How to Create a WordPress Event Calendar

Creating an event calendar on your WordPress site is an excellent way to showcase upcoming events, appointments, or availability in an organized and visually appealing manner. Whether you are running a business that hosts events, managing a community website, or organizing personal engagements, an event calendar can streamline communication and engagement with your audience. This article will walk you through how to set up a WordPress event calendar, the best plugins to use, and tips for customizing and managing your event listings.

Why You Need an Event Calendar on Your WordPress Site

Before diving into the setup process, here are some key reasons why having an event calendar can benefit your WordPress site:

• User Engagement: An interactive event calendar can keep visitors coming back to your site for updates, registrations, or ticket purchases.
• Centralized Information: It’s an effective way to centralize event details such as dates, venues, descriptions, and ticket links.
• Automation: Automating event reminders, bookings, and notifications reduces the workload of manual handling.
• Boost SEO: Regularly updated events can improve your website’s visibility in search engines.
• Time Management: For businesses offering appointments or reservations, a calendar can be synchronized with bookings for better organization.

Step 1: Choose the Right Event Calendar Plugin

The easiest way to create an event calendar on WordPress is by using a dedicated plugin. Below are some of the most popular and highly recommended plugins for creating event calendars:

1. The Events Calendar

Best For: General event calendar creation, with both free and paid versions.

Features

• Easy-to-use interface for creating and managing events.
• Google Calendar and iCalendar export options.
• Events can be displayed in month, week, or day views.
• Recurring events (Pro version).
• Integrates with WooCommerce for paid event tickets (Pro version).

Ease of Use: Designed for users of all levels, with simple event creation forms.

2. All-in-One Event Calendar

Best For: A comprehensive solution with plenty of customization options.

Features

• Customizable event categories and tags.
• Filter events by type, location, or category.
• Google Maps integration for event locations.
• Import and export events via Google Calendar.

Ease of Use: Powerful yet user-friendly, even for beginners.

3. EventON

Best For: Visually appealing, stylish event calendars.

Features

• Custom color options for events.
• Support for multiple event types (e.g., all-day, virtual).
• RSVP functionality for attendees.
• Featured event images.
• Add-ons available for more complex features like ticket sales or countdown timers.

Ease of Use: Offers drag-and-drop event management, suitable for users who need customization.

4. Modern Events Calendar

Best For: Users who need modern design aesthetics and advanced features.

Features

• Responsive design and beautiful layouts.
• Recurring events, countdowns, and booking management.
• Google Calendar integration.
• Payment gateways and ticket sales.

Ease of Use: Feature-rich but may have a steeper learning curve due to the breadth of customization options.

Step 2: Install and Activate Your Chosen Plugin

For this guide, we’ll use The Events Calendar plugin, as it’s one of the most widely used and beginner-friendly options.

1. Install the Plugin: Go to your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to Plugins > Add New. In the search bar, type “The Events Calendar” and click Install Now. After the installation is complete, click Activate.

2. Access the Plugin Settings: Once activated, a new menu called “Events” will appear in your WordPress dashboard. Click on Events > Settings to configure how events are displayed, timezone settings, and integration with external calendars.

Step 3: Add Events to Your Calendar

Now that the plugin is installed and activated, you can start adding events to your calendar.

1. Go to Events: From your WordPress dashboard, click on Events > Add New.

2. Fill in Event Details:Add a Title for your event. In the main content editor, provide a detailed description of the event. Set the Event Date and Time using the designated fields. Enter the event Location (with Google Maps integration if needed) and additional venue details. If relevant, add the Organizer’s contact information.

3. Categorize Your Event: Create Event Categories to group events by type (e.g., Workshops, Concerts, Webinars). This makes it easier for visitors to filter events. You can also add Event Tags for more specific filtering options.

4. Add Recurring Events (Optional): If you’re using The Events Calendar Pro or another plugin that supports recurring events, you can define how frequently an event repeats (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).

5. Publish the Event:Once you’ve added all the necessary information, click Publish.

Step 4: Customize the Calendar Display

Each plugin offers various options to display your event calendar in a way that fits your website’s design. Here are some ways to customize the look and functionality:

1. Choose the Layout: Most event calendar plugins provide different layout options, such as:

• Month View: Displays all events for a specific month in a grid.
• List View: Shows upcoming events in a list format.
• Day/Week View: Focuses on events happening on a specific day or within a week.

2. Embed the Calendar on a Page: You can embed your event calendar on any page or post by using a shortcode or a block editor.

For The Events Calendar plugin, go to Pages > Add New, create a new page titled “Events,” and then use the Events Block or shortcode `[tribe_events]` to insert your calendar.

3. Customize Event Appearance: Plugins like EventON or Modern Events Calendar allow you to customize the color scheme and layout to better match your website’s style.

With The Events Calendar, you can go to Events > Settings > Display to tweak the event template, fonts, and colors.

4. Enable Search and Filtering: Adding a search bar or filtering options (by event category, date, location) will make it easier for visitors to find specific events.

The Events Calendar Pro offers a Filter Bar add-on that enhances user experience with more advanced filtering.

Step 5: Enable RSVPs, Bookings, and Ticket Sales (Optional)

If your events require reservations or tickets, you can integrate booking and ticketing features. Here are some options:

1. RSVPs: Many plugins allow you to add simple RSVP forms to your events. The RSVP feature can collect names, emails, and any other necessary attendee information. For example, with The Events Calendar, you can install Event Tickets (free or Pro) to handle RSVPs.

2. Sell Tickets: If you need to sell tickets directly on your site, you can use a plugin like WooCommerce in combination with Event Tickets Plus (The Events Calendar) or EventON’s ticketing add-on. With these plugins, you can integrate payment gateways such as PayPal or Stripe, manage attendee lists, and even generate scannable QR codes for event entry.

3. Booking Systems: For businesses like restaurants or services that require scheduling or appointments, consider plugins like Amelia or Bookly that integrate with your event calendar to offer booking capabilities.

Step 6: Maintain and Promote Your Event Calendar

Once your event calendar is up and running, regular updates and promotion are key to keeping it relevant and useful.

1. Update Regularly: Keep your calendar up to date with new events, changes to existing ones, and accurate time and location details. Ensure recurring events are displayed correctly to avoid confusion.

2. Promote Events: Share your event calendar on social media platforms or include a link in your email newsletters. Consider using the built-in social sharing options available in some plugins to allow users to share event details with their own networks.

3. Send Reminders: Some plugins, like Event Tickets Plus and Modern Events Calendar, allow you to send automatic event reminders to attendees via email.

4. Use Analytics: Many plugins offer analytics to track event views, RSVPs, or ticket sales. Use these insights to optimize your event promotion strategies and focus on popular event types.

Conclusion

Creating a WordPress event calendar is a powerful way to showcase upcoming events, manage bookings, and engage with your audience. By choosing the right plugin, customizing it to fit your website’s design, and maintaining it regularly, you can create a seamless event management experience for both you and your visitors. Whether you’re hosting online events, concerts, workshops, or simply managing your business’s availability, a WordPress event calendar is a versatile and essential tool.