Do you run a fair? Whether it is a small-town fair, or a huge state fair, you need to consider seating in your planning.
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Seating is one of the most important commodities for visitors to your fair – they want a place to sit, with a great view of the action! “It doesn’t matter how much you spend on your shows; if people can’t see it, there is no value.” says Mike Timmermans (event organizer, and founder of Bleacher Rentals). The solution to the seating issue for fairs is bleachers. They can accommodate large crowds, and everyone can see and enjoy the show you worked so hard to produce.
-Number of seats
-Buying vs. renting
-Safety and building codes
-Aesthetics: how your seating impacts the overall look of the event
Above: a shot from our local fair – the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show, with a 15-row mobile grandstand from Bleacher Rentals. Photo credit to Rose Lee Studio.
How many seats do you need at your fair? Do you need them all in one place, or spread throughout the grounds? Do you need them all on the same day(s), or could they move mid-fair? These are all questions to consider when planning.
An issue faced by many fairs is the limited amount of frontage available in front of their most popular shows. How do you get more seats when you can’t extend further out? Go up! Did you know that mobile bleachers are available as high as 15 rows tall? If you are currently using 5 row bleachers, you could literally triple the amount of seating in front of your top shows by replacing them with 15 row bleachers!
You might be thinking “Big bleachers sound great, but they’re really expensive. We don’t have that kind of money!” Consider the alternative – you have no (or not enough) seating in front of the shows people came to watch, and then your visitors leave, with a bitter taste in their mouths. What is a happy lifetime customer worth to your fair?
Should we rent or should we buy? This is a question we hear all the time from fair organizers. That depends… how often do you need the seats? If you only need a car one week of a year, would you buy one, or would you just rent a car for that one week?
If you need seating for a one-time event, it would make the most sense to simply rent the bleachers you need. If you need them every weekend for events happening on your grounds, you would be better off to buy the bleachers.
We find that most fairs are best off with a mix of these two scenarios. Having either a permanent grandstand, and/or a few sets of small mobile bleachers that belong to the fairground is great for smaller events that occur throughout the year. But, the week of your fair you will most likely need additional seating, perhaps spread throughout the grounds. This is where renting additional mobile bleachers can be really helpful. Rental bleachers come in all different sizes, to accommodate your fairs needs.
Interested in renting bleachers? Get a quote!
Interested in purchasing bleachers? See what we have available for sale!
Mobile bleachers in place at the Florida State Fair.
As an event organizer, it is your responsibility to do everything in your power to keep your guests safe. This includes the seating you provide. Is the seating at your fair (either owned or rented) keeping your guests safe? As much as building code rules can be a pain in the neck, they were created for a reason.
Do you know what the building code requires when it comes to bleachers? While the rules vary slightly from one state/province to another, the International Building Code has set guidelines for bleachers that are standard. Things to look at include: stairs with hand rails, side and back rails, gap sizes between rows, etc. This is a whole other topic (that you can learn about in our bleacher safety blog series), but it is an important thing to educate yourself on and consider when choosing your seating.
Whether buying or renting, be sure to insist that the bleachers you provide to your guests meet both IBC and local building code standards. Any reputable bleacher supplier should be able to tell you these requirements.
Don’t forget about the aesthetics of your event. People will notice how the fairgrounds look, and it will impact their overall impression of the event. How will your seating choice impact the overall look of your fair?
If you have old, run down bleachers, this will factor into visitor’s overall perception of the event. Could renting some state-of-the art mobile bleachers elevate the status of your event, causing visitors to want to return again? Again … what is the lifetime value of a happy visitor to your fair?
Bleacher seating is a major consideration at your fair. In your planning, make sure to think about how many seats you really need and where, the pros and cons of buying vs. renting, the safety of the bleachers you provide, and how the bleachers impact the overall aesthetics of your fair.
If you ever have questions about bleachers, we are happy to answer them! If you are looking to rent (or purchase) bleachers, we would be happy to either give you a quote, or connect you with a reputable company in your area.
The majority of designers calculate grandstand seating based on a price per seat. This was correct twenty five years ago when all row depths were the same and the industry was manufacturing basically the same product. Today the price should be based on cost per square foot along with several other factors including handicap requirements, rise per rows, color, materials etc. Our Grandstand Calculator can help you determine a budget price.
Powder coating is the preferred process for color in the industry. A good rule of thumb is to only put color on items that you will not touch, therefore color on surfaces such as riser boards, entrance stair rises and aisle risers is acceptable and this will give you more than enough aesthetics. Stay away from seat boards, handrails and understructures. Use anodized aluminum on your seat boards and handrails. Use only hot dipped galvanized finish on the understructure.
Soil conditions are the most overlooked item when it comes to planning a grandstand project. An owner should appropriate money for a soil test prior to receiving pricing, thus eliminating any surprises. If you assume a soil bearing capacity of somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 psf. and the soil test comes back lower then expect delays and an increase in cost.
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One of the advantages of a clear span I-Beam understructure is that various buildings can become part of the project or can be added at a later date. Knowing that buildings will be included let us design column spacing and heights to accommodate your needs.
