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Anchor Industries sales manager Dan Seeber, who has worked for the company for 35 years, said this is the second Big Top tent he has helped construct.
“ Canvas is slowly disappearing,” he said.“ It’ s being used less and less.”
So, it was a bit of a challenge to find sources for the necessary 3,000 yards of distinctive royal blue and pearl gray canvas.
“ We computed, computed and computed again to be sure we were ordering enough canvas with a safety margin built in,” he said.“ Because there wasn’ t any going back to easily get more.”
The company called in their most experienced sewing machine operators and had a supervisor dedicated to overseeing the construction, answering questions as they came up.
Once sewn, three folders cleared off an area in the loading bays, laid down clean cloth and carefully folded the canvas.
Seeber himself hopes to one day make it north to see a show inside the tent he helped create.“ I’ m very proud to be involved,” he said. Operations manager Anich said the tent varies only slightly from earlier models – it is a bit bigger and has a square back that will allow a different seating arrangement at the rear of the tent that will create better sight lines when the walls are raised – people sitting on the hill rising behind the tent will have a less obstructed view to the stage. Those sitting in the rear will find a new bleacher arrangement as well as box seating.
Anich said the new canvas will be stretched over three metal trusses – three arches spanning 60 feet spaced 15 feet apart that create a 60 x 30 – foot clear space in the center of the tent. The arches sit on hinged baseplates imbedded in cement pillars sunk 6 feet into the hillside.
The new tent will be“ infinitely stronger,” Anich said, with new seams, stitching and lines all engineered with strength in mind. A big new tent required a special round of fundraising.“ Our long-time friend and supporter Don Funk really wanted to inspire people to be part of purchasing the new tent,” Matier said.“ That’ s why he offered his challenge to match people’ s donations
to the tent fund. We called it the‘ New Canvas Challenge’ and everyone that gave a gift to the challenge before May 24 will have their name written on a panel of the new tent. Plus Mr. Funk will triple their gift by matching it two to one. The response has been terrific.”
Taking the long view, the Big Top board has established a“ canvas fee” added to each ticket price – a small surcharge dedicated to creating a fund that will ensure infrastructure in the future.
“ In addition to the challenge, every ticket buyer helps build up that canvas fund,” Matier said.“ We also have an endowment fund created by the Keepers of the Magic group. The interest from that fund, held by the Chequamegon Bay Area Community Fund, will contribute toward the purchase of the new tent. This year Big Top will get a new big tent and raffle tent and next year they’ ll be working on a new concession tent.
“ I want to personally thank everyone who helped cover the costs of the new tent! It’ s been a heartwarming outpouring of support.”
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