diff --git a/src/activities-app/App.vue b/src/activities-app/App.vue
index b7ff6d6..4ac820a 100644
--- a/src/activities-app/App.vue
+++ b/src/activities-app/App.vue
@@ -2,17 +2,34 @@
 import { computed } from 'vue'
 import { useRoute } from 'vue-router'
 import { useI18n } from 'vue-i18n'
-import { CalendarDays, Map, Heart, Search } from 'lucide-vue-next'
+import { CalendarDays, Map, Heart, Search, Plus } from 'lucide-vue-next'
 import AppShell from '@/components/layout/AppShell.vue'
 import type { BottomTab } from '@/components/layout/BottomNav.vue'
+import { useAuth } from '@/composables/useAuthService'
+import { useActivitiesStore } from '@/modules/activities/stores/activities'
+import { injectService, SERVICE_TOKENS } from '@/core/di-container'
+import type { TicketApiService } from '@/modules/activities/services/TicketApiService'
+import type { CreateEventRequest } from '@/modules/activities/types/ticket'
+import CreateEventDialog from '@/modules/activities/components/CreateEventDialog.vue'
 
 const route = useRoute()
 const { t } = useI18n()
+const { isAuthenticated, currentUser } = useAuth()
+const activitiesStore = useActivitiesStore()
 
 // Settings dropped — theme/lang/currency now live in the shared profile sheet.
+// Create lives in the bottom nav (auth-gated): activity creation is a deliberate
+// act, surfacing it as a tab keeps it one tap away when authed and out of the
+// way when not. Per-app placement deliberation tracked at #53.
 const tabs = computed<BottomTab[]>(() => [
   { name: t('activities.nav.feed'), icon: Search, path: '/activities' },
   { name: t('activities.nav.calendar'), icon: CalendarDays, path: '/activities/calendar' },
+  {
+    name: t('activities.createNew'),
+    icon: Plus,
+    onClick: () => { activitiesStore.showCreateDialog = true },
+    disabled: !isAuthenticated.value,
+  },
   { name: t('activities.nav.map'), icon: Map, path: '/activities/map' },
   { name: t('activities.nav.favorites'), icon: Heart, path: '/activities/favorites' },
 ])
@@ -31,8 +48,23 @@ function isActive(path: string): boolean {
   }
   return route.path.startsWith(path)
 }
+
+// Dialog mount lives at shell level so the Create tab works from any route
+// within the activities standalone, not just /activities.
+async function handleCreateEvent(eventData: CreateEventRequest) {
+  const ticketApi = injectService(SERVICE_TOKENS.TICKET_API) as TicketApiService
+  const invoiceKey = currentUser.value?.wallets?.[0]?.inkey
+  if (!invoiceKey) throw new Error('No wallet available. Please log in first.')
+  await ticketApi.createEvent(eventData, invoiceKey)
+}
 </script>
 
 <template>
-  <AppShell :tabs="tabs" :is-active="isActive" />
+  <AppShell :tabs="tabs" :is-active="isActive">
+    <CreateEventDialog
+      :open="activitiesStore.showCreateDialog"
+      @update:open="activitiesStore.showCreateDialog = $event"
+      :on-create-event="handleCreateEvent"
+    />
+  </AppShell>
 </template>
diff --git a/src/components/layout/AppShell.vue b/src/components/layout/AppShell.vue
index 9bfacbd..c59b54c 100644
--- a/src/components/layout/AppShell.vue
+++ b/src/components/layout/AppShell.vue
@@ -51,5 +51,9 @@ const isLoginPage = computed(() => route.path === '/login')
 
     <HubPill v-if="!props.hideHub && !isLoginPage" />
     <Toaster />
+
+    <!-- Default slot for shell-level overlays (dialogs, sheets, etc.) that
+         need to live above route content but stay mounted across navigations. -->
+    <slot />
   </div>
 </template>
diff --git a/src/modules/activities/stores/activities.ts b/src/modules/activities/stores/activities.ts
index 1faec7b..0387ea4 100644
--- a/src/modules/activities/stores/activities.ts
+++ b/src/modules/activities/stores/activities.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ export const useActivitiesStore = defineStore('activities', () => {
   const activitiesMap = ref<Map<string, Activity>>(new Map())
   const isLoading = ref(false)
   const lastUpdated = ref<Date | null>(null)
+  /** Toggle by the standalone bottom-nav Create tab; mounted dialog lives
+   * in activities-app/App.vue so it's available from every route. */
+  const showCreateDialog = ref(false)
 
