If you think party tents are only for weddings and formal gatherings, think again. There are only so many ideas Pinterest can give you on Halloween decoration ideas that won’t look weird and out of place in your home. With a party tent, you get a blank canvas to design the Halloween party of your dreams. If you’re not sure how this would work, don’t worry: keep reading for the ultimate guide to Halloween party ideas that will make for a party you and your guests will be talking about for years to come. Halloween ideas abound at American Tent, so read on.
How to Decorate a Tent for Halloween
Follow these 3 simple steps to decorate your tent and have a perfect tent party on Halloween.
Step One: Pick your Halloween party theme
Choosing a theme is the first step in planning any amazing event, and that includes your Halloween party! Determining how you want your party to look--and how you want your party guests to feel--will help you with every step of the party-planning process. In your home, you’re mostly relegated to creating some form of a haunted house. With a party tent, your Halloween party options are truly endless. Need a few more Halloween ideas? You’ve come to the right place.
If you’re not super into scaring your party guests and you’re more excited about throwing a themed Halloween party with amazing costumes and decorations, you could opt to rent a large party tent to host an exquisite masquerade ball, a throwback sock hop party from the 50s, or a red-carpet event with fun celebrity costumes and decorations. Go all out, and get nostalgic with your friends as you hit the dance floor and relive fun school-dance memories.
If scaring your party guests is your number one priority in planning your Halloween party, create a spooky haunted house that winds through your tent, use scattered pop-up tents for a haunted carnival of nightmares, or turn your entire backyard into a graveyard, with a tent your guests can escape to. Whatever theme you choose to go with, your guests will be blown away by your ultimate Halloween party tent, chock full of the coolest Halloween party ideas.
Step Two: Choose your tent
Once you’ve decided which direction you’ll take your Halloween party, it’s time to figure out which tent(s) you’ll need to bring your party to the next level. At American Tent, we have many tent options that can help you transform your space. Here’s a quick guide on some of our most popular tents, and which choice is the best for your party:
Pole Tents - Pole tents are large, elegant, and simple to set up and decorate. If you think of an outdoor wedding with a party tent, you’re probably imagining a pole tent, as these are popular with large events. These tents can easily accommodate all your party guests, and can be decorated to fit within just about any party theme. These are a wonderful option for a large Halloween party, especially if you want the room to feed your guests, include fun decorations and games, and include a dance floor!
Clear Top Tents - Clear tents are similar to pole tents in that they can accommodate large parties, but they have the added benefit of see-through ceiling and siding panels. This means you can take even more advantage of decorating possibilities. You could host a dreamy prom-themed dance under the stars (perhaps with a bloody, fiery Carrie vibe), or you could get even scarier and decorate with low-lighting, blood stains, red lights, and more!
Pagoda Tents - Pagoda tents are the perfect way to create a terrifying haunted house or maze that will scare your guests socks off and make them wonder why they ever paid for a haunted house before. It’s easy to build “rooms” and create any shape you want with pagoda tents, and you’ll be able to make your guests feel like they are truly trapped inside a haunted house, instead of walking through a party tent.
Pop-Up Tents - These small, fun tents are the perfect option when you want to create multiple different areas for your guests to stop at and experience at your Halloween party. They’re the perfect option for a haunted carnival, or a simple rest/food area for your guests to stop in after getting terrified by your spooky party additions.
Step Three: Make it spooky with decorations!
You have your party theme and you know which tent will be perfect for your event; now you have to find the perfect Halloween decorations to take it up a notch and throw the Halloween party of your dreams! So, how do you decorate a tent for Halloween?
Though it might seem intimidating to style an entire tent for your Halloween party, you’ll quickly realize it’s much easier to decorate a blank canvas than it would be to redecorate your entire home for one night of spooks and scares. Here are some of our best tips on how to decorate your party tent and turn it from plain to nightmarish:
- Use your tent to your advantage. Whichever tent you rent or buy for your Halloween party, you can incorporate its design into your party. Pop-up tents, for example, already have a carnivalesque feel to them, and can be easily made into carnival tents with simple red drapery. Clear tents can be used to give your guests a view of the night sky, and any spooky decorations you have outside. Even the simple and elegant pole tents have inner-poles that are perfect for decorating. Make sure to use your tent to your advantage!
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Add immediate ambiance with lighting. Lighting can change the feeling of a party in seconds. Add red lights to throw a creepy, bloody cast onto everything and everyone, turn your tent blue and scatter ghosts and ghouls throughout, or add a mix of bright yellow spotlights and red backlighting to give your tents a carnival feel.
The best part of using lighting as decoration is that you can opt for cheap string lights on a budget, or go all out and rent professional equipment for the biggest Halloween party ever. Lighting will transform your party, and is an available option for any budget.
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DIY and repurpose as much as you can. You’re only throwing this party once. Halloween decorations in stores tend to be extremely overpriced. Even if budget isn’t a big concern, it makes sense to utilize what you already have, and DIY decorations yourself. If you need some Halloween party decoration ideas, here are some awesome DIY decorating ideas that would be perfect to add to your party tent.
Pro tip: If you’re a Halloween fanatic who throws an extraordinary party every year, hit the stores a few days after Halloween and grab some heavily discounted decorations. Just like chocolate discounts after Valentine’s Day, you’ll be able to pick up some amazing Halloween pieces at marked-down prices.
- Remember to keep it simple… and temporary! Just by having a party tent, your Halloween party is going to wow your guests and have an amazing ambiance. You don’t have to go crazy hanging cobwebs on every available surface or splattering blood everywhere, unless you want to! Just remember: fake blood stains. Be mindful of the products and decorations you use to ensure your rental tent can be returned in perfect condition when your Halloween shenanigans are over.
Now that you have all the tools and tricks to transform a plain tent into your Halloween dream, start planning your party and prepare your guests for the time of their lives! And American Tent is always happy to provide you with the high-quality party tents for sale, just contact us to find exactly what you need.
Happy Halloween, ghoul friends.