Yes, Initial designs are formulated using the International Building Code (IBC) and we work closely with state and local officials to ensure that your grandstand is compliant. In addition, all structures are designed by a registered structural engineer and all approval drawings shall bear his stamp for your state.
There are several options available depending on the row depth. To distinguish your VIP section from the rest of the grandstand we offer our Venue I Stadium Chair, bench seating with backs or engraved seat and row numbers.
We have a formula that will tell you exactly the height above grade your seats will need to be for everyone to have a proper sightline. The formula takes into consideration distance from playing field, the rise from one row to another, the depth from one row to another among other items. All this information is incorporated in your grandstand design.
Yes. SAF’s Project Manual was created as an organization tool for administrators. All aspects of your project will be addressed and communicated clearly within each section of the manual. The manual was also designed as a vehicle to start the implementation process.
We are the industry leader on providing products that solve customer’s needs. In this case we would recommend the Tredweld Plus™ Decking System which is fully closed and is designed with a one percent slope to divert water to the front of the stand, thus preventing erosion.
Yes. We can design your grandstand with spectators entering and exiting from the rear of the grandstand through portals (vomitories). This is a fairly simple process with the use of a Clear Span I-Beam understructure.
Sightlines Athletic Facilities LLC’s business is Grandstands, Bleachers, Benches and Press Boxes. Founded in with offices in Crestwood, Kentucky. A full service company with unique products that solve customers needs. We are the leading supplier of permanent grandstands and press boxes for high schools and colleges around the country. Our pre-engineered structures allow us to provide units without sacrificing architectural appeal.
It is just a different method of building press boxes. Pre fabrication construction employs factory techniques to improve quality, shorten manufacturing time and reduce costs. While it is not quite an assembly line approach to manufacturing buildings, the economies of scale, increased worker efficiencies and reduction of delays from weather or vandalism add up to greater speed at less cost.
You drive by modular buildings every day. A press box can look like any other building around. Exteriors and Interiors can be as wide ranging as any other style of construction. Because of the efficiencies of modular construction you may be able to upgrade either the interior or exterior look.
SAF helps you arrive at a floor plan, helps with material selections, creates drawings to obtain the necessary government approvals and to make sure the finished press box is delivered, assembled and finished the way you expect.
Yes. We have the experience to represent you at every step of the process. We save you considerable time, money and headaches. Anyone who has built a home knows the complexity of the process, so we can get more done faster for less. It is simply the most efficient way to go.
We have an experienced in-house design and engineering staff which alleviates the need for architects. We do, however work very closely with architects and value their services.
wo months, maybe three, perhaps longer for more complicated press boxes. For example, we have standard model press boxes that can be fabricated and installed in less than six weeks. If your needs are more elaborate it takes a moth or two to design the press box, choose colors and obtain approvals. After that, construction takes a week or two and on-site assembly with the understructure a week or so. It is a relatively rapid process. If fact, we can begin construction of your press box while you are preparing the site.
No, however the current codes require handicap accessibility on any one story building over 500 square feet. To meet this ADA requirement you may have to incorporate a wheelchair lift or an elevator.
No. The cost of transporting the press box to your site is quoted with the initial price. Old-style builders also transport materials and supplies to the site. The difference is that their materials are vulnerable to theft and vandalism while they await use.
The bleachers and benches are shipped via LTL Freight services. Smaller benches can be shipped via UPS or FedEX. Since you are buying an all aluminum product, all materials can be unloaded by hand. No special equipment is needed.
We are committed to only selling bleachers, benches, press boxes, and tables. Unlike our competition, we have made it our business to be the experts in bleachers and all our aluminum products.
Yes, click here for a copy of our installation instructions. By following these instructions (also sent with your order), installation can be accomplished by unskilled personnel.
The only bleachers we offer without guardrails or aisles are our Low-Rise bleachers (PN: LDLW). The current code you are under requires an aisle and guardrail unless the height of the rear seat is less than 30”. All bleachers above four rows must have a guardrail.
The current code you are under requires an aisle unless certain exceptions are taken including the height of the rear seatboard. This means any bleacher over 4 rows high must have an aisle.
The current code you are under requires an aisle unless certain exceptions are taken including the height of the rear seatboard. This means any bleacher over 4 rows high must have an aisle.
Anodizing is a clear coating that is applied immediately after our aluminum planks are extruded that prohibits the aluminum from oxidizing. Mill finish aluminum is constantly oxidizing and produces a black film that will adhere to your skin and clothing. All of the areas of your bench or bleacher that you can touch with your hand will be anodized to provide for a clean surface and prevent staining of your clothing and hands.
All we do is aluminum bleachers and benches. Over the last couple of years the building codes you are under require vertical aisles and double footboards. Our competitors sell a vast array of products that are not related to bleachers and evidently are not up to speed on what the current code requirements are.
You can place your order and pay via credit card through our online store. You may also issue a purchase order and fax to 502-241- (Federal, State and Local organizations), send your order to us along with a check or give us a call for more information. 800-609-. Pre-paid orders can be emailed to or faxed (502-241-) with a check to follow prior to shipment.
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