How to Import Events into WP Event Manager (Eventbrite, Facebook, Meetup, iCal, CSV and JSON)
Quick answer: Install the WPEA WP Event Manager Addon next to WP Event Aggregator and its Pro version. Then open any import tab, choose WP Event Manager under Import Into, and import from Eventbrite, Facebook, Meetup, iCal or a CSV, XML or JSON file.
WP Event Manager is a flexible plugin for running an event listing site. The part nobody enjoys is filling it with events. Typing the title, date, venue, organizer, and image for each one is slow, and it is easy to get wrong.
This guide shows how to automate that with WP Event Aggregator, so your events come from the platforms where they already exist. You can also keep the addon documentation open for reference.
What You Need
- WP Event Aggregator
- WP Event Aggregator Pro (the addon asks for version 1.6.2 or newer)
- WP Event Manager
- The WPEA WP Event Manager Addon
WP Event Manager
If one of these is missing or out of date, the addon shows a notice in your dashboard that tells you exactly what to install or update.
Set Up in Four Steps
- Activate your license at WP Event Aggregator → WP Event Manager Addon License.
- Connect your source in WP Event Aggregator → Settings (Eventbrite, Facebook, and Meetup need a quick connection; iCal and file imports do not). The WP Event Aggregator documentation covers each one.
- Open the import tab for your source and select WP Event Manager under Import Into.
- Choose a category and an event type, set a status, and run the import.
Two choices in step 4 deserve a note. WP Event Manager has both categories and event types, so the import form lets you pick both. And imported events arrive as pending unless you choose another status, which gives you a chance to review them before they go live.
Six Ways to Bring Events In
1. Eventbrite
Import a single event by Event ID, or pull everything from an organizer with an Organizer ID, or from an Eventbrite collection with a Collection ID. Organizer imports suit promoters you work with regularly.
2. Facebook
Import one event by Event ID, or import events from a Facebook Page by entering the page username. This is useful for venues and clubs that announce events on Facebook first.
3. Meetup
Import one event by Event ID, or all events from a group using the Group URL. Good for community groups with regular meetups.
4. iCal
Upload an .ics file, paste an iCal URL, or use an Outlook Calendar. Many venues, councils and schools publish a calendar feed, and this is the easiest way to pull it in.
5. CSV, XML and JSON files
Got your events in a spreadsheet or an export from another system? Upload a CSV, XML or JSON file, map your columns to event fields, choose WP Event Manager under Import Into, and import. It is handy for migrating a list of events from an old site.
6. Scheduled imports
Any of the sources above that use an ID, page, group or feed can run as a scheduled import (hourly, twice daily, daily, weekly or monthly) so your listings keep refreshing without you.
How Events Are Created in WP Event Manager
This is where the addon is a good match for WP Event Manager’s structure. Instead of stuffing everything into one description, it creates the pieces WP Event Manager expects:
- The event with title, description, start and end date and time, and the featured image (also saved as the event banner).
- An organizer as a separate organizer listing, with name, description, website, email and image when the source has them.
- A venue as a separate venue listing, with its name, address, website and image.
- Categories and event types from the ones you picked in the import form.
- A registration link pointing to the original event page, so visitors can sign up or buy tickets at the source.
- An expiry date set to the event’s end date.
Organizers and venues are matched by name, so an organizer or venue you have already imported is reused rather than created again. Events without a physical venue are marked as online events and linked to an “Online Event” venue.
Before Your First Import: A Short Checklist
- Create at least one category (and event type, if you use them) in WP Event Manager so you have something to select.
- Start with a single event to see how it looks on your site.
- Keep the status on pending until you are happy with the result.
- Decide whether you want Update existing events on. Without it, events that are already on your site are skipped when you import again.
Good to Know
- Each import creates single events. Repeating events from a source are not set up as recurring events.
- Event tags are not imported.
- The event’s location is set when the event is first created, so changing the venue at the source later will not move an event that is already imported.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sources can I import from?
Eventbrite, Facebook, Meetup, iCal, and CSV, XML and JSON files.
Do I need WP Event Aggregator Pro?
Yes. The addon requires WP Event Aggregator Pro, version 1.6.2 or newer.
Are organizers and venues created automatically?
Yes. They are created as WP Event Manager organizer and venue listings and reused when the same name appears again.
Can I choose the event category and type?
Yes. Both selectors are in the import form once WP Event Manager is selected under Import Into.
Will events be published automatically?
Only if you choose that status. The default is pending.
Can imports run on a schedule?
Yes. Choose a scheduled import and set how often it should run.
Wrapping Up
With the addon active, filling WP Event Manager is a short routine: pick a source, choose WP Event Manager under Import Into, select a category and event type, and import. Start small, check the result, then add organizer, page, group, feed or file imports and schedule the ones you want to keep fresh.
For more, read the WP Event Manager addon docs and the WP Event Aggregator docs, or visit the WPEA WP Event Manager Addon page and the WP Event Aggregator page.
