Lowcountry cool

Snyder Events brings personality, professionalism and heart to Charleston, S.C. events.

Warm, detailed architecture, angel oak trees, Spanish moss and tree frogs provide the backdrop for Charleston, S.C. In the city that exudes personality and a party atmosphere true to its Lowcountry culture, Keith Snyder began Snyder Events 18 years ago with only a few coolers and “a couple of gigs on the books,” he says. Now, the company has more than 100 in–season employees and provides tents and rentals for events including the Charleston Wine and Food Festival and Charleston Fashion Week—which are housed entirely in Snyder Events’ tents and are showcased in the city’s central green space for the entire month of March.

Spirited branding

Like the city in which it operates, Snyder Events also exudes personality and a party atmosphere, featuring the branded “Spike by Snyder” bartending and casino services. “What—or who—is Spike?” the company’s website asks. “He’s all grown up now. He’s got a house and nice family. But deep down inside he’s still that wild child who ran away from home with only $10 and a lighter in the 6th grade.” Spike as a person, of course, is a work of fiction, but the company’s bartending and casino services reflect Spike’s free spirit. Among the services offered is the Lowcountry Bar package, which provides a regional flavor of local liquors, beers and wines. The casino options include black jack, poker, roulette, craps tables and clay chips rentals.

The lay of the land

Snyder Events caters to more than Lowcountry events, however. Snyder and his partner Jason Robbins pride themselves on staying on the cutting edge of trends to provide whatever services clients might want, including weddings, festivals and corporate events. “We’ve learned the benefits of listening to our clients,” Snyder says. “When they see a need we act on it.” Snyder Lounge service, providing high–end furniture rentals, is one result of listening to clients’ requests. The company also has blueprints for almost every venue in the Charleston area, making its designers intimately acquainted with which layouts work best for which venues.

New Year’s resolutions

Since 2001, each New Year’s Eve, Snyder Events has hosted the Grand Ball at the SC Aquarium to raise money for two local charities. This year, and for the past few years, the charities supported by the event are the SC Aquarium Education Fund and Darkness to Light, which raises awareness and empowers people to prevent child sexual abuse. The ball attracts more revelers than any other event in Charleston on New Year’s Eve, and raises considerable funds for the charities.

Snyder Events supports a myriad of other local nonprofits as a way to give back to the community that helped its owner build a thriving business from humble beginnings.