   // Computed
   const activities = computed(() => Array.from(activitiesMap.value.values()))
@@ -84,6 +87,7 @@ export const useActivitiesStore = defineStore('activities', () => {
     activitiesMap,
     isLoading,
     lastUpdated,
+    showCreateDialog,
 
     // Computed
     activities,
diff --git a/src/modules/activities/views/ActivitiesPage.vue b/src/modules/activities/views/ActivitiesPage.vue
index 8afd937..684aa97 100644
--- a/src/modules/activities/views/ActivitiesPage.vue
+++ b/src/modules/activities/views/ActivitiesPage.vue
@@ -8,13 +8,8 @@ import {
   CollapsibleContent,
   CollapsibleTrigger,
 } from '@/components/ui/collapsible'
-import { SlidersHorizontal, ChevronDown, Plus } from 'lucide-vue-next'
-import { useAuth } from '@/composables/useAuthService'
+import { SlidersHorizontal, ChevronDown } from 'lucide-vue-next'
 import { useActivities } from '../composables/useActivities'
-import CreateEventDialog from '../components/CreateEventDialog.vue'
-import { injectService, SERVICE_TOKENS } from '@/core/di-container'
-import type { TicketApiService } from '../services/TicketApiService'
-import type { CreateEventRequest } from '../types/ticket'
 import ActivitySearchOverlay from '../components/ActivitySearchOverlay.vue'
 import TemporalFilterBar from '../components/TemporalFilterBar.vue'
 import CategoryFilterBar from '../components/CategoryFilterBar.vue'
@@ -24,9 +19,6 @@ import type { Activity } from '../types/activity'
 
 const router = useRouter()
 const { t } = useI18n()
-const { isAuthenticated } = useAuth()
-
-const showCreateDialog = ref(false)
 
 const {
   activities,
@@ -42,7 +34,6 @@ const {
   clearCategories,
   resetFilters,
   subscribe,
-  refresh,
 } = useActivities()
 
 const filtersOpen = ref(false)
@@ -54,39 +45,15 @@ onMounted(() => {
 function handleSelectActivity(activity: Activity) {
   router.push({ name: 'activity-detail', params: { id: activity.id } })
 }
-
-function handleRefresh() {
-  refresh()
-}
-
-async function handleCreateEvent(eventData: CreateEventRequest) {
-  const ticketApi = injectService(SERVICE_TOKENS.TICKET_API) as TicketApiService
-  const { currentUser } = useAuth()
-  const invoiceKey = currentUser.value?.wallets?.[0]?.inkey
-  if (!invoiceKey) {
-    throw new Error('No wallet available. Please log in first.')
-  }
-  await ticketApi.createEvent(eventData, invoiceKey)
-}
 </script>
 
 <template>
   <div class="container mx-auto py-6 px-4">
     <!-- Page header -->
-    <div class="flex items-center justify-between mb-4">
+    <div class="mb-4">
       <h1 class="text-2xl sm:text-3xl font-bold text-foreground">
         {{ t('activities.title') }}
       </h1>
-      <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
-        <Button
-          v-if="isAuthenticated"
-          size="sm"
-          @click="showCreateDialog = true"
-        >
-          <Plus class="w-4 h-4 mr-1.5" />
-          <span class="hidden sm:inline">{{ t('activities.createNew') }}</span>
-        </Button>
-      </div>
     </div>
 
     <!-- Search with dropdown overlay -->
@@ -147,13 +114,5 @@ async function handleCreateEvent(eventData: CreateEventRequest) {
       :is-loading="isLoading"
       @select="handleSelectActivity"
     />
-
-    <!-- Create Event Dialog -->
-    <CreateEventDialog
-      :open="showCreateDialog"
-      @update:open="showCreateDialog = $event"
-      :on-create-event="handleCreateEvent"
-      @event-created="handleRefresh"
-    />
   </div>
 </template>