General Questions

1. Q: What does Spotobe mean?

   A: Spotobe is short for "the spot to be." We're not here to place judgments on what's hot and what's not; we just do our best to report on all area events and happenings. It's up to you to decide what's worth checking out.

2. Q: Is there a charge to register with Spotobe?

   A: NO! This site is completely free; it's intended to help locals, visitors and prospective residents find all the great things to do and see here in Central Pennsylvania.

3. Q: What do you do with my registration information?

   A: We absolutely respect your privacy. We do not sell or rent your email address. Please review our privacy policy to see the lengths we go to, just to ensure a safe and private user experience on Spotobe.

Finding Information

1. Q: I'm new to Spotobe, how does the site work?

   A: We're glad you asked! All of the information on Spotobe is organized into three major categories: events, locations and performers. On the events calendar, you'll find everything that is coming up in Central Pennsylvania from artist demonstrations to, um… zoological lectures (we don't get too many of those). Each event is tied to a location, and each of those locations has a page of its own. That way you can see what's coming up at any venue in the region. If an event features a local performer or band, it will also have a link to that band's performer page where you can find all of their upcoming gigs.

2. Q: I'm having trouble finding the things that I want. Is there a trick to searching Spotobe?

   A: We've tried really hard to make it easy for our users to find exactly what they are looking for. Here are a few tips:

   • Remember that the search bar on the homepage only searches the events listings. If you are looking for a location or performer, make sure that you navigate to the appropriate section of the site before searching.
   • If you can't find a specific event, check both the "upcoming" and "ongoing" sections. Upcoming events are one-time events or events that happen over the course of a few days. Ongoing events—like museum exhibits—have a set start date and a set end date that are more than seven days apart. Events have been split into these two categories so that when you search by date, you don't see the same event over and over. Make sure you check both to find whatever is happening on a given day.
   • Use the map tool. It's a quick way around searching upcoming events. When you open the area map, you can use the scroll bar at the top to select a date range, and you'll see everything happening within the selected radius of your ZIP code. See Map questions below for more information.
   • Try some different search terms. Every event, location and performer in the Spotobe system contains multiple "tags" that describe the event. Tagging creates a smarter search so that even when an event title isn't perfectly clear, you should still be able to locate it. For example, a Hershey Bears hockey game title might just say Ottawa at Hershey. Since it's tagged with words like "hockey," "ice hockey," "ice," "sports," "Giant Center" and "winter," any of those search terms will return the Ottawa at Hershey game.
   • Apply some search filters. We've assigned simple filters to the events section in and effort to make it easier for our users to tailor their search options perfectly. If you are looking to cut loose, click on the yellow "Filter this search" option beneath the search bar and apply the "party" filter. If you're looking for something the kids might enjoy, click "family" instead.

3. Q: I found one event/location/performer that looks interesting. Is there any way to find more like it?

   A: Absolutely! Every event, location and performer page includes a list of other options that might interest you. If you like the latest exhibition at a local gallery, it stands to reason you might want to check out the lecture by a visiting curator at another museum. If you always liked that Italian place in Harrisburg but want to try something new, you might like the fettuccini alfredo at the place that just opened in Hershey. If you can't get enough of that local folk artist, you might be interested in knowing that one of his biggest influences is coming to town for a concert. You can also find more of the stuff you like by clicking on specific keywords. If you see a keyword on an event that looks intriguing, click on it to get a list of all the events in the system that share that tag.

4. Q: I can't find Bruce Springsteen in the performers section. How come?

   A: We aren't saying that The Boss isn't awesome, just that he doesn't play in Central Pennsylvania enough to warrant having his own page (Warrant doesn't have a page either, in fact). The performers listed in the system are local performers who you can count on seeing in the area on at least a semi-regular basis.

5. Q: How can I be updated about upcoming events?

   A: Click the "subscribe" link at the bottom of the site to set up your own custom RSS feed. You can choose what kind of events you want and even how far in the future you want to be notified. Then you can pull that feed into a feed reader or your favorite calendar. You can also subscribe to a feed of anything happening at a specific location or any show that includes a specific performer. See the subscribe section for more in-depth information.

6. Q: Can I filter results within a particular events, locations or performers category?

   A: Click on a category, then type some text in the search field above the events. Presto! The results that are returned will only come from the category you have selected. When you are done searching that category, just click on the red "X" to the right.

