GatherPress

Configuration

Last updated July 12, 2026, Version 0.34

Once activated, GatherPress can be configured from your WordPress dashboard under Events > Settings.

The settings screen is organized into tabs: Events, Venues, RSVP, Roles, Tools, and Credits. Each tab has its own Save Settings button, so save before switching tabs.

[!NOTE]
GatherPress requires pretty permalinks. If your site uses Plain permalinks, event pages will not resolve, and Tools > Site Health shows a warning until a different permalink structure is selected under Settings > Permalinks.

🗓️ Events tab

The Events tab of the GatherPress settings screen.

Date & Time

  • Date Format and Time Format control how event dates and times are displayed, using WordPress date and time format strings. A live preview appears under each field.
  • Show Timezone displays the timezone next to scheduled event times.

Event Display

  • Publish Date shows the event date instead of the publish date wherever WordPress would display a post date.

Archive Pages

  • Event Archive chooses what the events archive URL displays when no custom page is assigned: Upcoming Events, Past Events, or None (return 404).
  • Upcoming Events and Past Events optionally point the corresponding archive at a custom page you have created.

Event and topic permalinks

  • Events and Topics set the permalink bases used in event and topic URLs, with a live preview of the resulting URL.

📍 Venues tab

The Venues tab of the GatherPress settings screen.

Maps

These settings choose the mapping platform and the defaults applied to newly added venue map blocks. Changing a default does not alter maps already placed in your content.

  • Mapping Platform selects OpenStreetMap (the default, no account needed) or Google Maps. Selecting Google Maps reveals a field for your Google Maps API key.
  • Default Render Mode chooses between an interactive map and a static map image for new blocks.
  • Default Zoom Level, Default Height, Default Width, Default Aspect Ratio, and Default Scale set the initial appearance of new venue map blocks. Height and width can be left empty for automatic sizing derived from the aspect ratio.

Venue permalink

  • Venues sets the permalink base used in venue URLs.

✅ RSVP tab

The RSVP tab of the GatherPress settings screen, with the RSVP Mode field highlighted.

RSVP Defaults

Default RSVP settings for new events; most can be overridden per event.

  • RSVP Mode controls how RSVP works across your site (see RSVP system):
    • All Events: RSVP is enabled for every event.
    • Per event (default on): each event gets its own toggle in the editor; new events start with RSVP enabled.
    • Per event (default off): each event gets its own toggle; new events start with RSVP disabled.
    • Disabled: RSVP is turned off sitewide, and the RSVP blocks and admin screens are hidden.
  • Open RSVP allows visitors to RSVP without a site account, using email verification (see Open RSVP).
  • Maximum Attendance Limit caps the total number of people per event. Set to 0 for no limit.
  • Maximum Number of Guests sets how many additional guests each attendee may bring.
  • Anonymous RSVP allows users to RSVP without revealing their identity.

Cleanup

Unverified Open RSVPs can be removed automatically on a schedule.

  • Toggle RSVP Cleanup enables or disables the automatic cleanup.
  • Cleanup Frequency and Cleanup Interval control how often the cleanup runs.

👥 Roles tab

Assign users to GatherPress roles, such as Organizer. Organizers can manage events without needing broader site permissions.

🧰 Tools tab

Export your GatherPress settings to a file, or import settings from a previously exported file. Handy for copying a configuration between sites or keeping a backup before making changes.

💙 Credits tab

The people who contributed to the GatherPress release you are running.

🗓️ Creating an Event

Go to Events > Add New. The event editor uses WordPress blocks. You can add, remove, or rearrange blocks freely.

Common Event Blocks

  • Event Date – Set start/end dates, times, and timezone
  • Venue – Select in-person or online; configure map options
  • RSVP – Allow users to RSVP “yes” or “no”
  • RSVP Response – Display attendees/non-attendees
  • Add to Calendar – Let users export events to their calendar

📍 Creating a Venue

Go to Events > Venues and fill in:

  • Full address, phone, website
  • Map settings (type, zoom level, height)

🏷️ Creating Event Topics

Go to Events > Topics to add or manage topics (like categories for events). These help with filtering and discovery.