Group events by topic or audience for discoverability

When an event calendar spans different audiences or topics, discoverability becomes a challenge. While HarvardSites does not currently support interactive filtering, you can use taxonomy-driven event lists to create grouped, scannable sections, making it easier for users to find what’s most relevant to them.

Sample filtered Event List

In-Person Events Listing

Using Event Lists + Taxonomy in your pages

Best for

Segmenting upcoming events by topic, audience, or type using multiple list components on one page.

Component used

Events List (configured by taxonomy filters)

What It does

The Events List component can be configured to display events with specific taxonomy terms. By creating multiple instances of the component, each filtered by a different tag, you can offer users clear groupings like “Student Events,” “Faculty Workshops,” or “Accessibility-Focused Sessions.”

Setup tips

  • Create separate Events Lists for each topic or audience
  • Use Section Headings (e.g., “For Students,” “By Topic”) to organize each list
  • Tag events consistently using the appropriate taxonomy terms in the content entry form
  • Keep lists short (3-5 items) to reduce scrolling, link to an “All Events” page if needed
  • Avoid overlapping categories unless that supports a real use case (e.g., an event for both students and staff)

Pros & cons

Added benefits

  • Improves clarity without requiring custom filtering tools
  • Fully supported in the existing HarvardSites interface
  • Reinforces editorial control as teams can choose what to highlight and how to group

Potential drawbacks

  • Not dynamic. Users can’t filter the full list themselves
  • Requires ongoing taxonomy maintenance and thoughtful tagging
  • Too many filtered lists on one page can feel repetitive or overwhelming
See also: