Events are one of the best applications for mesh. Festivals, sports grounds, race days and outdoor markets all combine the two conditions mesh is built for: open, windy sites, and the need to put branding up fast and take it down again at the end. This guide covers where mesh fits at events, how to size it to the barriers and fencing it mounts to, and how to fix it so it goes up quickly and comes down reusable.
For the full product background, see The Complete Guide to Mesh Banner Printing in Australia. This article is about event and festival use.
Why mesh suits events
Most event sites are exposed. Open ovals, showgrounds, beachfronts and car parks have nothing to break the wind, and a solid banner in that setting acts like a sail. Mesh lets the wind pass through, so the banners stay put and the barriers they are fixed to are not pushed over.
Mesh is also light and quick to handle, which matters when a crew is dressing a whole site against the clock on the morning of an event. And because mesh holds up well outdoors, the same banners can be stored and reused across a season of events rather than reprinted each time.
Common event applications
Mesh turns up across an event site in a handful of standard roles.
Crowd control barriers. The bike rack style barriers used for queues and crowd lines are a classic mesh job. A banner sized to the barrier covers the open frame with sponsor or wayfinding branding and reads clearly along a fence line.
Temporary fence scrim. Where temporary fencing rings a site or screens a back of house area, mesh scrim runs along it to brand the perimeter and tidy up the look, the same way it works on construction hoarding.
Stage and backdrop branding. Mesh backdrops behind a stage or on rigging let wind through, which matters for anything elevated and exposed. For a backdrop that will be filmed or photographed up close, weigh the perforation against solid material, since mesh reads softer at close range.
Sports ground perimeter. Field perimeter and fence line banners at local and regional grounds are typically mesh, both for wind and because they are often left up across a season.
Sponsor and feature branding. Anywhere a sponsor logo needs to go up large and outdoors, mesh is the default, sized to whatever structure it mounts to.
Sizing to barriers and fencing
Event banners are sized to the thing they mount to, so start from the barrier or fence dimensions, not from a standard banner size. Crowd control barriers and temporary fence panels vary between suppliers, so measure or confirm the actual frame before you build artwork.
Remember the print limit. Mediapoint mesh prints to a maximum of 1800mm in one direction and up to 50 metres in the other, which comfortably covers standard barriers and most fence runs as single pieces. The full sizing logic is in Standard Mesh Banner Sizes in Australia. For a long continuous fence line, a single banner run along the fence looks cleaner than separate panels with visible gaps between them.
Fixing for quick install and removal
The fixing method is where event work differs from long term hoarding. For banners that go up and come down quickly, and especially for banners reused across multiple events, ball bungees are the better choice. The elastic loop hooks through the eyelet and around the barrier in seconds, holds the banner with a little give that absorbs gusts, and unhooks just as fast at pack down.
Cable ties still work and hold tighter, but they are cut off and discarded each time, which is slower to remove and not reusable. For a one off event a mix is common: bungees where speed matters, cable ties where a banner needs to be locked down hard against wind. The full range of fixing options is covered in Mounting Hardware for Mesh Banners.
Order the banner with eyelet spacing suited to the site. Exposed grounds want closer 300mm spacing so the banner has enough fixing points to stay flat in the wind.
Reusing event banners across multiple events
One of the strongest arguments for mesh at events is reuse. A well made mesh banner with plastic eyelets will survive multiple events if it is treated properly between them.
Take the banners down clean, let them dry fully before storage so they do not grow mould, and roll rather than fold them so the print does not crease. Stored well, a set of sponsor or wayfinding banners can run across a whole season, which changes the cost equation completely compared with reprinting each time. Build that into how you quote the job for a client running a recurring event.
Designing for events
Event branding is seen at distance, at speed and often by a moving crowd, so keep the design bold and simple. Large logos, strong colour and minimal fine detail read best. Avoid small text and fine reversed type, which struggle on a perforated surface and are unreadable from a distance anyway.
For sponsor banners, confirm logo colours and placement before printing, since sponsors are particular about how their brand appears. If a backdrop will be filmed or photographed close up, factor the perforation into the decision, as covered in the file setup guidance.
Ordering event mesh banners from Mediapoint
Mediapoint is a trade only printer supplying sign shops, resellers and agencies, with blind shipping so the finished banners reach your client under your own brand. We print trade mesh banners hemmed with plastic eyelets at the spacing your install needs, sized to the barriers and fencing on site. To order, set up a trade account here: https://www.mediapoint.com.au/authorization/registration/personal-information. Give us the finished size, the mesh weight and the eyelet spacing, and we will quote and turn it around to your event timeline.
Frequently asked questions
Why use mesh banners for outdoor events?
Most event sites are open and exposed, so a solid banner catches the wind and can pull over the barriers it is fixed to. Mesh lets the wind pass through, stays put, and is light and quick to install and remove. It also holds up for reuse across multiple events.
How do you attach a mesh banner to a crowd control barrier?
Ball bungees are the quickest and most reusable option, hooking through the eyelet and around the frame in seconds and unhooking fast at pack down. Cable ties hold tighter but are cut off and discarded each time. Order the banner with eyelet spacing to suit the site, using closer spacing on exposed grounds.
Can event mesh banners be reused?
Yes. A well made mesh banner with plastic eyelets can run across multiple events if it is taken down clean, dried fully before storage to prevent mould, and rolled rather than folded. Reuse changes the cost equation significantly for recurring events.
What size should an event mesh banner be?
Size it to the barrier or fence it mounts to rather than to a standard size, and confirm the actual frame dimensions first since they vary by supplier. Mesh prints to a maximum of 1800mm in one direction and up to 50 metres in the other, which covers standard barriers and most fence runs as single pieces.
Is mesh good for a stage backdrop?
Mesh works well for exposed or elevated backdrops because it lets the wind through. The one caution is close up filming or photography, where the perforation reads softer than solid material. For a backdrop viewed at distance, mesh is an excellent choice.
