Dynamic Events Calendar & Host System for the Longest Open House
Highlights: Full site redesign from an outdated build, rebuilt in Bricks, dynamic event functionality replacing shortcode‑based system, advanced host + location + event relationships.
Project Brief
Longest Open House is an annual community‑focused event initiative where participating realtors host extended open house events to support Alzheimer’s awareness and fundraising. The original site was built in an old-fashioned way with outdated visuals and a shortcode‑based Events Calendar that made dynamic content hard to manage. The client needed a modern, fully redesigned site in Bricks that not only looked fresh but functioned dynamically, especially the events system, and supported hosts, locations, and events actively connected under clear relationships.
Challenges
The main challenges were tied to the legacy structure and dynamic content needs:
- The existing design was outdated and the Events Calendar setup relied heavily on shortcodes, which limited dynamic control and real‑time data relationships.
- We needed to rebuild the event system so hosts, locations, and events were connected in a dynamic, database‑driven way, not just static shortcode junk.
- Hosts already in the system needed to “exist” as backend entities with linked locations and event lists, and each host required a usable dashboard where they could log in and add events tied specifically to their location.
Solution
We completely redesigned the site in Bricks, giving it a modern structure, better visual hierarchy, and updated layouts for key pages (Home, About, Locations, Become a Host, Sponsors).
For the core event functionality:
- Replaced the shortcode‑based event approach with a dynamic event system that stores hosts, locations, and event data in interconnected structures.
- Set up host registration as a proper backend entity that stores location connections and profile data.
- Built a workflow so a host can log in to a dashboard, add events, and have those events automatically tagged with their location and shown in the right calendars/lists.
- On the Hosts page, we dynamically fetch and show detailed host info with associated location and events, formatted in a clean and visually appealing way instead of relying on simple text or unnecessary shortcode.
Results
- The new Longest Open House site now presents events, hosts, and locations in a connected, dynamic way instead of old shortcode output.
- Content editors and hosts both have a smoother experience; hosts can log in, add events, and see their event data tied to their profile and location.
- From a user perspective, visitors can explore hosts, see where events are happening, and browse/engage without the fragmentation that happened in the old build.
- The visual redesign also positions the brand as a modern, active movement rather than an outdated brochure site.
