diff --git a/public_html/wp-content/themes/wporg-events-2023/functions.php b/public_html/wp-content/themes/wporg-events-2023/functions.php
index 56a9b1d111..f96b2c360c 100644
--- a/public_html/wp-content/themes/wporg-events-2023/functions.php
+++ b/public_html/wp-content/themes/wporg-events-2023/functions.php
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function get_country_options( array $options ): array {
 		'label' => __( 'Country', 'wporg' ),
 		'title' => __( 'Country', 'wporg' ),
 		'key' => 'country',
-		'action' => home_url( '/upcoming-events/' ),
+		'action' => home_url( '/upcoming/' ),
 		'options' => array(
 			'meetup'   => 'Meetup',
 			'wordcamp' => 'WordCamp',
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ function get_event_type_options( array $options ): array {
 		'label' => $label,
 		'title' => __( 'Type', 'wporg' ),
 		'key' => 'event_type',
-		'action' => home_url( '/upcoming-events/' ),
+		'action' => home_url( '/upcoming/' ),
 		'options' => array(
 			'meetup'   => 'Meetup',
 			'wordcamp' => 'WordCamp',
@@ -124,10 +124,10 @@ function get_format_type_options( array $options ): array {
 		'label' => $label,
 		'title' => __( 'Format', 'wporg' ),
 		'key' => 'format_type',
-		'action' => home_url( '/upcoming-events/' ),
+		'action' => home_url( '/upcoming/' ),
 		'options' => array(
-			'meetup'   => 'Online',
-			'wordcamp' => 'In Person',
+			'online'    => 'Online',
+			'in-person' => 'In Person',
 		),
 		'selected' => $selected,
 	);
@@ -152,10 +152,11 @@ function get_month_options( array $options ): array {
 		'label' => $label,
 		'title' => __( 'Month', 'wporg' ),
 		'key' => 'month',
-		'action' => home_url( '/upcoming-events/' ),
+		'action' => home_url( '/upcoming/' ),
 		'options' => array(
 			'01'   => 'January',
 			'02'   => 'February',
+			// todo show all months on search and past events template, but only next ~3 months on upcoming events?
 		),
 		'selected' => $selected,
 	);
diff --git a/public_html/wp-content/themes/wporg-events-2023/src/event-list/index.php b/public_html/wp-content/themes/wporg-events-2023/src/event-list/index.php
index 16dea8eb9a..66ba89e213 100644
--- a/public_html/wp-content/themes/wporg-events-2023/src/event-list/index.php
+++ b/public_html/wp-content/themes/wporg-events-2023/src/event-list/index.php
@@ -39,13 +39,11 @@ function init() {
  */
 function render( $attributes, $content, $block ) {
 	$facets = array(
-		'search' => get_query_var( 's' ) ?? '',
-		'type'   => get_query_var( 'event_type' ) ?? '',
-		'format' => get_query_var( 'format_type' ) ?? '',
-		'month'  => get_query_var( 'month' ) ?? '',
+		'search' => sanitize_text_field( get_query_var( 's' ) ?? '' ),
+		'type'   => sanitize_text_field( get_query_var( 'event_type' ) ?? '' ),
+		'format' => sanitize_text_field( get_query_var( 'format_type' ) ?? '' ),
+		'month'  => absint( get_query_var( 'month' ) ?? 0 ),
 	);
-	array_walk( $facets, 'sanitize_text_field' );
-	$facets = array_filter( $facets );
 
 	$events = get_events( $attributes['events'], 0, 0, $facets );