diff --git a/src/modules/events/components/BookmarkButton.vue b/src/modules/events/components/BookmarkButton.vue
index 132fb48..a99d9c2 100644
--- a/src/modules/events/components/BookmarkButton.vue
+++ b/src/modules/events/components/BookmarkButton.vue
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { computed, ref, watch } from 'vue'
+import { computed, ref, watch, onMounted } from 'vue'
 import { useRouter } from 'vue-router'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Heart } from 'lucide-vue-next'
 import { toast } from 'vue-sonner'
 import { useAuth } from '@/composables/useAuthService'
 import { useBookmarks } from '../composables/useBookmarks'
+import { useEventLikes } from '../composables/useEventLikes'
 import { NIP52_KINDS } from '../types/nip52'
 
 const props = defineProps<{
@@ -15,21 +16,53 @@ const props = defineProps<{
 }>()
 
 const router = useRouter()
-const { isAuthenticated } = useAuth()
+const { isAuthenticated, user } = useAuth()
 const { isBookmarked, toggleBookmark } = useBookmarks()
+const { track, likeCount, setSelf } = useEventLikes()
 
 const eventKind = computed(() => props.kind ?? NIP52_KINDS.CALENDAR_TIME_EVENT)
+const coord = computed(() => `${eventKind.value}:${props.pubkey}:${props.dTag}`)
 const bookmarked = computed(() => isBookmarked(eventKind.value, props.pubkey, props.dTag))
 
-// Brief scale "pop" when a favorite is added, for tactile feedback. The
-// state flip is already optimistic (see useBookmarks), so this fires
-// immediately on tap.
+// Live count of how many people have favorited (liked) this event.
+const count = computed(() => likeCount(coord.value))
+
+// Register this event so its like count is fetched + kept live.
+// `ready` gates the live-increment pop so the historical backlog that
+// streams in right after mount doesn't make every heart pop on load.
+const ready = ref(false)
+onMounted(() => {
+  track(coord.value)
+  setTimeout(() => (ready.value = true), 1500)
+})
+
+// Keep the current user's own contribution in sync with the optimistic
+// heart state — instant like/un-like for self, and rollback-safe.
+watch(
+  bookmarked,
+  (now) => {
+    const pk = user.value?.pubkey
+    if (pk) setSelf(coord.value, pk, now)
+  },
+  { immediate: true },
+)
+
+// Brief scale "pop" for tactile feedback.
 const popping = ref(false)
+function pop() {
+  popping.value = true
+  setTimeout(() => (popping.value = false), 220)
+}
+
+// Pop on the user's own favorite (optimistic, fires immediately on tap).
 watch(bookmarked, (now, was) => {
-  if (now && !was) {
-    popping.value = true
-    setTimeout(() => (popping.value = false), 220)
-  }
+  if (now && !was) pop()
+})
+
+// Pop when the live count ticks up from someone else liking it too —
+// only once past the initial historical-load settle window.
+watch(count, (now, was) => {
+  if (ready.value && now > was) pop()
 })
 
