How to Create and Invite People to a Facebook Event

By Carolyn Abram from Facebook For Dummies, 4th Edition

Want to host your own Event? Facebook gives you complete control over the Event guest list. If you’re planning an Event that’s not happening for a few days or so, start with the Big Events section. If your Event is more spur-of-the-moment, or perhaps has already started, skip ahead to the Quick Events section.

To create your event, take the following steps:

Click Events in the left column of the Home page.

This takes you to the Events Home page.
Click the Create an Event button at the upper-right side of the page.

This takes you to the Create an Event page.
Fill out your Event's info:
Click Select Guests to begin to invite friends.

Doing so brings up the Friend Selector. Simply click a friend's name or Profile picture to select them. Click again to take them off the list. Use the search box at the top to filter down to a friend by name. When you are done, click Save and Close. You can invite friends who aren’t on Facebook by adding their e-mail addresses to the box at the bottom of the Friend Selector.

You can add a more personal note to invitations by clicking Add a Personal Message at the very bottom of the Friend Selector. Type in whatever the note is, and this will be included in the e-mail invitations that Facebook sends on your behalf.
Choose whether you want a public or private Event using the Anyone Can View and RSVP check box.

Public Events are ones that anyone can see and join without invitation. If you aren't holding an exclusive Event, this is usually the right choice because it allows friends you might have forgotten to invite to see the Event and add themselves to the guest list. For parties that you don't want everyone to know about, deselect the Anyone Can View and RSVP box to keep it private. Deselecting the box actually adds a new check box option: Guests can invite Friends. This prevents tons of people from seeing your Event, but still lets guests invite their own friends or significant others.
Decide if you want to show the guest list using the Show the Guest List on the Event Page check box.

Keeping your guest list visible is a nice way for friends to know who else is going to an Event. This makes it easy for them to coordinate rides or plan presents, or whatever it is people do before your parties. If you don't want people to see this because of your friends' VIP status, deselect the Show the Guest List on the Event Page box.
Click Add Event Photo then click Browse or Choose File to find the image to upload.

The picture you choose must meet the file size and type requirements outlined on the page. Currently that is a 4MB maximum. If you’re not sure whether your desired picture meets the requirements, select the picture and continue with these steps. Facebook notifies you if the picture you choose can’t be used.
Click Create Event.