When you create an event, the Event type selector offers three choices. This explains what each is for, the difference between tickets and passes, and how events turn into Shopify products — so you pick the right type before you build.
The three event types
One-time — a single event on one date with one set of tickets. Use it when there’s exactly one occurrence. See One-time event.
Multi-date — a parent event containing any number of child dates that share settings. Use it when you have multiple occurrences (shows, sessions, time slots), need date-specific tickets, want to sell passes, or want per-date customization (different location, price, or name per date). See Multi-date event.
Recurring — dates generated automatically from a schedule (daily, weekly, etc.), keeping a set number of upcoming occurrences and rolling forward as dates pass. Use it when the schedule is regular and you don’t need to edit individual dates. Recurring events can’t be edited after creation and can’t have dates added manually — for that flexibility, use multi-date. See Recurring events.
Tickets vs passes
| Ticket | Pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Date-specific? | Yes — one variant per date | No — valid for any/all dates |
| Scan limit | Once | Configurable (unlimited, N total, N per date) |
| Lives on | Child (date) events | Parent event |
| Available on | Multi-date or recurring | Multi-date or recurring |
Passes are only available on multi-date or recurring events — you can’t add a pass to a one-time event. Common uses: season passes and memberships (one pass, unlimited or N scans), open-date vouchers, weekday/weekend passes (restrict uses per date), and presale any-date tickets.
How events become Shopify products
Each ticket × each date = one Shopify variant. For example, 2 tickets across 6 dates = 12 variants in one product. Passes become their own variant or product.
Shopify’s per-product variant limit is 250, so the app automatically splits large events into multiple products — the storefront calendar still works correctly across them. (Support for 2,048 variants is coming soon.) Ticket names must be unique, a Shopify constraint on variant option values.
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FAQ
Can I change an event’s type after creating it?
No — the event type is fixed at creation. If you picked the wrong type, create a new event with the right one.
Can I sell both tickets and passes on the same event?
Yes, on multi-date or recurring events. They appear as separate Shopify products but share one event in Event Ticketing.
Why can’t customers see the date list when buying a pass?
By design — passes are date-agnostic at purchase and validated per-date at scan time.
