Turn a sample event into a real event
A published sample event stays viewable but unsellable until you choose Make this a real event. Publishing a sample does not let buyers purchase tickets: they see a Sample badge and a disabled Not for sale call to action instead of a checkout.
How buyers see a sample event
In the calendar widget and on the hosted event page, a published sample shows a Sample badge and a disabled Not for sale call to action. Registration, RSVP, waitlist, and checkout attempts do not sell or reserve a place. For the full buyer view, see What attendees see when they register.
Make the event real
You can convert the sample from the event page or the event editor. Only a member of your host team can do this: co-hosts cannot use the action.
Open the sample event from your event list or calendar.
Check the sample notice on the event page or in the editor to confirm the event is still a sample.
Choose Make this a real event when you are ready for buyers to purchase tickets.
Editing or duplicating a sample event does not make it real. The event keeps its Sample label and stays unsellable until a host team member chooses Make this a real event.
Making the event real is separate from going live with your account. In demo mode, registrations, branded emails, and integrations stay off until you activate your account. Even after you go live, a published sample remains unsellable until you convert it. See Go live with your account.
Check tickets and store setup before sharing
Before you share a converted event, confirm its ticket and store setup. Sample events do not create or retain visible store products and do not reach your integrations until they are made real, so a newly converted event syncs like any other event.
Tickets: check that the event has the ticket types and pricing you intend to sell. Paid tickets require Squarespace Commerce and a paid Eventually plan; free registration does not require Commerce. See Creating ticket tiers and pricing.
Store sync: your event syncs to Squarespace Commerce as products, with ticket types as product variants, once your Squarespace site is connected and event and ticket products are linked. See How Squarespace sync works.
Integrations: a published sample is excluded from integrations until it is made real. For example, if you use Klaviyo catalog sync, making a published sample real lists it in the catalog. See Connect Klaviyo.
Where sample events come from
Sample events come from a claimed preview. If you have not claimed a preview yet, start with Connect your Squarespace site.