This will make it easier when you unroll the vinyl top and when you begin to put the side poles up. The installation should take two people about an hour in optimal conditions (no rain or wind).

Check out the Canopy installation area for low hanging tree branches, reasonably level (stakeable) ground, sprinkler lines, and power lines (for when you lift the center pole(s). It is much easier to relocate the Canopy before installation starts.

To start, you spread the tarp on the ground where the tent will be erected (a canopy is a type of tent, so I will just call it a tent) . The tarp keeps the tent top clean (for your event) and helps avoid abrasions (which you may be charged for).

The next step is to spread the tent top out on top of the tarp. Open the tent bag by loosening the cinch ropes and slide the bag off the tent. Unroll the top on the tarp and spread it out. Pull the fabric taught from two corners on the same side. Do the same from the other side so that you form the rectangular shape of the tent. There are generally ropes attached to the tent top which show where the stakes should go. Each corner should have two ropes (& 2 stakes). Along the middle parts of the top there should be a rope about every ten feet (with 1 stake each).

Install Note: It Helps to lay out all stakes and poles on the ground around the tent top before preparing to lift the top so everything is close at hand.

The stakes are hammered (larger hammers are better) into the ground about 4' away from the edge of the tent and should be lined up with the rope. The corner stakes should line up with the edge of the tent so that the rope, tent, and stake form a straight line. The two stakes on a corner will form a line down both edges of the tent (these two stakes will also form a ninety degree angle). Lining the corner stakes up like this will ensure the tent top pulls tight between the adjacent corners.

The side poles are two pieces which fit together by sliding one into the other and lining the button up with the hole to lock them. The center pole (or poles) are four pieces and they fit one into the other making a much larger pole. One type of center pole has an elastic bungee cord running through it so it has to go together properly.

Now the fun part: Starting with the four corners, put the pin at the tip of the sidepole through the grommet in the tent top. Angle the bottom of the pole diagonally towards the center of the tent. While holding tension on the pole, grab the tie-down rope and put the loop over the hook on the stake and slide the slider up the rope to apply some tension (do the same with the other rope and stake-there are 2 on every corner). Your helper will be doing the same thing diagonally across from you so that the tent top is balanced between the poles. Now, quickly go to the other corners and do the same thing.

The tent top should now be balanced between the four corners. Put all the rest of the sidepoles in with the bottoms tipped towards the center of the tent - all ropes should be put on the stakes as you go.

The center pole(s) can now be put in. Push the tarp you started with out of the way as you go under the tent with the pole, pin first. Carefully aim the pin through the grommet hole in the middle of the tent then lift the fabric with the pole until the pole is verticle. Put any other center poles in. If the pole cannot go completely up, you may have to loosen some ropes.

Straighten all the side poles. When you lift them to the verticle position, the rope will tighten more than you could do it by hand. Do not force the pole up if it seems extremely difficult. The rope which goes to the stake is probably too tight - loosen it a little and try again. When all the poles are straight up with ropes going to the stakes you are ready to party!

There is one other smaller rope which I find not too many people use. It is called a "jump rope" and it is attached close to the grommet hole where the poles go through the tent top. These are supposed to be tied around the side poles and center pole(s) so they don't jump out of the holes and poke through the top when the wind blows.

Guidelines for taking a canopy down: (two people make it much easier)

To take the tent down, spread the tarp on the ground under the tent - See Take Down Note below. The best way to do this is to start at one side and stretch out the tarp from the edge of the tent towards the center pole(s). One person can then lift the center pole while the other quickly pushes the tarp under it. After the tarp is under the center pole(s), it can then easily be spread out under the rest of the tent.

Take Down Note: When spreading the tarp, angle the side poles towards the middle of the tent and put the bottom of the pole on top of the tarp to keep the wind from blowing it out of position. Angling the side poles this way will also take pressure off the center pole, allowing it to be lifted so the tarp can pass under it.

Once the tarp is spread out, take down the center pole(s) - don't forget to untie the jump ropes first - then all side poles. From adjacent corners, pull the tent top towards the other corners (folding it in half). Make sure all ropes are put on top of the tent. Continue folding in half until the top can fit in the bag (lay the bag out nearby as a guide). Now you should have a long folded strip. Starting at one end, tightly roll the tent making sure the ropes are inside it. If this part went well, the tent should fit into the bag. Stand the roll on end and slide the bag down on it until the bottom of the bag touches the top, then flip the bag and tent and pull the bunched up bag the rest of the way over the tent. Pull the cinch ropes to close the bag top.

All that is left is to fold the tarp, disassemble the poles and put them in their bag, and remove the stakes.

The take down should take two people about half the time it took to install.

If all this seems like too much work, you can delegate the task while acting as the expert supervisor using the instructions above. Of course you always have the option of having the Tent Company come in to install a commercial pole tent or frame tent.

Contact Mark Saponaro at msaponaro@camelotspecialevents.com or visit http://www.camelotspecialevents.com/ for more information