How to Create an Event on Facebook

Create an event page to invite your friends to attend

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Updated on February 9, 2021

Create a Private Event

Only invited guests can see a private event page. You can include the following basic pieces of information on a private, invite-only Facebook event page:

A photo or video (from Facebook's library of themes or your own uploaded file).
The name of the event.
The location of the event.
A description of the event.
The date and time that the event will take place.
An option to create a schedule for the event.
The names of any co-hosts of the event.
The option to allow guests to invite their friends.
The option to allow invitees to view the guest list.

You can set up an event from Facebook.com in a web browser or from the Facebook mobile app.

Select Events on the left side of your newsfeed on your Home page.
Select Create Event.

On the app, select the menu icon in the main menu (bottom of the screen on iOS and top of the screen on Android), then tap Places & Events > Create.
Select Online or In Person.
Choose Private from the Privacy menu on the left side.
Enter a name for the event, a start date, and a time.

The name of your event can be up to 64 characters in length.
Select the Next button to continue.
If you are hosting an in-person event, enter the event's physical location in the Location field and select the address from the list of locations that Facebook detects. Select Next to continue.

If the event is an online event, enter that information.
Select Upload Cover Photo to add your photo to the event page or select Choose Illustration to use an illustration from the gallery provided. Add a description in the Description field.
If it applies, add one or more co-hosts. Select Event Settings and enter a friend's name in the Co-hosts field and select the friend's name from the list. (You can have multiple co-hosts). You can also show or hide the guest list. Select Save to continue.
Select Create Event.
Select the Invite button and search for friends' names or select friends from the given list. You can add an optional note to personalize the invitation.

Engage with your invitees and attendees to build excitement and anticipation for the event. Write a post, add a photo or video, or create a poll on your event page to keep people in the loop while they wait for the event date and time.

Set Up a Public Event

Anyone on Facebook can see and search for a public event. Public events are ideal for attracting a large audience to a big event, such as a local concert, festival, or fair.

For public events, you can provide all the information listed above for private events and more, including:

Select a category so that people browsing public events can find it.
Set a recurring frequency if it's a recurring event.
Provide extra details.
List admission guidelines.
Control who can post on the event page.

When it comes time to invite people to your event, you can invite friends, members of a group, or page followers. A public Facebook event can spread quickly, potentially reaching many people in a short time.

If the event is public and someone RSVPs that they are attending, that information shows up on that person’s newsfeed, where their friends can see it.

If the event is public, the attendee’s friends can decide if they want to attend, too. As the date of the event approaches, a reminder pops up on attendees' home pages.

You set up a public event in the same way as a private event, but only up to a certain point.

Choose Public from the privacy menu on the left side.

The setup screen shows a section where you enter additional information. You can choose an event category, enter keywords, and indicate whether it offers free admission or is kid-friendly.

After you add the necessary information for all the fields, select the Create Event button, which takes you to the public event's new Facebook page.

Facebook Event Limitations

Facebook sets a 500-invite limit to avoid reports of spamming. If you send invites to a large number of people who don't respond, Facebook reserves the right to limit the number of people you can invite to your event.

Expand your reach by allowing anyone to invite their friends and naming a co-host, who is also allowed to invite up to 500 people.

Promote Your Facebook Event

After you schedule your event page and populate it with interesting information, promote the event to increase attendance.

You can do this in several ways:

If the event is public, share the event on your newsfeed or in groups you belong to, if the group allows it.
Create a Facebook ad for the event. Facebook ad rates are low, and you can target a specific audience.
If you have a co-host for the event, ask that person to share the event.
As you approach the event's date, share photos, videos, stories, and updates on the event page to generate interest.
Use your mobile device to do a Facebook live stream from the event preparations or the event.
Whether the event is private or public, invite your Facebook friends or people you know from your groups or business page. If they aren't on Facebook, you can invite them by email or text address.

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