diff --git a/frontend/src/assets/images/event-hero-placeholder.jpg b/frontend/src/assets/images/event-hero-placeholder.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..72cbc55
Binary files /dev/null and b/frontend/src/assets/images/event-hero-placeholder.jpg differ
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/EventDetailView.vue b/frontend/src/views/EventDetailView.vue
index 4cc3450..505fd4f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/EventDetailView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/EventDetailView.vue
@@ -1,58 +1,75 @@
 <template>
   <main class="detail">
-    <header class="detail__header">
-      <RouterLink to="/" class="detail__back" aria-label="Back to home">&larr;</RouterLink>
-      <span class="detail__brand">fete</span>
-    </header>
-
-    <!-- Loading state -->
-    <div v-if="state === 'loading'" class="detail__card" aria-busy="true" aria-label="Loading event details">
-      <div class="skeleton skeleton--title" />
-      <div class="skeleton skeleton--line" />
-      <div class="skeleton skeleton--line skeleton--short" />
-      <div class="skeleton skeleton--line" />
+    <!-- Hero image with overlaid header -->
+    <div class="detail__hero">
+      <img
+        class="detail__hero-img"
+        src="@/assets/images/event-hero-placeholder.jpg"
+        alt=""
+      />
+      <div class="detail__hero-overlay" />
+      <header class="detail__header">
+        <RouterLink to="/" class="detail__back" aria-label="Back to home">&larr;</RouterLink>
+        <span class="detail__brand">fete</span>
+      </header>
     </div>
 
-    <!-- Loaded state -->
-    <div v-else-if="state === 'loaded' && event" class="detail__card">
-      <h1 class="detail__title">{{ event.title }}</h1>
-
-      <dl class="detail__fields">
-        <div class="detail__field">
-          <dt class="detail__label">Date &amp; Time</dt>
-          <dd class="detail__value">{{ formattedDateTime }}</dd>
-        </div>
-
-        <div v-if="event.description" class="detail__field">
-          <dt class="detail__label">Description</dt>
-          <dd class="detail__value">{{ event.description }}</dd>
-        </div>
-
-        <div v-if="event.location" class="detail__field">
-          <dt class="detail__label">Location</dt>
-          <dd class="detail__value">{{ event.location }}</dd>
-        </div>
-
-        <div class="detail__field">
-          <dt class="detail__label">Attendees</dt>
-          <dd class="detail__value">{{ event.attendeeCount }}</dd>
-        </div>
-      </dl>
-
-      <div v-if="event.expired" class="detail__banner detail__banner--expired" role="status">
-        This event has ended.
+    <div class="detail__body">
+      <!-- Loading state -->
+      <div v-if="state === 'loading'" class="detail__content" aria-busy="true" aria-label="Loading event details">
+        <div class="skeleton skeleton--title" />
+        <div class="skeleton skeleton--line" />
+        <div class="skeleton skeleton--line skeleton--short" />
+        <div class="skeleton skeleton--line" />
       </div>
-    </div>
 
-    <!-- Not found state -->
-    <div v-else-if="state === 'not-found'" class="detail__card detail__card--center" role="status">
-      <p class="detail__message">Event not found.</p>
-    </div>
+      <!-- Loaded state -->
+      <div v-else-if="state === 'loaded' && event" class="detail__content">
+        <div v-if="event.expired" class="detail__banner detail__banner--expired" role="status">
+          This event has ended.
+        </div>
 
-    <!-- Error state -->
-    <div v-else-if="state === 'error'" class="detail__card detail__card--center" role="alert">
-      <p class="detail__message">Something went wrong.</p>
-      <button class="btn-primary" type="button" @click="fetchEvent">Retry</button>
+        <h1 class="detail__title">{{ event.title }}</h1>
+
+        <dl class="detail__meta">
+          <div class="detail__meta-item">
+            <dt class="detail__meta-icon" aria-label="Date and time">
+              <svg width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><rect x="3" y="4" width="18" height="18" rx="2"/><line x1="16" y1="2" x2="16" y2="6"/><line x1="8" y1="2" x2="8" y2="6"/><line x1="3" y1="10" x2="21" y2="10"/></svg>
+            </dt>
+            <dd class="detail__meta-text">{{ formattedDateTime }}</dd>
+          </div>
+
+          <div v-if="event.location" class="detail__meta-item">
+            <dt class="detail__meta-icon" aria-label="Location">
+              <svg width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M21 10c0 7-9 13-9 13s-9-6-9-13a9 9 0 0 1 18 0z"/><circle cx="12" cy="10" r="3"/></svg>
+            </dt>
+            <dd class="detail__meta-text">{{ event.location }}</dd>
+          </div>
+
+          <div class="detail__meta-item">
+            <dt class="detail__meta-icon" aria-label="Attendees">
+              <svg width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true"><path d="M17 21v-2a4 4 0 0 0-4-4H5a4 4 0 0 0-4 4v2"/><circle cx="9" cy="7" r="4"/><path d="M23 21v-2a4 4 0 0 0-3-3.87"/><path d="M16 3.13a4 4 0 0 1 0 7.75"/></svg>
+            </dt>
+            <dd class="detail__meta-text">{{ event.attendeeCount }} going</dd>
+          </div>
+        </dl>
+
+        <div v-if="event.description" class="detail__section">
+          <h2 class="detail__section-title">About</h2>
+          <p class="detail__description">{{ event.description }}</p>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <!-- Not found state -->
+      <div v-else-if="state === 'not-found'" class="detail__content detail__content--center" role="status">
+        <p class="detail__message">Event not found.</p>
+      </div>
+
+      <!-- Error state -->
+      <div v-else-if="state === 'error'" class="detail__content detail__content--center" role="alert">
+        <p class="detail__message">Something went wrong.</p>
+        <button class="btn-primary" type="button" @click="fetchEvent">Retry</button>
+      </div>
     </div>
 
