Tents

This tent, hoisted by Sperry Tents for the Group for the East End's “Dive Into Summer” event, was really sort of magnificent. The tent poles were some sort of rainforest-looking tree trunks, and the pivot points and lattice work made for a beautiful overhead view. I am dying to know how much this cost.   The event had all sorts of wealthy-looking people, plus Alec Baldwin, who is the unofficial, okay lets just make it official, King of the Hamptons benefit court. I did not approach him. We've met a bunch—I used to see him in Montauk at this little lobster place, and he was always smiling and having fun—but I figure too many people getting up in his grill is a problem, so why add to that?

The teepee-style tents can hold as many as 400 people.

BrownHot Events used Signature Systems Group’s "Seagrass" sisal carpet at the tent for Veuve Clicquot’s Polo Classic event in October.

In January, Tomford Design transformed a tented courtyard into an urban penthouse for In Style and Warner Brother's Golden Globes after-party in Los Angeles. Thomas Ford lined the courtyard with images of high-rise buildings and hung a 24-foot wide chandelier from the ceiling.

Event Eleven designed the Screen Actors Guild gala in Los Angeles in January, creating an indoor feel with hard walls of blue-stained birch complete with baseboards and crown moldings.

In 2011, Sperry Tents (508.748.1792, sperrytents.com) in Rochester, Massachusetts, introduced the Sperry Pavilion. The bilevel unit has an ivory sailcloth top and wood framing, with a fabric cupola overhead that adds height to the tent as well as a unique design element. It can be fully sided and enclosed when needed.

Tentnology now offers downsized versions of its large SaddleSpan tents.