Outdoor Event Equipment Hire

Outdoor events bring practical challenges that indoor venues absorb automatically. Ground conditions, weather, and vehicle access for delivery all affect what you can set up and how. The right equipment still makes the difference between a functional event and a chaotic one.

What You'll Need

Most outdoor events need a combination of furniture for guests, surfaces for food and drink service, and catering equipment to keep food at temperature. Marquee events add a layer of planning around internal layout and pole positions.

• Folding chair hire — lightweight and stackable for outdoor use; straightforward to move around a large site
• Folding trestle table hire — 6ft trestles work for most outdoor setups; they fold flat for transport and are stable on firm ground
• Poseur table hire — useful for outdoor bar areas and food stations at garden parties and fetes
• Linen hire — tablecloths for outdoor dining and catering tables
• Catering equipment — chafing dishes keep food hot at outdoor buffets without electricity; serving trays, tongs and ladles for food stations
• Glassware hire — wine glasses, tumblers and jugs for outdoor bars and dining areas

Planning Your Order

Ground access matters for delivery. Vehicles need firm ground or hardstanding to unload safely. If your site has soft ground, field access only, or a long walk from the road, note this when placing your order so the team can advise on how to approach it.

For outdoor catering, chafing dishes with fuel canisters keep food hot without a power source. Plan for one full chafing dish per food type, and order spare fuel canisters if service runs longer than two hours. Most chafing dishes hold around 9 litres.

Marquee events within outdoor settings follow the same planning logic as indoor events. Map out your furniture on paper first, account for marquee pole positions and guy ropes, and leave clear walkways between tables and exits before you finalise quantities.

Delivery and Collection

Expo Hire delivers seven days a week to all areas of England and Wales. Delivery and collection starts from £40, calculated at checkout by distance from the depot. The standard hire period covers delivery the day before your event and collection the day after.

Book delivery for the day before your event so you have time to set up at a comfortable pace, particularly for large outdoor events with multiple areas to dress.

How to Order

Browse the full hire catalogue, add items to your basket, and place your order online with live stock levels. For large events or bespoke requirements, call the team to discuss. See the how to order page for full details.