How To Keep Your Party Tent Cool During Your Summer Event

When you speak to your tent supplier about your outdoor event or summer event, they can provide several ways to cool the tent and keep your guests cool. Just as they would add heating in the winter, they can easily cool it in the summer. This can be done in several different ways:

Cool boxes

These are boxes that are kept in the corner of the tent to keep it cool. They evaporate water that is then sent across the tent with a fan. It can bring the temperature of the whole tent down by around 10 degrees as they work. If you are holding your party in an area with high humidity, though, this may not be for you.

Fans

For many parties, simply having some strategically placed fans will be enough to keep things cool. If you have a pole tent, you can hang fans on the poles to distribute cooled air around the tent.

If you need something more, you can get large, stand-up fans and position them at the corners of the tent. Your supplier can help you find the right fans for your event to make the better air circulation cooler. Fans give an extra boost of cooling power.

AC cooling

A lot of suppliers now offer a full air conditioning system for their tents. If it’s going to be very hot or humid on the day of your event, this is what you want. AC is more powerful than fans and cool boxes combined, and it works regardless of how humid it is outside.

For a 20×40 tent hosting around 80 guests, plan for roughly 24,000–36,000 BTU of cooling capacity. For a larger 40×100 wedding party tent, you’ll need multiple units or a commercial system.

Keep in mind that each person in the tent generates about 100 watts of body heat. A crowd of 200 people alone produces 20,000 watts of heat before you account for the sun and lighting. Size your cooling equipment with that in mind.

Also, plan for power. Running an AC or several fans requires adequate electricity. Talk to your supplier to see what they can offer. You can also check out more tips in our guide on how a commercial outdoor tent can keep you cool.

Run The Sprinklers

Are there sprinklers around the place you’ll be erecting your 40-foot wide tent? Then this can work in your favor. As the party is underway, you can run the sprinklers to create some cool air, creating a misting effect.

It helps keep the area around the tent cool, but remember not to turn them on if the sprinklers are too close to the tent, as all they will do then is soak your guests.

Pick The Right Spot In The Shade

If you can place your tent in the shade, then that’s going to go a long way toward keeping the tent cool. Remember, it’s not a good idea to place a tent directly under overhanging branches, as these will damage the roof of the tent.

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The shade given by a nearby building or embankment will be more than enough to help your tent keep cool. Combine it with some fans, and you’ll easily beat the heat.

Try To Place The Tent On Grass

If you’re looking to keep the tent cool, then placing it on grass is your best bet. Heat rises, and you don’t want it coming up through the floor of your tent. When you place your tent on asphalt, though, that’s exactly what will happen.

Grass flooring helps things stay a lot cooler in your tent. If you’re worried about people walking on grass, you can rent flooring to go with your tent. It gives you an even floor and prevents high-heeled shoes from getting stuck.

If you’re worried about guests walking on uneven ground, or if heels are going to be a problem, you can rent flooring to lay over the grass. It gives you an even surface and keeps things comfortable for everyone. For more on your options, take a look at our commercial tent flooring ideas.

Pick Your Timing

If you’re holding an event during the height of summer, you know that it’s going to be blazing hot around midday. That spells a very hot and sweaty party tent. The time you hold your event will make all the difference here. Simply hold the event later in the day and into the evening.

Temperatures will be a lot lower than, and it will be much cooler in the tent. It makes things a lot more pleasant, and it doesn’t take a lot of effort.

Temperatures drop noticeably after 4–5 PM in most climates. By evening, a well-ventilated tent with a breeze moving through it can be quite comfortable even after a hot day. For graduation, wedding, and festival tents, an evening start time makes a genuine difference in guest comfort without requiring any additional equipment.

Take Off The Side Walls

There’s no denying that side walls look great on tents, but the problem is that they block airflow. When you’re trying to keep your 40 x 100 wedding tent or 30×50 wedding ten cool, they’re the last thing you need.

If you want to keep things cool, remove the side walls and let the air come through. Allowing a breeze is going to do a lot to keep the tent cool. Plus, if you’re placing your tent in an area of natural beauty, it really allows you to enjoy it to the fullest.

Even a light wind makes a big difference when the tent is open. Position the tent door facing the direction the wind blows to pull a constant breeze through the space.

If you want airflow but still need some structure, mesh sidewalls are a practical middle ground. They let air pass through while keeping a defined perimeter — and they help with insects in the evening.

Our sidewalls come in solid, clear, mesh, and screened options so you can pick what fits the event.

