diff --git a/src/app/admin/AdminDashboard.tsx b/src/app/admin/AdminDashboard.tsx
index 9a35bc9..2572adf 100644
--- a/src/app/admin/AdminDashboard.tsx
+++ b/src/app/admin/AdminDashboard.tsx
@@ -339,7 +339,17 @@ function EventCard({
           </label>
           <label className="block text-xs font-medium text-rotary-navy">
             Date
-            <input value={draft.date} placeholder="e.g. 12 Aug 2026" onChange={(e) => setDraft({ date: e.target.value })} className={`${input} mt-1`} />
+            <input
+              type="date"
+              value={/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$/.test(draft.date) ? draft.date : ""}
+              onChange={(e) => setDraft({ date: e.target.value })}
+              className={`${input} mt-1`}
+            />
+            {draft.date && !/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$/.test(draft.date) && (
+              <span className="mt-1 block text-[11px] font-normal text-rotary-amber">
+                Currently “{draft.date}” — pick a date to replace it
+              </span>
+            )}
           </label>
         </div>
         <label className="block text-xs font-medium text-rotary-navy">
diff --git a/src/app/events/[id]/page.tsx b/src/app/events/[id]/page.tsx
index f188387..742615b 100644
--- a/src/app/events/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/events/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 import type { Metadata } from "next";
 import Image from "next/image";
 import Link from "next/link";
+import ViewableImage from "@/components/ViewableImage";
 import { notFound } from "next/navigation";
 import DetailShell, { Chip } from "@/components/DetailShell";
 import RichText from "@/components/RichText";
 import { getContent } from "@/lib/content";
+import { formatEventDate } from "@/lib/meetings";
 
 export const dynamic = "force-dynamic";
 
@@ -36,21 +38,18 @@ export default async function EventPage({ params }: Props) {
       title={event.title}
       backHref="/#events"
       backLabel="All events"
-      badge={event.date ? <Chip tone="gold">{event.date}</Chip> : undefined}
+      badge={event.date ? <Chip tone="gold">{formatEventDate(event.date)}</Chip> : undefined}
     >
       <article className="overflow-hidden rounded-3xl bg-white shadow-[0_20px_50px_-24px_rgba(3,20,58,0.35)] ring-1 ring-rotary-navy/[0.06]">
         {event.image && (
-          <div className="relative aspect-[16/9] w-full bg-rotary-navy/[0.04]">
-            <Image
-              src={event.image}
-              alt={event.title}
-              fill
-              priority
-              sizes="(min-width: 896px) 896px, 100vw"
-              unoptimized={event.image.startsWith("/uploads/")}
-              className="object-contain"
-            />
-          </div>
+          <ViewableImage
+            src={event.image}
+            alt={event.title}
+            caption={event.title}
+            priority
+            sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw"
+            frameClassName="aspect-[16/9] w-full bg-rotary-navy/[0.04]"
+          />
         )}
         <div className="p-6 sm:p-10">
           {event.text && (
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ export default async function EventPage({ params }: Props) {
                   )}
                 </div>
                 <div className="p-4">
-                  {e.date && <p className="text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-rotary-azure">{e.date}</p>}
+                  {e.date && <p className="text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-rotary-azure">{formatEventDate(e.date)}</p>}
                   <p className="mt-0.5 font-semibold text-rotary-navy group-hover:text-rotary-blue">{e.title}</p>
                 </div>
               </Link>
diff --git a/src/app/meetings/[id]/page.tsx b/src/app/meetings/[id]/page.tsx
index f28ccd5..1b36ff8 100644
--- a/src/app/meetings/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/meetings/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { Metadata } from "next";
-import Image from "next/image";
+import ViewableImage from "@/components/ViewableImage";
 import { notFound } from "next/navigation";
 import DetailShell, { Chip } from "@/components/DetailShell";
 import RichText from "@/components/RichText";
@@ -101,23 +101,14 @@ export default async function MeetingPage({ params }: Props) {
         </article>
 
