Winter is when the scene moves indoors. The bar nights get busier, the play parties get better, and the big weekends keep coming, because the leather contests and fetish weekends run all through the year.

The trick is knowing what's on before the group chat does. That's what the events calendar is for, and it takes about five minutes to set up properly.

Start with the calendar

Open Events from the menu. It lists everything coming up, soonest first, with The year ahead at the top showing the big weekends over the next twelve months. That strip is the one to check when you're deciding where to spend a long weekend and some money.

Under the search box sit quick chips that narrow the list in one tap:

• Near, for events around your city, if your profile has a location
• This weekend, for Friday-night decisions
• Big weekends, for the multi-day gatherings worth travelling for
• a scene, like Leather, Rubber or Pup

Type a city, venue or event name into the search box if you already know what you're after.

Narrow it down with Filters

Filters is where the calendar earns its keep. You can mix scene, kind of event (bar night, play party, munch, weekend and more), region, crowd, dates and distance from your city. Then tap Show events.

The Crowd filter is worth a look before you book anything. It tells you whether an event is men-only, mostly gay men, or mixed with a strong gay presence. Those are very different nights, and it's better to know which one you're walking into.

Switch between Cards and List depending on how much you want to scroll. The full rundown is in finding events.

RSVP, and what happens next

On an event's page, tap Going or Maybe. RSVPs are free, and you can take one back by tapping the same button again.

For a weekend that runs over several days, tapping Going asks which days you're there. Set your arrival and leaving dates, or skip it and fill them in later. It helps the organizers, and it helps the men you'll want to meet.

The day before, you get a reminder. That's handy when you said yes to something six weeks ago.

When it's full

Some organizers set a capacity. If you tap Going on a full event, you join the waitlist and your button reads Waitlisted. When someone drops out, the first man on the list moves up automatically. Check the event's page to see if you're in.

The waitlist only works if people let go of places they won't use. If your plans change, tap your RSVP again to take it back. Someone else gets your spot. RSVPs, Here now and the waitlist has the details.

Who you'll see there

Members who open an event see Who's going, with the men you follow listed first. On the side of the calendar, Men you follow shows where they're headed. If you're picking between two weekends, that list can settle it.

It works the other way too. RSVP and you're on the list. If you'd rather keep a low profile, the setting List my events on my profile in Settings › Privacy & safety controls whether your next events show on your profile. Turning it off doesn't hide you from an event's Who's going list. The only way to stay off that is not to RSVP.

Planning a winter trip

A big weekend in January needs more planning than a bar night down the road. A few habits help:

1. Decide early. Hotels near the main venue go first, and winter flights get pricey around the holidays.
2. RSVP even if you're unsure. Maybe gets you the reminder and lets you watch who else is going without committing.
3. Put it in your own calendar. Tap Subscribe in my calendar app to get a private link for Apple, Google or Outlook. Events you're going to, or might go to, show up there and stay up to date. On a single event, Add to calendar adds just that one.
4. Read the event page properly. Dress codes, ticket links and the schedule for each day are usually there. Some private parties only show the address to men going.
5. Pack for the weather and the venue. Winter means a coat you can check, boots that can handle salt and slush, and a bag for your gear.

There's a longer guide to the travel side in travelling for an event.

Going alone

Plenty of men go to events solo, and most of them end up talking to someone within the hour. A few things make it easier.

On the days of the event, men who are Going can turn on Here now, so other men going can see they're there. Open in Radar then shows everyone at the event with Here now on. It's off until you choose, only men going can see it, and it switches itself off when the event ends.

Before you leave, run the safety checkup and decide how much of your location shows. Tell a friend where you'll be. Have a plan for getting back to your hotel.

Running your own

If there's a night in your city that isn't on the calendar, any member can add it. Open Events and tap Submit an event. The team checks it before it goes live. If you organize something that's already listed, tap Are you the organizer? on its page to claim it. Submitting an event walks you through it.

Now go and pick a weekend. The events calendar is waiting.