diff --git a/server/src/routes/content.js b/server/src/routes/content.js
index 92b74c8..5000a90 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/content.js
+++ b/server/src/routes/content.js
@@ -438,17 +438,14 @@ function attachAwards(db, orgs) {
      Flat, with the event scopes alongside. Retreats.tsx owns the
      band titles and colours and filters this list by scope_id.
 
-     By date, the way the cards split them: upcoming soonest first,
-     then past most recent first, undated at the end of each. There
-     is no hand-typed order; a tie falls to the title.
+     Oldest first, undated last. The carousel shows the list as it
+     comes and opens on the first upcoming event, so past events
+     have to sit before it for "previous" to go back in time; the
+     grid splits upcoming from past itself. There is no hand-typed
+     order; a tie falls to the title.
    ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
 
-const EVENT_ORDER = `
-  effective_status = 'past',
-  starts_on IS NULL,
-  CASE WHEN effective_status = 'past' THEN NULL ELSE starts_on END,
-  starts_on DESC,
-  title`;
+const EVENT_ORDER = `starts_on IS NULL, starts_on, title`;
 
 content.get("/events", (c) => {
   const db = c.get("db");