Macomb, Illinois is a university town with constant activity. Western Illinois University, local businesses, tourism partners, and City departments all generate events. But before centralization, that activity lived in separate systems.
Residents had to search multiple websites to understand what was happening. Visitors saw only fragments of the community. Staff managed registrations and promotions through a mix of paper forms, inconsistent online tools, and manual reporting.
As Savannah Ballard, Marketing and Downtown Development Director, shared: “It was very fragmented. Everyone tried their best to have a go-to calendar.”
City leadership, including Mayor Michael J. Inman recognized the need for a single, city-owned hub that could serve residents, visitors, and partners alike.
A Central Platform Without Adding Work
Macomb implemented a centralized community calendar powered by With. The priority was collaboration without forcing partners to change their systems. Western Illinois University, the Tourism Bureau, and the Chamber of Commerce continue managing their own calendars. Through API integrations, events are automatically pulled into the City’s platform.
“I am very happy with the API integration with the University… everything is pulled into one place, so it’s a resource for the University too, offering a new layer of exposure.” -Savannah Ballard
Community organizers, local businesses and residents may also submit events directly for approval. This allows organizations with less robust structure and resources to still have exposure to the community. The City maintains oversight through an approval process, ensuring standards are met. The platform supports multiple hubs so that local events, seasonal pool activities, and tourism-driven programming can coexist under one digital roof.
“The way that we split our calendars into several hubs, but they’re still on the same platform, has been a great resource. There’s separate spots visually integrated and all parties are happy.” -Savannah Ballard
Macomb created a press release in February sharing their results after only nine months of operation! You can read it in full here.
Operational Impact Across Departments
One of the first use cases was pool registration. Previously, the process relied on paper forms and manual payment handling. After implementation, residents register and pay online through the calendar. Savannah described the transition as “Very smooth and very successful.”
The finance department quickly saw the benefit. Transactions are organized by predefined budget lines, and registration data can be downloaded instantly. On a daily basis, Savannah now spends “Maybe 5 minutes a day” approving and curating the calendar.
The implementation of the centralized community calendar has fundamentally transformed Macomb’s municipal operations from a manual, paper-based system into a high-efficiency digital hub. By automating partner event syncing via API and digitizing complex processes like pool registrations and holiday ticket sales, the city has achieved a massive scale of engagement, surpassing 61,500 page views and hosting nearly 2,000 events in under a year. This synergy between operational efficiency and community reach underscores a significant return on investment, successfully connecting 85 local organizations to residents through a streamlined, professional platform.
From Local Event to Tourism Insight
The Santa Zephyr Express holiday train provided new insight into a long standing community event. By managing ticket sales through the platform, the City gained clear data about attendance. Surprisingly, seventy percent of riders came from outside Macomb. Eighty-five percent were first-time participants. What had been viewed as a seasonal community event revealed itself as a significant tourism driver.
During the event, Savannah spoke with a visiting family who had driven into town for the train. They were preparing to head home, unaware that a downtown holiday festival was happening at the same time. That moment surfaced as an opportunity to leverage With’s communication tools a step further.
Next year, confirmation texts for ticket holders will include links to additional downtown activities, serving as a holiday guide. The goal is to extend the visitor experience and increase engagement. The With platform helps government professionals gather the data and take action using communication tools to act on that insight.
Embedding the Calendar Into City Process
Macomb formalized the calendar’s role within municipal operations by integrating it into the Event Permit process. When event permits are submitted for use of city property, applicants receive a direct link to submit their event to the centralized calendar. Visibility for event organizers is built into the process.
Over time, the platform has helped bridge the gap between the university and the broader community. Residents see university programming alongside City events. Visitors see the full ecosystem of what Macomb offers. For Macomb, centralizing the calendar strengthened communication and created a single, trusted place for discovery.
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