If you’re in an area with natural beauty around the tent, removing the walls also lets your guests take in the surroundings, which is one more reason to do it.

Make Water Available

When it’s hot out, your guests can get dehydrated fast. That’s the last thing you want, as you just want them to be able to enjoy themselves. An outdoor tent event is a brilliant solution for this.

The easiest way of avoiding this is to make water available to everyone at the event. You can make it available at the bar, have jugs of water on tables, or install a water cooler in the tent.

This is especially important if kids are attending. Children overheat faster than adults and don’t always stop to drink when they should.

How you do it is up to you, but it’s highly advisable that you make that water available to your guests.

Add Ceiling Fans

Something you may not know you can get with a party tent is a ceiling fan. These are easily included by many suppliers and can help a lot in keeping the tent cool.

When a ceiling fan turns the right way, it will push cooled air down towards your guests. Check with your supplier to see if they can offer this to you.

For a large, high-peak tent or a multi-section setup, ceiling fans combined with AC or evaporative cooling cover the entire space without needing extra floor units. Ask your supplier if they can include this. It’s a practical upgrade that doesn’t change the look of the tent.

Serve Up Cool Treats

Finally, why not consider serving up ice cream or snow cones on a hot day? They’ll be a hit with everyone who attends, and they’ll help them cool down, too. If you’re serving a dessert at your event, they’re a surefire way to cool guests down.

If you’re serving dessert anyway, this is an easy choice. For festival tents and large outdoor gatherings, a dedicated cold treat station near the entrance is worth adding to your setup.

Investing in the right sleeping gear can significantly enhance your comfort during hot nights in your tent. Consider the following:

Sleeping Bag

• Use a lightweight sleeping bag suitable for warm weather. Look for bags with ventilation options and zippers for better temperature control.

Camping Mat

• A camping mat with good insulation properties can provide both comfort and help regulate your body temperature while you sleep.

Staying hydrated is crucial in hot weather. Dehydration can lead to heat-related illnesses, so drink plenty of water throughout the day. By drinking plenty of water and staying out of direct sunlight, you can prevent any heat-related illness and enjoy the summer camping trip or party.

Yes, it does. You read that right. And it’s one of the most overlooked factors when picking a tent for summer use.

White and light-colored tent fabric reflects solar radiation, while dark colors absorb it. ETI’s white vinyl covers are built specifically to reflect the sun’s rays, which keeps the interior noticeably cooler compared to darker covers — especially during the afternoon hours when the sun hits hardest. Our white tents are a solid choice if your events run through the summer.

Beyond color, PVC fabric with a thermal insulation coating blocks a portion of heat before it enters the tent at all. For large events or long outdoor gatherings, adding insulated liners inside the tent further cuts down on heat coming through the roof and walls.

Here’s a quick guide to match cooling to your tent:

In humid weather, move up one size in cooling capacity. On asphalt or in direct sunlight, do the same.

If you want a more sophisticated solution to cool your tent, consider creating a DIY air conditioning system. Here’s how you can do it:

Solar-Powered Fan

• Invest in a solar-powered fan that can help circulate air and lower the temperature inside your tent.

Wet Cloth and Breeze

• Hang a wet cloth inside your tent and let the breeze do its magic. As air passes through the damp cloth, it cools down, creating a refreshing environment.

If your event includes an overnight stay or a multi-day camping component, a few extra steps help people stay comfortable through the night.

Remove the rain fly when it’s warm and dry outside. A hot tent makes for a restless night, and the rain fly traps heat inside even after the outside air has cooled down. Only put it back if rain is actually in the forecast.

If you’re using a sleeping bag, swap it for a lightweight sheet on warm nights. A sleeping bag rated for cold weather holds in body heat, which is the last thing you want on a summer camping trip. Sleeping on or under a breathable sheet is much more comfortable.

Disassemble tents during the day when they aren’t in use. A tent sitting closed in direct sunlight all afternoon traps heat and turns into an oven by evening. Open it up or break it down, then let it cool before people sleep in it.

For hammock setups, position between trees in a shaded campsite. Hammocks sleep cooler than ground tents because air moves underneath — a good option for summer camping where there are trees to work with.

Point the tent doors toward the direction the wind blows. Even a small amount of airflow through an open tent door makes a noticeable difference on a warm night.

Check the weather forecast before bed. Morning sun hitting the tent at dawn wakes everyone up early and heats the space fast. If you can orient the tent door away from the morning sun, or pitch on the east-shaded side of trees. Guests will sleep longer and wake up more comfortable.