Background
Everyday around the world, people are inspired to create entertainment and pop culture projects. Sometimes, these individuals create magic… sometimes they create a project that sparks someone else to create magic. However, because of the way commerce works today, art and culture are hidden from most fans to enjoy. If a creator doesn’t have the budget to market properly, it’s extremely difficult to build a brand, launch a show or successfully release a product. Likewise, if a fan doesn’t take the time to search for something specifically, they won’t be aware it exists. Unfortunately, it also seems that some companies have forgotten the importance of making people feel that they are a part of something, and not just consuming something.
There was a great book Clive Young published in 2008 called Homemade Hollywood: Fans Behind the Camera, where the author documented fantasy and science fiction franchises that have become such an indelible part of people’s lives that they become filmmakers in order to create short and long-form content that they could never profit from, yet pure their heart and soul into as if they could. While some obviously have hopes of becoming industry professionals, many just have such a passion for that property, that they just want to share their vision of it with the world. I have personally interviewed dozens of everyday adults, who have joyously recalled their childhoods filled with neighborhood and rooftop remakes of their favorite kung fu films on 8MM tape stock. Most of this content was created before there was an internet, meaning these fan filmmakers probably contributed significantly to building strong local communities.
I’ve attended wonderful events where promoters couldn’t get an audience. I’ve watched what I felt were amazing films that most people have never even heard of. People have busy lives, so finding cool events, shows and products should be easy and simple. Remember, at one time newspapers published television and movie listings every week, so it was easy to just open the paper and see everything available. Also, local news used to tell viewers about many local events. That made entertainment a part of people’s lives, and not just the super fans.
One day in 2018 I said “enough is enough.” That was the day I began writing the code that has since become Fan Calendar. I have a long way to go, but the site is beginning to take shape. I hope you enjoy the features we have so far. But don’t spend too much time here. Get out there and enjoy some of these cool events and connect in the real world. Have fun!
What We Do
Fan Calendar archives pop culture, music and sporting events, along with personal appearances, products releases, entertainment-related crime history and basically anything we think is cool with a date. When an event is posted, unlike most websites, each year on that date, it has a chance to be rediscovered, making it a part of pop culture history.
Our at-a-glance format makes for quick discovery and we’re developing sections, such as Throwback Space, giving fans the opportunity to dive into the content they have the most interest in.
Who Should Submit?
Fan Calendar is all about entertainment and pop culture. We want to give fans the chance to discover events large and small. We also want fans to easily find creators they would like to meet and connect with. Below are examples of folks who have submitted recently.
- Actors and creators making personal appearances
- Promoters hosting pop culture, music and sports conventions
- Cosplayers attending events
- Publicity professionals promoting film, television, music and video game projects
- Podcasters promoting the launch of entertainment or true-crime podcasts
- Retailers holding special events and sales
Are All Submissions Posted?
We simply do not have the resources to post everything. However, we post as much as we can. We also actively seek out events and post those as well.