7. Q: I'm looking for recommendations from the Spotobe team about the best places to go and the best things to do, can I find that anywhere on the site?

   A: Spotobe's editor updates the Spotoblog four times a week every week with event recommendations, restaurant talk and local news & commentary. The Spotoblog is also a place where Spotobe users can make their voice heard. Feel free to tack on your thoughts on the topic du jour in the comments section of the latest post.

My Spots

1. Q: What are "My Spots"?

   A: We thought that maybe since you were spending your valuable time finding events, locations and performers that interest you, you might want to save them. Then, next time you log in you'll be able to find what you like without starting your search all over. Plus, you can make multiple lists, share your lists or a single event or location with family and friends, and download items from your My Spots list into your calendar or address book quickly and easily.

2. Q: Can I send a list to more than one person at a time?

   A: Of course. Just use a semi-colon to separate each email address. We wouldn't want to create any drama between friends.

3. Q: Oops! I deleted my list accidentally. Can you get it back for me?

   A: So you ignored the warning messages. Did you think we were kidding? Sorry to say, but those are there because we cannot retrieve a list once you've deleted it. Don't fret though, you can make a new list in no time!

4. Q: What do the "E," "L," and "P" circles mean next to the category icon?

   A: Nothing tricky—those just help identity whether an item is an Event (E), Location (L) or Performer (P).

5. Q: How do I create a new list?

   A: Creating a new list is easy. When you're logged in and looking at your My Spots page, just click "New List" at the top of the current list. A new list will open. Name it and get busy finding favorites to add.

6. Q: Can anyone see my list(s)?

   A: Each list has its own URL with a unique code identifier, making it difficult for someone to stumble upon your list. That said, theoretically anyone can see your list. Rest assured, your email address is kept private, and we currently provide no way for anyone to search for lists. If we do incorporate some of this functionality in the future, we'll always keep your privacy concerns at the forefront.

7. Q: Do I get anything else for signing up?

   A: Absolutely! When you create your account you have the option of signing up to receive Spotobe's monthly newsletter, The Spotlist. Each month, the Spotobe team puts together a carefully researched guide to the coolest stuff going on in the next few weeks. This is the only communication you will receive from Spotobe, and it is a helpful reminder to our users about events that are coming up.

Area Map

1. Q: What does the area map do?

   A: The area map gives you a birds-eye view of what's happening in your area. Just slide the timeline picker and watch events appear! You can zoom in and out with the tool in the upper right and click on an event at any time to get more details.

Miscellaneous

1. Q: I still have questions. How can I get in touch with someone at Spotobe?

   A: If you can't find an answer to your question here in the FAQ section, please feel free to contact us and ask. Please be patient with us, though, as we are not yet staffed to handle a large volume of inquiries.

2. Q: I want to list an event. How can I get it on Spotobe?

   A: Spotobe was designed to allow area businesses, organizations and government agencies to publish events. If you fall into one of these categories, you can apply for access to post your events in our system. If you do not fall into one of these categories, or if your events happen very infrequently, you can submit events by email to the Spotobe editor. Note: We need all the juicy details our fabulous users expect. So, if you're submitting an event, be sure to include the title, location, time, description and cost, along with your contact information. That's the bare minimum; the more information you can provide, the more valuable the listing will be to your fellow spotobeings. Please note: in order to meet the needs of our members and our goals for the site, all events are posted at the discretion of our editor. What that means is: We can't promise that every submission will go on the site as written — or at all — but we'll do our best.

3. Q: I want to list my location. How can I get it on Spotobe?

   A: The same rules apply here (see above re: submitting events). To get your location listed, you need to give us plenty of information, including the location's name, address, telephone number, website and a description. Again, the more information you give us, the better the listing will be. IMPORTANT NOTE: Our goal is to deliver an insider's guide to Central PA and, therefore, we retain editorial control of the content on Spotobe. What that means is: The more "real" and interesting your submission is, the more likely it will be posted intact. We can't promise to publish every submission verbatim, nor can we promise that every submission will be posted. (For instance, "we challenge you to find better wings anywhere around" is infinitely better than "the best wings on the planet." Keep it real and you'll have no problem.)

• General Questions
• Finding Information
• My Spots
• Area Map
• Miscellaneous