     <!-- RSVP bar (only for loaded, non-expired events) -->
@@ -210,14 +227,53 @@ onMounted(fetchEvent)
 .detail {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
-  gap: var(--spacing-2xl);
-  padding-top: var(--spacing-lg);
+  /* Break out of .app-container constraints */
+  width: 100dvw;
+  flex: 1;
+  position: relative;
+  left: 50%;
+  transform: translateX(-50%);
+  margin: calc(-1 * var(--content-padding)) 0;
+  overflow-x: hidden;
+}
+
+/* Hero image section */
+.detail__hero {
+  position: relative;
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 260px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
+.detail__hero-img {
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 100%;
+  object-fit: cover;
+}
+
+.detail__hero-overlay {
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: 0;
+  background: linear-gradient(
+    to bottom,
+    rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4) 0%,
+    transparent 50%,
+    var(--color-gradient-start) 100%
+  );
 }
 
 .detail__header {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 0;
+  left: 0;
+  right: 0;
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   gap: var(--spacing-sm);
+  padding: var(--spacing-lg) var(--content-padding);
+  padding-top: env(safe-area-inset-top, var(--spacing-lg));
+  z-index: 1;
 }
 
 .detail__back {
@@ -233,85 +289,130 @@ onMounted(fetchEvent)
   color: var(--color-text-on-gradient);
 }
 
-.detail__card {
-  background: var(--color-card);
-  border-radius: var(--radius-card);
-  padding: var(--spacing-xl);
-  box-shadow: var(--shadow-card);
+.detail__body {
+  flex: 1;
+  padding: var(--spacing-lg) var(--content-padding);
+  padding-bottom: 6rem;
+}
+
+.detail__content {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
-  gap: var(--spacing-lg);
+  gap: var(--spacing-2xl);
+  max-width: var(--content-max-width);
+  margin: 0 auto;
 }
 
-.detail__card--center {
+.detail__content--center {
   align-items: center;
   text-align: center;
+  padding-top: 4rem;
 }
 
+/* Title */
 .detail__title {
-  font-size: 1.4rem;
-  font-weight: 700;
-  color: var(--color-text);
+  font-size: 2rem;
+  font-weight: 800;
+  color: var(--color-text-on-gradient);
   word-break: break-word;
+  line-height: 1.2;
+  letter-spacing: -0.02em;
 }
 
-.detail__fields {
+/* Meta rows: icon + text */
+.detail__meta {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   gap: var(--spacing-md);
 }
 
-.detail__field {
+.detail__meta-item {
   display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  gap: 0.15rem;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: var(--spacing-sm);
 }
 
-.detail__label {
-  font-size: 0.8rem;
-  font-weight: 700;
-  color: #888;
-  text-transform: uppercase;
-  letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+.detail__meta-icon {
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+  width: 36px;
+  height: 36px;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.15);
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  color: var(--color-text-on-gradient);
 }
 
-.detail__value {
-  font-size: 0.95rem;
-  color: var(--color-text);
+.detail__meta-text {
+  font-size: 0.9rem;
+  color: var(--color-text-on-gradient);
   word-break: break-word;
 }
 
+/* About section */
+.detail__section {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: var(--spacing-xs);
+}
+
+.detail__section-title {
+  font-size: 0.75rem;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5);
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 0.08em;
+}
+
+.detail__description {
+  font-size: 0.95rem;
+  color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85);
+  line-height: 1.6;
+  word-break: break-word;
+}
+
+/* Expired banner */
 .detail__banner {
   padding: var(--spacing-sm) var(--spacing-md);
-  border-radius: var(--radius-card);
+  border-radius: 10px;
   font-weight: 600;
-  font-size: 0.9rem;
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
   text-align: center;
 }
 
 .detail__banner--expired {
-  background: #fff3e0;
-  color: #e65100;
+  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.12);
+  color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(4px);
 }
 
+/* Error / not-found message */
 .detail__message {
-  font-size: 1rem;
+  font-size: 1.1rem;
   font-weight: 600;
-  color: var(--color-text);
+  color: var(--color-text-on-gradient);
+}
+
+/* Skeleton – shimmer on gradient */
+.skeleton {
+  background: linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1) 25%, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) 50%, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1) 75%);
+  background-size: 200% 100%;
 }
 
-/* Skeleton sizes */
 .skeleton--title {
-  height: 1.6rem;
-  width: 60%;
+  height: 2rem;
+  width: 70%;
+  border-radius: 8px;
 }
 
 .skeleton--line {
   height: 1rem;
-  width: 80%;
+  width: 85%;
+  border-radius: 6px;
 }
 
 .skeleton--short {
-  width: 40%;
+  width: 45%;
 }
 </style>
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/__tests__/EventDetailView.spec.ts b/frontend/src/views/__tests__/EventDetailView.spec.ts
index 653a6aa..52beed6 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/__tests__/EventDetailView.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/views/__tests__/EventDetailView.spec.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ describe('EventDetailView', () => {
     const wrapper = await mountWithToken()
     await flushPromises()
 
-    const dateField = wrapper.findAll('.detail__value')[0]!
+    const dateField = wrapper.findAll('.detail__meta-text')[0]!
     expect(dateField.text()).toContain('(Europe/Berlin)')
     expect(dateField.text()).toContain('2026')
     wrapper.unmount()