diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/application.js b/app/assets/javascripts/application.js
index 18c5d6f6..c5b49ae7 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/application.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/application.js
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 //= require osem-survey
 //= require pagy
 //= require fullcalendar-scheduler/main.js
+//= require fullcalendar
 
 $(document).ready(function() {
     $('a[disabled=disabled]').click(function(event){
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/fullcalendar.js b/app/assets/javascripts/fullcalendar.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e29a3d27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/fullcalendar.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+$( document ).ready(function() {
+    let calendarEl = document.getElementById('vert-schedule-full-calendar');
+    if (!calendarEl) return; //check that we need a vertical schedule
+    let fullcalData = $('#fullcalendar');
+
+    var calendar = new FullCalendar.Calendar(calendarEl, {
+      timeZone: 'UTC',
+      initialDate: fullcalData.data('day'),
+      initialView: 'resourceTimeGridDay',
+      resources: fullcalData.data('rooms'),
+      events: fullcalData.data('events')
+    });
+
+    calendar.render();
+});
diff --git a/app/controllers/schedules_controller.rb b/app/controllers/schedules_controller.rb
index 28e20549..a22ded39 100644
--- a/app/controllers/schedules_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/schedules_controller.rb
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ class SchedulesController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def vertical_schedule
+    dates = @conference.start_date..@conference.end_date
+    # the schedule takes you to today if it is a date of the schedule
+    current_day = @conference.current_conference_day
+    @day = current_day.present? ? current_day : dates.first
     event_schedules = @program.selected_event_schedules(
       includes: [{ event: %i[event_type speakers submitter] }]
     )
diff --git a/app/views/schedules/vertical_schedule.haml b/app/views/schedules/vertical_schedule.haml
index a494bfd5..ee6c49c5 100644
--- a/app/views/schedules/vertical_schedule.haml
+++ b/app/views/schedules/vertical_schedule.haml
@@ -5,18 +5,5 @@
     Vertical Schedule for
     = @conference.title
 
-  #calendar
-
-:javascript
-  document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
-    var calendarEl = document.getElementById('calendar');
-
-    var calendar = new FullCalendar.Calendar(calendarEl, {
-      timeZone: 'UTC',
-      initialView: 'resourceTimeGridDay',
-      resources: #{@rooms.html_safe},
-      events: #{@event_schedules.html_safe}
-    });
-
-    calendar.render();
-  });
+  #vert-schedule-full-calendar
+  #fullcalendar{ data: { rooms: @rooms, events: @event_schedules, day: @day } }