LookOut: Local Event Finder
Overview
LookOut is a full-stack exploration tool that helps people discover concerts, games, and cultural events near any location. I paired a React + TypeScript frontend with a lightweight Express API that proxies the Ticketmaster Discovery endpoint, adds caching, and normalizes data so users always get a consistent card layout. The interface supports both automatic geolocation and manual searches so it works whether you are planning a trip or already downtown.
Tech Stack & Architecture
- Frontend: React, Vite, React Router, Tailwind-inspired utility classes, Leaflet + OpenStreetMap for the interactive map, Axios for API calls.
- Backend: Node.js + Express with TypeScript, Ticketmaster Discovery API integration, structured DTOs, and health checks for uptime monitoring.
- Deployment: Frontend on Vercel, backend on Render free tier, static maps through OpenStreetMap so the entire system runs with zero hosting cost.
Key Features
- Smart filters for category, distance radius, keyword, and price so people can narrow thousands of events down to a handful.
- Map + grid views stay in sync—clicking a card pans the map to the venue, and marker clicks open the full detail view.
- Graceful fallbacks such as defaulting to New York when geolocation permissions are denied and caching the last successful search offline.
- API abstraction layer that centralizes Ticketmaster parameters and error handling, making it simple to plug in future sources like Eventbrite.
Impact & Next Steps
The project serves as my playground for experimenting with modern TypeScript tooling (Vite, ESLint, Vitest) plus real-world API quotas and deployment workflows. Roadmap items include personal accounts for bookmarking events, push notifications for day-of reminders, and integrating multiple ticket providers for better coverage.
Repository & Demo