 async function handleToggle() {
@@ -52,14 +85,16 @@ async function handleToggle() {
 <template>
   <Button
     variant="ghost"
-    size="icon"
-    class="h-8 w-8"
+    size="sm"
+    class="h-8 gap-1 px-2"
     :class="bookmarked ? 'text-red-500 hover:text-red-600' : 'text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground'"
+    :aria-label="bookmarked ? 'Remove favorite' : 'Add favorite'"
     @click.stop="handleToggle"
   >
     <Heart
       class="w-4 h-4 transition-transform duration-200 ease-out"
       :class="[{ 'fill-current': bookmarked }, popping ? 'scale-125' : 'scale-100']"
     />
+    <span v-if="count > 0" class="text-xs font-medium tabular-nums">{{ count }}</span>
   </Button>
 </template>
diff --git a/src/modules/events/composables/useEventLikes.ts b/src/modules/events/composables/useEventLikes.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9bca9fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/modules/events/composables/useEventLikes.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+import { reactive } from 'vue'
+import type { Event as NostrEvent } from 'nostr-tools'
+import { tryInjectService, SERVICE_TOKENS } from '@/core/di-container'
+
+/**
+ * Live "like" counts for events. A like == the event appearing in a
+ * user's NIP-51 bookmark list (kind 10003) — the same action the heart
+ * performs (and what the Favorites page reads).
+ *
+ * One batched subscription covers every event coordinate that a mounted
+ * heart has registered, filtered by `#a`. It stays open after EOSE, so
+ * when anyone publishes/updates a bookmark list referencing a tracked
+ * event the relay pushes it live and the count increments for everyone
+ * in real time (Alice likes → Bob's count ticks up).
+ *
+ * Caveats (inherent to counting replaceable bookmark lists via `#a`):
+ *  - An un-like by ANOTHER user only reflects on next load: their new
+ *    list no longer contains the coord, so it no longer matches the
+ *    filter and we never receive the update. Counts are correct on a
+ *    fresh load (the un-liker is simply absent from the results).
+ *  - The current user's own like/un-like updates instantly via setSelf(),
+ *    driven by the optimistic heart state.
+ */
+
+const BOOKMARK_KIND = 10003
+
+// coord ("kind:pubkey:dTag") -> set of pubkeys who bookmarked it.
+const authorsByCoord = new Map<string, Set<string>>() // plain map, for dedup
+const counts = reactive(new Map<string, number>())     // reactive mirror for the UI
+const tracked = new Set<string>()
+
+let unsubscribe: (() => void) | null = null
+let resubTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
+
+function setCount(coord: string, pubkey: string, present: boolean) {
+  let set = authorsByCoord.get(coord)
+  if (!set) {
+    set = new Set()
+    authorsByCoord.set(coord, set)
+  }
+  const had = set.has(pubkey)
+  if (present && !had) {
+    set.add(pubkey)
+    counts.set(coord, set.size)
+  } else if (!present && had) {
+    set.delete(pubkey)
+    counts.set(coord, set.size)
+  }
+}
+
+function ingest(event: NostrEvent) {
+  // A bookmark list references many events via 'a' tags; credit the
+  // author to every coord we're tracking.
+  for (const tag of event.tags) {
+    if (tag[0] === 'a' && tracked.has(tag[1])) setCount(tag[1], event.pubkey, true)
+  }
+}
+
+function resubscribe() {
+  const relayHub = tryInjectService<any>(SERVICE_TOKENS.RELAY_HUB)
+  if (!relayHub) {
+    scheduleResubscribe() // relay hub not registered yet — retry shortly
+    return
+  }
+  if (unsubscribe) {
+    unsubscribe()
+    unsubscribe = null
+  }
+  const coords = [...tracked]
+  if (coords.length === 0) return
+  unsubscribe = relayHub.subscribe({
+    id: 'event-likes-aggregate',
+    filters: [{ kinds: [BOOKMARK_KIND], '#a': coords }],
+    onEvent: (event: NostrEvent) => ingest(event),
+  })
+}
+
+function scheduleResubscribe() {
+  if (resubTimer) clearTimeout(resubTimer)
+  // Debounced so a burst of mounting hearts results in one (re)subscribe.
+  resubTimer = setTimeout(resubscribe, 250)
+}
+
+export function useEventLikes() {
+  /** Register an event coordinate so its like count is fetched + kept live. */
+  function track(coord: string) {
+    if (!coord || tracked.has(coord)) return
+    tracked.add(coord)
+    scheduleResubscribe()
+  }
+
+  /** Reactive like count for a coordinate (0 when none/unknown). */
+  function likeCount(coord: string): number {
+    return counts.get(coord) ?? 0
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Reflect the current user's own like state immediately (optimistic),
+   * so their count matches the instant heart fill and their un-like
+   * decrements right away.
+   */
+  function setSelf(coord: string, pubkey: string, liked: boolean) {
+    if (!coord || !pubkey) return
+    setCount(coord, pubkey, liked)
+  }
+
+  return { track, likeCount, setSelf }
+}