MySQL join for two queries
YOUR ORIGINAL QUERY

select event_id, count(*) as num_bookmarks from event_connections
where connectiontype = 3 join event_id on events.id=event_connections.event_id group by event_id;


PROPER SYNTAX

select event_id, count(*) as num_bookmarks
from event_connections join events on events.id=event_connections.event_id
where event_connections.connectiontype = 3
group by event_id;


You just had the WHERE in the wrong place

SUGGESTIONS

If all you care about is the event_id and the counts, do this

select event_id, count(*) as num_bookmarks
from event_connections
where connectiontype = 3
group by event_id;


No need to join.

If you want the event title, then you must join

select events.title, count(*) as num_bookmarks
from event_connections join events on events.id=event_connections.event_id
where event_connections.connectiontype = 3
group by events.title;


GIVE IT A TRY !!!