Hi Tom. Congrats on the purchase. To answer your question, yes they do fold toward the arch. It took me forever to figure out all of the canvas options, but finally got it. You should have a plastic piece that holds the two poles together when they are folded forward. After they are forward (or back for the forward canvas) you should have another canvas that goes around each bimini and attaches to the top of your arch.
Good luck,
Ron