App of the Week – Facebook Events

Published on October 27, 2016

Whether you’re a Facebook junkie or a reluctant user, we bet there’s one part of the popular social platform that you use just about every day: the Events function.

More than evites, paper invitations, or text messages, Facebook has become the go-to method for creating and promoting events. According to TechCrunch, about 100 million users check out Facebook Events every day, discovering and RSVPing to gatherings ranging from birthday parties to friends' improv shows (soooo many improv shows).

Earlier this month, Facebook launched a standalone Events app for iOS (allegedly the Android version is coming soon), and it's already taken off in a big way: TechCrunch calls Events “indispensable,” while The Ringer, one of our favorite tech and culture sites, even calls it “refreshing” and “one standalone app you’ll actually want.”

So what makes Events stand out? The app curates opportunities that you might enjoy, based on your location, your friends’ activity, your personal preferences, and the pages and content that you like. From there, Events allows you to skim through recommendations for things to do in a wide variety of categories. Scroll through a list, check out events geographically on a map, or automatically sync events up with your personal calendars.

Interested in one particular event – say, a local street fair? Now you can keep track of who’s scheduled to attend, check out any pictures or updates provided by the event's host, and invite new friends to join in on the fun at any time.

While we’ve had our issues with some of Facebook’s standalone apps in the past (the less said about Facebook Messenger, the better), Events seems well worth a look for introverts and social butterflies alike. Ready to see what’s happening in your neck of the woods? Events is available for free for iOS devices; an Android app is currently in the works.