Marquee

A marquee is a term with several related meanings. Most commonly it refers to a large tent or canopy erected for outdoor events. It can also denote the sign or canopy over the entrance of a theater, hotel, or other venue, often extending over the sidewalk to shelter patrons.

Marquee tents are typically constructed from canvas or synthetic fabric stretched over a frame of poles or metal arches. They are anchored to the ground with stakes and ropes, and may include sidewalls, heaters, and lighting. They are used for weddings, fairs, corporate events, and temporary exhibitions, offering a weather-protected space that can be erected quickly.

The theatre marquee is a fixed feature above or beside the entrance, serving as a display surface for the title of a show and other information. Historically, marquee signs were wooden or metal with glass-encased lettering, later adopting electric illumination such as neon or LED. In many cities the marquee is a cultural landmark and a focus of nightlife branding.

In computing, marquee may refer to the HTML marquee element, a nonstandard tag used to create scrolling or sliding text. It is deprecated in modern web standards and has largely been replaced by CSS animations and scripting.