Show HN: Things to Do API (thingstodoapi.com)
24 points by invalidmonk 21 hours ago
I built an api/mcp for local events: pop-ups, one-off events, concerts, etc. currently covering the SF bay area.
I've been building a bunch of consumer apps lately around personalization and recommendation and have had a hard time finding this data in one spot. agents can find useful stuff through tool calls / web search, but slow.
you can scrape on demand too, but i wanted a faster data set and couldn't find an existing provider for the mix of event types I was searching for.
the methodology for it is to find influential accounts/posters/etc. and do a fan out across things that they co-post with.
mcp: `claude mcp add --transport http thingstodo https://api.thingstodoapi.com/mcp`
I'm considering adding other cities. If you're building something that needs local event data, would something like this be useful and where would you want coverage?
shrinks99 12 minutes ago
This is pretty cool, does it scrape Instagram? A lot of events where I live (Toronto) are posted there and not many other places. It's a real problem if you don't want to spend time on that app.
invalidmonk 10 minutes ago
amongst a few other data sources :) is this something you'd use if we added toronto support?
aleksiy123 21 minutes ago
Cool idea and I really like the design of the landing page.
invalidmonk 10 minutes ago
thanks!
egonschiele 19 hours ago
This feels hard to maintain and keep up-to-date, but I would definitely use it! Great idea.
invalidmonk an hour ago
If an agent maintains it, is it hard? :D
fellowniusmonk 2 hours ago
Solving this issue a core problem for humanity, and it goes hand in hand with the need for a public service.
I'm actually working to do this at ultra low cost as a public service like Wikipedia or musicbrainz.
I'll be publishing global costs to serve and letting people donate to support.
invalidmonk an hour ago
please share!
kylecazar 20 minutes ago
Two unrelated monks working on the same thing? What are the odds
invalidmonk 9 minutes ago
lap248 20 hours ago
super slick! got results quickly and am getting more interesting and in the know kind of events than other tools
invalidmonk an hour ago
tysm! are there any geos you would like to see?