         {meeting.poster && (
-          <a
-            href={meeting.poster}
-            target="_blank"
-            rel="noopener noreferrer"
-            className="relative block aspect-[4/5] overflow-hidden rounded-3xl bg-white shadow-[0_20px_50px_-24px_rgba(3,20,58,0.35)] ring-4 ring-white"
-            title="Open poster"
-          >
-            <Image
-              src={meeting.poster}
-              alt={meeting.topic || "Meeting poster"}
-              fill
-              priority
-              sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 320px, 100vw"
-              unoptimized={meeting.poster.startsWith("/uploads/")}
-              className="object-contain"
-            />
-          </a>
+          <ViewableImage
+            src={meeting.poster}
+            alt={meeting.topic || "Meeting poster"}
+            caption={meeting.topic}
+            priority
+            sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 320px, 100vw"
+            frameClassName="aspect-[4/5] w-full rounded-3xl bg-white shadow-[0_20px_50px_-24px_rgba(3,20,58,0.35)] ring-4 ring-white"
+          />
         )}
       </div>
     </DetailShell>
diff --git a/src/components/EventDetails.tsx b/src/components/EventDetails.tsx
index d03d15c..df6f891 100644
--- a/src/components/EventDetails.tsx
+++ b/src/components/EventDetails.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import Image from "next/image";
 import Link from "next/link";
+import ViewableImage from "./ViewableImage";
 import Reveal from "./Reveal";
 import type { MeetingItem } from "@/lib/content";
 import { formatMeetingDate } from "@/lib/meetings";
@@ -114,16 +115,13 @@ export default function EventDetails({ next }: { next?: MeetingItem }) {
           {/* Right: next meeting poster, next meeting card, or "no upcoming events" */}
           <Reveal delay={120}>
             {poster ? (
-              <div className="relative h-80 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[1.5rem] bg-white shadow-[0_20px_50px_-20px_rgba(3,20,58,0.35)] ring-4 ring-white sm:h-full sm:min-h-[22rem]">
-                <Image
-                  src={poster}
-                  unoptimized={poster.startsWith("/uploads/")}
-                  alt={next?.topic || "Upcoming meeting poster"}
-                  fill
-                  sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 560px, 100vw"
-                  className="object-contain"
-                />
-              </div>
+              <ViewableImage
+                src={poster}
+                alt={next?.topic || "Upcoming meeting poster"}
+                caption={next?.topic}
+                sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 560px, 100vw"
+                frameClassName="h-80 w-full rounded-[1.5rem] bg-white shadow-[0_20px_50px_-20px_rgba(3,20,58,0.35)] ring-4 ring-white sm:h-full sm:min-h-[22rem]"
+              />
             ) : next ? (
               <div className="flex h-80 w-full flex-col items-center justify-center rounded-[1.5rem] bg-gradient-to-br from-rotary-navy to-rotary-blue px-6 text-center text-white shadow-[0_20px_50px_-20px_rgba(3,20,58,0.35)] sm:h-full sm:min-h-[22rem]">
                 <p className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-[0.28em] text-rotary-goldlight">
diff --git a/src/components/Gallery.tsx b/src/components/Gallery.tsx
index 7a38b11..5451c69 100644
--- a/src/components/Gallery.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Gallery.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 /* eslint-disable @next/next/no-img-element */
 import Image from "next/image";
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
 import Reveal from "./Reveal";
 import EmptyNote from "./EmptyNote";
 import type { GalleryPhoto } from "@/lib/content";
@@ -241,9 +242,12 @@ export default function Gallery({ photos }: { photos: GalleryPhoto[] }) {
         </div>
       )}
 
