Displaying Events on a Map
Learn how to display events on a map for a specific location.
Events can significantly impact businesses. Understanding when and where events are scheduled helps businesses optimize operations, marketing strategies, and resource management. Maps provide a visual representation of these events, allowing for quick identification of regions of interest and potential impact zones. For example, a ride-sharing platform can use this data to predict areas of high demand, directing drivers to where upcoming events are likely to increase the need for rides.
This tutorial demonstrates how to create a dynamic map using PredictHQ event data to visualize events geographically. It begins with a simple JavaScript example using Leaflet and then looks at how to retrieve relevant events using PredictHQ's Events API. The goal is to provide a straightforward example to help you incorporate events into any map view.
Use Cases
Visualization and Insights, Workforce Optimization
Relevant Industries
Accommodation, Consumer Packaged Goods, Grocery and Supermarkets, Leisure, Travel and Tourism, Marketing and Advertising, Parking, Restaurants, Retail, Transportation and Delivery and Others
Example Map
This section presents a simple example demonstrating the basic functionality of a map integrated with PredictHQ data. Explore this through the following Observable notebook:
To experiment with this example, consider forking the notebook. This allows you to edit and modify the code as needed. For more information on Observable notebooks, see this demo.
Getting Started
An Access Token is required to access PredictHQ's APIs and run the notebook. Follow these instructions to obtain one if needed.
Event Data
The event data used in this map is sourced from PredictHQ's Events API, which provides detailed, event-level information, including the title, dates, and location. This granularity makes the data ideal for mapping.
For more information on the Events API, see this documentation.
Parameters
For this example, events are retrieved from the Events API based on the following criteria:
Date Range: Events taking place within the next 7 days from today are considered to ensure the data remains current and actionable.
Location: The geographical focus is on San Francisco, offering a targeted view of local events.
Categories: The focus is on sports events and their potential to draw large crowds.
Event Rank: Priority is given to events with the largest predicted attendance, as indicated by their PHQ Rank. This ensures the map highlights the most significant events, providing a clear view of potential major draws in the area.
For guidance on effectively querying the Events API, see Customizing Event Data below.
Map
This example displays the most impactful sports event in San Francisco for the upcoming week. Interact with the map by:
Zooming in and out to view all events.
Clicking on specific events for more details.
Geographic Features
Event coordinates are returned by the Events API in the geo field. It is formatted in GeoJSON format which means longitude is returned first, then latitude e.g. Downtown San Francisco is [-122.39, 37.79], not [37.79, -122.39].
The main focus of this example is on point type events, occurring at specific locations. Events covering larger areas, such as parades, are classified as polygon or multipolygon. All relevant geometry information needed for rendering these types of events on a map is also contained within the geo field.
For more information on how PredictHQ events are geographically represented, see this overview.
Exporting Code
The notebook can also be compiled and downloaded as a JavaScript module. To do this:
Use the notebook menu to select 'Export'.
Then choose 'Download code' for a local copy.
Additional Examples
For examples of maps created in Python, explore these demo apps. The source code for rendering events in these apps is available on GitHub. Check out utils/map.py and map.py for the parking demo which provides a practical example of visualizing events with Python and Streamlit.
Customizing Event Data
The event data retrieved from the Events API can be customized by adjusting parameters such as date range, location, and categories, among others.
For detailed guidance on configuring these parameters to meet your specific requirements, refer to the Define Query Parameters section in Filtering and Finding Relevant Events. This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on how to retrieve the most relevant event data for your needs.
Conclusion
This tutorial has demonstrated how to create a dynamic map using PredictHQ's Events API, from retrieving event data to its geographic visualization. This approach provides key insights into the impact of events, enabling data-driven decision-making. Adapt the provided example to tailor the map to your specific operational requirements.
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