Community Event Calendar Submission Guidelines

1. Purpose & Scope

What is the Calendar for?

The Community Calendar provides a single, reliable place to find public events happening in the Great Falls Regional Area. It is designed to:

• Help residents and visitors discover activities and plan their time
• Support local businesses, organizations, and downtowns by increasing event visibility
• Strengthen community connection and regional collaboration

Who Can Submit Events?

Events may be submitted by GFRCC Members: individuals or organizations hosting public, community-focused events in the Great Falls Regional Area, including:

• Local nonprofits and community organizations
• Cultural, arts, and educational organizations
• Civic groups and service clubs
• Faith-based organizations (for public, non-religious or community events)

• Local businesses hosting public events (e.g., workshops, live music, tastings, classes, grand openings)

• Libraries, schools, and public institutions
• Chambers of commerce and regional partners

• Market, festival, and performance organizers
• Event planners producing public events in the region

• Community members hosting public events open to general attendance

2. Event Eligibility

To be listed on the Community Calendar, events must meet the following eligibility and content criteria. Final inclusion decisions are at the discretion of the calendar committee to ensure alignment with the calendar’s mission and community values.

Eligible Events

Public Access

• Events open to the general public
• Free, ticketed, paid, or volunteer-based events

Geographic Scope

• Events held within the Great Falls Regional Area (GFRCC): Alstead • Athens • Bellows Falls • Charlestown • Grafton • Putney • Rockingham • Saxtons River • Walpole • Westminster • Springfield
• Events owned or produced by BFDDA or GFRCC, regardless of location
• Fundraising events benefiting organizations located within the GFRCC area, regardless of event location

Event Types

• Food – Tastings, food-focused events, dinners, culinary experiences, food festivals, agricultural events
• Family – Kid-friendly and all-ages activities, family programs, community celebrations
• Workshops – Classes, trainings, lectures, skill-building sessions, educational programs, business and networking events
• Wellness – Health, fitness, mindfulness, self-care, and wellness-related events
• Markets – Farmers markets, craft fairs, vendor markets, pop-ups
• Volunteering – Volunteer opportunities, service days, community clean-ups
• Arts – Visual arts, music, theatre, dance, film, readings, cultural performances, history and heritage events
• Sports – Outdoor and nature recreation, tournaments, championships, and special competitions

Ineligible Events

• Events outside the GFRCC area, unless an exception applies
• Routine, regularly scheduled sporting events (e.g., weekly rec league games)
• Routine municipal or school meetings (selectboards, committees, trustees, school boards)
• Events with limited public appeal (anticipated minimal attendance)
• Restaurants’ daily or weekly specials
• Purely promotional or sales-driven events
• Protests, demonstrations, or political campaigning
• Events promoting violence, hate, harassment, or illegal activities

Discretion & Review

• Submission does not guarantee publication
• Events may be edited or declined for clarity, length, formatting, or alignment
• Final inclusion decisions rest with the calendar committee

3. Submission Requirements

All event submissions must include

• • Event submitter’s name and email
  • Event title (clear and concise)

• Link to More Event Info

• • Keywords
    • Up to 4 total, selected from the approved list of towns and event types
  • Event image or logo (required) – Images must meet size and format requirements to ensure display quality
    • Square image, 1000 × 1000 pixels
    • Alt text
    • Text on an image, if any, must be legible when viewed on a smart phone
  • Date and time (start and end)
  • Event description
    • Max of 200 words recommended
    • Event descriptions should be clear and written for a general audience
    • Describe what attendees can expect and who the event is for
    • Include accessibility information when relevant (e.g., wheelchair access, ASL interpretation)

• Avoid abbreviations and internal jargon

• Location type
  • Physical location
    • Venue name
    • Address
    • Directional notes if helpful
  • Online/virtual
    • Link title
    • URL
    • Access or registration notes if needed
  • Hybrid

4. Submission Process

• Please use this Password: BuildingCommunity!

Submission Timing

• Events should be submitted at least 7 days in advance to ensure review and inclusion in promotional roundups.

Confirmation & Review

• Submitters receive an automatic confirmation upon submission
• Events are typically reviewed within 3 business days
• Submissions are reviewed for eligibility, clarity, and completeness

 

6. Editing & Approval

• Calendar administrators may edit submissions for clarity, formatting, or length
• Submission does not guarantee publication
• Events that do not meet guidelines may be declined

7. Communication

• Submitters will be notified if their event is approved or declined
• Questions or changes should be directed to the calendar administration team (contact info to be listed)

8. Additional Guidelines

Recurring Events

• Events that run continuously over multiple days (e.g., a festival or exhibit) may be submitted as one listing.
• Events that recur on separate dates (e.g., weekly classes or monthly meetings) may be submitted as recurring events using that feature on the submission form.

Cancellations or Changes

• Changes or cancellations must be emailed to the calendar administration team for review and update.

Disclaimer

The Community Calendar is a shared public resource. Listing an event does not imply endorsement by the calendar administrators or partner organizations.