A dozen workers spent a total of more than 100 man-hours erecting the tent on the campus green over the weekend in preparation for this week’s Convocation events. The tent is 34 feet high and 132 feet wide and covered with 13,000 square feet of tenting material. It is held up by tent poles made up of about 1,000 hardware components, both large and small. About 135 stakes hold the poles in place.
Now that the tent is up, preparations will continue inside for much of the next three days: the stage is being built, spotlights hung, projection screens erected and miles of wires and power cords laid. The giant UMass Chan seal, weighing close to 50 pounds, will be hung in front of hundreds of yards of curtain material, adding an official, distinguished backdrop to the festivities. More than 700 chairs are ready to be unfolded for audience members to use at four events over three days.
For the first event under the tent, Dinner & Dialogue on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 50 round tables will accommodate almost 500 people for dinner.
