Setting up Claude Desktop

1. Install Claude for Desktop: If you haven't already, download and install the Claude for Desktop application from claude.ai/download. Follow the on-screen instructions.

    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "brocku-events": {
          "command": "python",
          "args": [
            "/REPLACE/WITH/FULL/PATH/TO/brock_events_server.py"
          ]
        }
      }
    }
    

Now your AI assistant should be able to access and use the tools provided by the Brock University Events MCP Server!

🧰 Available Tools

<div align="center">
<table>
<tr>
<th>Tool</th>
<th>Description</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_upcoming_events(days)</code></td>
<td>Get events for the specified number of days ahead</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>search_events(query)</code></td>
<td>Search for events matching the keyword query</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_events_by_date(date)</code></td>
<td>Get events on a specific date (format: YYYY-MM-DD)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_events_by_date_range(start_date, end_date)</code></td>
<td>Get events between two specified dates</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_events_by_time_of_day(date, time_range)</code></td>
<td>Filter events by time of day (morning/afternoon/evening)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_event_categories()</code></td>
<td>List all available event categories with organized grouping</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_events_by_category(category)</code></td>
<td>Get events in a specific category with fuzzy matching</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_event_details(query)</code></td>
<td>Get detailed information about a specific event</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_events_this_week()</code></td>
<td>Get all events occurring this week (Monday-Sunday)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_events_next_week()</code></td>
<td>Get all events occurring next week (Monday-Sunday)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><code>get_weekend_events(date)</code></td>
<td>Get events for the upcoming or specified weekend</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

💬 Example Queries

<details open>
<summary><b>Basic Queries</b></summary>

- 📅 "What events are happening at Brock University this week?"
- 🎵 "Are there any music events at Brock University?"
- 📝 "What's happening on campus next Tuesday?"
- 🎓 "Show me all the academic events at Brock"
- 📋 "What categories of events are available at Brock University?"
- 🔍 "Tell me more about the Blackout Gala event"
- 🏢 "When and where is the next workshop happening?"
- 👥 "Are there any social events this weekend?"
- 🍔 "Show me events with free food"
- 🤝 "What club meetings are happening this week?"
- 📆 "What events are happening between March 15 and March 20?"
- 🌙 "Show me evening events on Friday"
- 📊 "What's happening next week at Brock?"
</details>

🔧 Customization Guide

<details open>
<summary><b>📡 Changing the RSS Feed Source</b></summary>

You can configure this server to use event feeds from other universities:

Step 1: Locate the RSS Feed URL

1. Open brock_events_server.py in any text editor
2. Find line 14 where the RSS feed URL is defined:

   RSS_FEED_URL = "https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/events.rss"

   

Step 2: Replace with Your Preferred Feed

Replace the URL with another university's event feed:

| University | RSS/XML Feed URL |
|------------|------------------|
| Brock University | https://experiencebu.brocku.ca/events.rss |
| University of Guelph | https://gryphlife.uoguelph.ca/Events.rss |
| Western University | http://westernadvance.ca/calendar/western.xml |

Step 3: Adapt the Parsing Logic (Advanced)

⚠️ Important Compatibility Note:

The server is specifically designed for Brock University's RSS feed structure. Different universities format their event data with unique:
- Tag naming conventions
- Date formats
- Category systems
- Event property names

If you change the RSS feed URL, you may need to modify the event parsing functions in the code to match the structure of your selected feed. The primary parsing logic is in the fetch_rss_feed() and related functions.

</details>

🚀 Advanced Use Cases

Students can quickly chat and find events based on their interests:

<details open>
<summary><b>🔎 Professional Development</b></summary>

Users can upload their resume to find and filter professional networking events, and have Claude create elevator pitches about them. Perfect for preparing a game plan for networking events!
</details>

<details open>
<summary><b>📱 Calendar Integration</b></summary>

Claude can filter events and create .ics files of selected events for users to add to their iCal or sync across their other calendars. Learn how to import .ics files to Google Calendar
</details>

<details open>
<summary><b>📊 Schedule Optimization</b></summary>

Users can share an image of their personal schedule and ask "What events fit within my schedule for the month, can you find and filter them for me?" Claude will analyze available time slots and recommend compatible events.
</details>

⚠️ Troubleshooting

<details>
<summary><b>🛑 Server Won't Start</b></summary>

1. Check Python version: Make sure you have Python 3.10+ installed

   python --version

   

2. Dependency issues: Try reinstalling dependencies one by one

   pip install mcp[cli]

   pip install httpx feedparser python-dateutil pytz

   

3. Permission errors: Make sure you have permission to run the script
</details>

<details>
<summary><b>🔌 Claude Not Connecting to Server</b></summary>

1. Configuration file: Double-check your claude_desktop_config.json file
- Ensure there are no syntax errors (missing commas, brackets, etc.)
- Verify the path to the server file is correct and absolute

2. Server running: Make sure your server is still running in the terminal