How far ahead should a bar or restaurant promote an event?
Announce a big event about 30 days out, remind people hard the week of, and post a recap within a day or two after. Weekly nights like trivia need about a week of lead time plus day-of stories. The final week does the most selling: Eventbrite reported that 57 percent of tickets for U.S. music events in early 2024 sold a week or less before the show.
Why announce 30 days out if people buy late?
Because the late buyer still needs to have heard about it. Eventbrite's data, reported by Pollstar, showed 57 percent of tickets for U.S. music events sold a week or less before the show in January to April 2024, and the gap between purchase and show date fell 26 percent from 2022 to 2024 (Pollstar on Eventbrite's study). People decide late. The early announcement is what puts your event on the list they decide from.
Thirty days also gives groups time to organize. Birthday tables, office outings and friend groups coming in from Irvine or Newport Beach need a date on the calendar before anyone commits.
What does the timeline look like for a big event?
For a holiday party, an anniversary, a ticketed night or a big game watch party, this is the rhythm we plan around:
- About 30 days out: The announcement. Date, what it is, why it is worth it, and the ticket or reservation link in your bio and stories.
- Two to three weeks out: Reveal details one at a time. The DJ, the menu, the special pour. Each reveal is a new reason to post.
- About two weeks out: Collab posts with partners: the band, the brewery, the creator hosting. Written in their voice so it reaches their audience too.
- The week of: The heavy push. A reminder Reel, daily stories, and a short paid boost aimed at people within a few miles.
- Day of: Stories from setup through doors. "Tables still open at 8:00 PM" sells seats.
- After: A recap within 48 hours. Photos, a short video, and a thank you. This is the post that sells the next one.
What should the announcement post include?
Everything someone needs to say yes without messaging you: the date and start time, what is happening, what it costs or whether it is free, whether reservations are needed, and where to book. Lead with the most exciting detail, not the date. Pin it to the top of your profile until the event passes, then unpin it.
How far ahead for a weekly night like trivia?
About a week, every week. A recurring night is not one event, it is a series, and series win on repetition. Give it a name, a host people recognize, some stakes like a prize or a leaderboard, and a memory: last week's winners, the funniest answer, the regular who never misses. Post the reminder a few days before and stories the day of. Over a couple of months, people start planning around it.
That is how THE RANCH Saloon in Anaheim and Whoop Axe Throwing run their content: named, recurring series that give guests a reason to come back, not one-off flyers. See the THE RANCH story.
Should you pay to promote an event?
For a big event, usually yes, and mostly in the final week. A small budget aimed tightly around your location, say Santa Ana and the surrounding neighborhoods, reaches people who can actually show up. Spending heavily a month out tends to burn budget before people are ready to decide. Keep ad spend in your own ad account so you can see what each event cost to fill.
Event promotion is a big part of what we do beyond bars, too. Our work for Kent Clothier reached more than 800,000 people across more than 10 events.
What mistakes make events underperform?
- One announcement post and nothing else.
- No ticket, reservation or RSVP link in the bio or stories.
- Old event graphics still pinned to the top of the profile after the date passed.
- Skipping the recap, which is the best ad for the next event.
If you run a bar or venue, our bars and entertainment page covers how we plan the full calendar.
