Where to find the Events section on Facebook
Facebook's Events feature lives in the left sidebar menu on your desktop, or in the menu at the bottom of the app on your phone. On desktop, open Facebook and look at the left side of your screen — you'll see a list of shortcuts including Home, Friends, Groups, and Watch. Scroll down in that sidebar until you see "Events" listed there. Click it, and you'll land on your Events page.
On mobile, tap the three horizontal lines (called a menu icon) at the bottom right of your screen. Scroll down through the menu until you see "Events," then tap it. If you don't see Events in your main menu, it may be hidden — tap "See More" at the bottom of the menu to reveal additional options.
Once you're on your Events page, you'll see events you've already marked as attending, events coming up that friends are going to, and a search box at the top. This is your starting point for finding new events in your area or by interest.
Key Takeaways
- The Events section is in your left sidebar on desktop or in the bottom menu on mobile, and it's the main hub for discovering what's happening near you.
- You can search for events by name, location, or category, and Facebook will show you both public events and events your friends are attending.
- Filtering by date, location, and category narrows results so you're not scrolling through hundreds of irrelevant events.
- When you find an event you're interested in, you can mark yourself as "Interested" or "Going" so Facebook reminds you and tells your friends.
- Private events only show up if you've been invited directly, but public events are visible to anyone searching.
Searching for events by location and interest
The search box at the top of your Events page is the fastest way to find what you're looking for. Type in what you want — "concerts in Denver," "book clubs near me," "farmers market," or the name of a specific event you heard about. Facebook will pull up matching results, both from your area and from other locations if the event is large enough.
If you search for something broad like "concerts," you'll get hundreds of results. To narrow them down, look for filter options that appear below the search box or to the left of the results. You can usually filter by date (this weekend, next week, this month), location (how far away you're willing to travel), and category (music, sports, business, nightlife, and so on). Using these filters cuts your results from hundreds to a manageable list.
If you don't know exactly what you're looking for, you can also browse by category. On your main Events page, you may see category tiles like "Music," "Sports," or "Nightlife" — click any of these to see popular events in that category happening near you.
Understanding public versus private events
Not all events on Facebook work the same way. Public events are visible to anyone on Facebook, whether they know the organizer or not. If you search for "5K run in Austin," you'll see public races that anyone can find and join. Public events show up in search results, on your friends' pages if they're attending, and sometimes in your News Feed.
Private events only appear if someone invites you directly. You won't find them by searching, and they don't show up in your News Feed unless you're invited. If a friend invites you to a private event, you'll see it in your notifications or in your Events page under "Invitations." You can accept the invitation, decline it, or mark yourself as interested.
This distinction matters because if you're searching for an event and can't find it, it may be private — in which case you'll need to ask the organizer or a friend who's attending to send you an invitation link.
Marking yourself as going or interested
When you find an event you want to attend, click on it to open the full event page. At the top, you'll see buttons that say "Going," "Interested," or "Invite." Click "Going" if you're definitely attending, or "Interested" if you might go but aren't sure yet. Either choice tells Facebook to remind you about the event and notifies your friends that you're attending or considering it.
Marking yourself as "Going" is useful because Facebook will send you a reminder notification a few days before the event. It also shows the organizer how many people plan to attend, which helps them plan for food, seating, or materials. If you change your mind, you can click the button again to change your status from "Going" to "Interested" or remove yourself entirely.
The "Invite" button lets you invite friends to the event directly from the event page. This is helpful if you found something you think your friends would enjoy — you can send them the event link without having to copy and paste it.
Using the Events calendar view
Some versions of Facebook show your events in a calendar format, which is helpful if you want to see what's happening on specific dates. If you see a calendar icon on your Events page, click it to switch from list view to calendar view. You'll see the days of the month, and events you're attending or interested in will appear on their dates.
Calendar view is especially useful if you're juggling multiple events and want to make sure you don't double-book yourself. You can click any date to see all events happening that day, or click a specific event to get more details. If your Events page doesn't show a calendar option, your version of Facebook may not have this feature — the list view works just as well for finding what you need.
What to do if you can't find an event you're looking for
If you've searched for an event and it's not showing up, there are a few reasons why. The event may be private, which means only invited guests can see it — ask the organizer or a friend who's attending to send you an invite link. The event may also be very new and not yet indexed by Facebook's search, so try searching again in a few hours or the next day.
Another possibility is that the event is listed under a different name than you expected. If you're looking for a specific venue's event, try searching for the venue name instead of the event name. You can also check the venue's Facebook page directly — many businesses list their upcoming events on their own pages.
If the event is happening but the organizer hasn't created a Facebook event page for it, you won't find it through Facebook search. In that case, you may need to look for the event on the venue's website, on Eventbrite, or through other event listing sites.
Adjusting your event notifications and preferences
Facebook sends notifications about events you're attending or interested in, but you can control how many notifications you get. Go to your Settings (the gear icon or three dots in the top right), then select "Notifications." Look for "Events" in the notification settings and choose how you want to be notified — you can get alerts for events starting soon, when friends are attending, or turn notifications off entirely if you prefer to check your Events page manually.
You can also control what shows up on your Events page by adjusting your preferences. If you're getting too many event suggestions that don't interest you, Facebook's algorithm will learn over time which types of events you actually engage with. The more you click on events in certain categories, the more similar events Facebook will show you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see events my friends are attending even if I wasn't invited?
Yes, if the event is public. When a friend marks themselves as "Going" to a public event, it may show up in your News Feed or on their profile. You can click through to the event page and mark yourself as interested or going. Private events your friends attend won't show up unless you're invited directly.
What's the difference between "Going" and "Interested"?
Marking yourself "Going" tells the organizer you plan to attend and commits you more firmly. "Interested" means you might go but aren't certain yet. Both statuses send you a reminder before the event, but "Going" is more visible to your friends and the organizer.
How do I find events happening right now or this weekend?
Use the date filter on the Events search page. Most versions of Facebook let you filter by "This Weekend," "Today," "This Week," or "This Month." You can also set a custom date range if you're looking for events further out.
Can I create my own event on Facebook?
Yes. On your Events page, look for a button that says "Create Event" or the plus icon. Click it, fill in the event name, date, time, location, and description, then choose whether it's public or private. You can invite specific people or let anyone find it through search.
Why am I seeing event suggestions I don't care about?
Facebook suggests events based on your location, the groups you're in, and events your friends are attending. If suggestions aren't relevant, you can hide them by clicking the three dots on the event card and selecting "Hide." Over time, Facebook learns which types of events interest you.