Event places, waitlist and cancelling
How the participant limit and the waitlist work, how you move up or cancel, and what happens with deadlines, date changes and cancelled events.
Published
Some events have a participant limit, others don't. If an event is full and the host has enabled a waitlist, you join it and move up automatically as soon as a spot opens up. You can cancel yourself as long as no cancellation deadline has passed.
Spots and the participant limit
The event page shows how many spots there are, how many are taken and whether there's a waitlist. If it says “No participant limit”, anyone can RSVP. With a limit, first come, first served. A host can't lower the limit below the number of existing RSVPs, so your confirmed spot stays safe.
How the waitlist works
If all spots are taken, you join with Join the waitlist. You see your position, for example position 3.
The waitlist follows the order in which people joined. When a spot opens up, for example because someone cancels or the limit is raised, the person who has waited longest moves up automatically.
Free spots always go to the waitlist first. While anyone is on it, new RSVPs go on the waitlist too.
If you move up, your spot is confirmed and you don't need to confirm anything else. We tell you about moving up, date changes and cancellations under Notifications, as long as the Events area is switched on in your notification settings.
Moving up only happens until the start. If you're still on the waitlist then, you won't get a spot for this event.
If a full event has no waitlist, it says “Fully booked” and RSVPs aren't possible.
Cancelling or leaving the waitlist
Open the event page and go to the Attendance section.
Click Cancel RSVP or Leave the waitlist.
Confirm in the dialogue.
If you cancel, your spot is released and goes to the waitlist if someone is waiting. Whether a spot is free for you later depends on the other RSVPs. If you leave the waitlist and join again later, you'll be at the back of the queue.
Sign-up deadline and cancellation deadline
Hosts can set two deadlines, which are shown on the event page. Without deadlines, you can RSVP and cancel until the start.
After the sign-up deadline, no new RSVPs are possible. Anyone already going or on the waitlist stays. If you cancel after the sign-up deadline, you can no longer sign up for this event.
After the cancellation deadline, you can no longer give back a confirmed spot online. You can still leave the waitlist. If you can't make it after all, let the team know via the contact page.
When something about the event changes
If the host moves the date, the event page says “The date has been changed”. Everyone going or on the waitlist gets a notification with the new date, as long as the Events area is switched on in the notification settings. Your RSVP stays in place.
Cancelling an event is final. Everyone going or on the waitlist is notified, and a reason, if given, is shown on the event page.
Once an event has started, RSVPs and cancellations are closed.
How to find events and RSVP is explained in Find events and RSVP. If something goes wrong, see Event and challenge problems.