A client using The Events Calendar plugin noticed that their site’s calendar stopped displaying events beyond a certain month—even though future events were scheduled and published. This case illustrates a subtle limitation in calendar navigation behavior and how Freshy addressed it.
Issue background
The client reported that their site’s events calendar wouldn’t allow navigation past October, even though at least one event in November had already been published. This suggested a disconnect between event data and the calendar’s navigation UI.
Diagnosis
Upon inspection, the plugin was functioning normally: it displayed all published events through November. However, because there were no events scheduled after that, the calendar’s “Next” button (which allows users to scroll forward by month) was disabled. This is the default behavior of The Events Calendar plugin—navigation only extends through months that contain events.
Resolution steps
- Verified event data
Confirmed that events existed in November but none after that. The calendar properly displayed November as the final navigable month. - Tested calendar UI behavior
Reproduced the navigation issue and confirmed that the lack of a “Next” button was tied to the plugin’s default logic: if no events exist in a future month, navigation past that point is blocked. - Proposed a workaround
Suggested adding a placeholder event titled “Upcoming Events” or “Stay Tuned” in a future month (e.g., December or January). This would force-enable the “Next” navigation button, allowing users to scroll forward even if those months currently lack scheduled events. - Re-verified after system refresh
After some internal review and/or natural propagation, the issue appeared to resolve—possibly due to minor cache clearing or plugin refresh—allowing forward navigation as expected. - Confirmed with client
After retesting, the client confirmed that the issue no longer persisted and that they were satisfied with the current behavior.
Final outcome
No technical changes were ultimately required. The calendar navigation now extends through the expected month. A placeholder event can still be added if future navigation is needed for otherwise empty months.
If you’re experiencing similar quirks with The Events Calendar plugin or need help customizing your WordPress site’s event functionality, contact Freshy today.