-      {open !== null && photos[open] && (
-        <Lightbox photos={photos} index={open} onClose={() => setOpen(null)} onGo={setOpen} />
-      )}
+      {open !== null &&
+        photos[open] &&
+        createPortal(
+          <Lightbox photos={photos} index={open} onClose={() => setOpen(null)} onGo={setOpen} />,
+          document.body,
+        )}
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/ViewableImage.tsx b/src/components/ViewableImage.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1458379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/ViewableImage.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+"use client";
+
+/* eslint-disable @next/next/no-img-element */
+import Image from "next/image";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { createPortal } from "react-dom";
+
+/**
+ * An image inside a frame; clicking it opens a full-screen viewer.
+ * Used for meeting posters and event photos.
+ */
+export default function ViewableImage({
+  src,
+  alt,
+  frameClassName,
+  sizes,
+  priority,
+  caption,
+}: {
+  src: string;
+  alt: string;
+  frameClassName: string;
+  sizes: string;
+  priority?: boolean;
+  caption?: string;
+}) {
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) return;
+    const onKey = (e: KeyboardEvent) => e.key === "Escape" && setOpen(false);
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+    const overflow = document.body.style.overflow;
+    document.body.style.overflow = "hidden";
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener("keydown", onKey);
+      document.body.style.overflow = overflow;
+    };
+  }, [open]);
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={() => setOpen(true)}
+        aria-label={`View full size: ${alt}`}
+        className={`group relative block cursor-zoom-in overflow-hidden text-left ${frameClassName}`}
+      >
+        <Image
+          src={src}
+          alt={alt}
+          fill
+          priority={priority}
+          sizes={sizes}
+          unoptimized={src.startsWith("/uploads/")}
+          className="object-contain transition-transform duration-500 group-hover:scale-[1.02]"
+        />
+        <span className="pointer-events-none absolute bottom-3 right-3 flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-full bg-rotary-navy/80 px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-medium text-white opacity-90 backdrop-blur transition-opacity group-hover:opacity-100">
+          <svg className="h-3.5 w-3.5" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="2">
+            <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="7" />
+            <path d="M21 21l-4.3-4.3M11 8v6M8 11h6" strokeLinecap="round" />
+          </svg>
+          View
+        </span>
+      </button>
+
+      {open &&
+        createPortal(
+        <div
+          role="dialog"
+          aria-modal="true"
+          aria-label={alt}
+          onClick={() => setOpen(false)}
+          className="fixed inset-0 z-[100] flex flex-col items-center justify-center bg-rotary-navy/95 p-4 backdrop-blur-sm animate-fade-up"
+        >
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            aria-label="Close"
+            onClick={() => setOpen(false)}
+            className="absolute right-4 top-4 flex h-10 w-10 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-white/10 text-white hover:bg-white/20"
+          >
+            <svg className="h-5 w-5" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="2">
+              <path d="M6 6l12 12M18 6L6 18" strokeLinecap="round" />
+            </svg>
+          </button>
+          <img
+            src={src}
+            alt={alt}
+            onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+            className="max-h-[85vh] w-auto max-w-full rounded-xl object-contain shadow-2xl"
+          />
+          <div className="mt-4 flex items-center gap-4 text-sm text-white/70" onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}>
+            {caption && <span className="font-medium text-white">{caption}</span>}
+            <a href={src} target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" className="underline-offset-4 hover:text-white hover:underline">
+              Open original ↗
+            </a>
+          </div>
+        </div>,
+          document.body,
+        )}
+    </>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/meetings.ts b/src/lib/meetings.ts
index 6cee391..9c56bfa 100644
--- a/src/lib/meetings.ts
+++ b/src/lib/meetings.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ export function formatMeetingDate(date: string) {
   });
 }
 
+/** Event dates are saved as YYYY-MM-DD (date picker); older free-text dates are shown as typed. */
+export function formatEventDate(date: string) {
+  return /^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$/.test(date) ? formatMeetingDate(date) : date;
+}
+
 /** A card in the website's "Past Events" list: a manual event or a completed meeting. */
 export type PastEventCard = {
   id: string;
@@ -55,7 +60,7 @@ export function buildPastEvents(
       id: e.id,
       href: `/events/${e.id}`,
       image: e.image,
-      date: e.date,
+      date: formatEventDate(e.date),
       title: e.title,
       text: e.text,
       kind: "event" as const,