diff --git a/src/gui/gcal-event-widget.c b/src/gui/gcal-event-widget.c
index 06e432f3..05d34f3b 100644
--- a/src/gui/gcal-event-widget.c
+++ b/src/gui/gcal-event-widget.c
@@ -196,9 +196,9 @@ update_color (GcalEventWidget *self)
 
   /* Fades out an event that's earlier than the current date */
   if (date_compare < 0)
-    gtk_widget_add_css_class (GTK_WIDGET (self), "dimmed");
+    gtk_widget_add_css_class (GTK_WIDGET (self), "past");
   else
-    gtk_widget_remove_css_class (GTK_WIDGET (self), "dimmed");
+    gtk_widget_remove_css_class (GTK_WIDGET (self), "past");
 
   /* Remove the old style class */
   if (self->css_class)
diff --git a/src/theme/events.css b/src/theme/events.css
index 8d22a5b3..c0d07c55 100644
--- a/src/theme/events.css
+++ b/src/theme/events.css
@@ -41,6 +41,15 @@ event widget.edge {
   min-width: 6px;
 }
 
+event.past {
+  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--event-bg-color) 10%, var(--view-bg-color));
+  color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--view-fg-color) 60%, transparent);
+}
+
+event.past widget.edge {
+  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--event-bg-color) 20%, transparent);
+}
+
 event.slanted widget.edge,
 event.slanted-start widget.edge {
   background-color: transparent;