1. A computer-implemented method for displaying real-time event data within a map, the method comprising: receiving, via a computer network, a request for mapping data including a request location defining a current geographic location of the client computing device; determining a request time corresponding to the request, the request time based on a time the mapping data request was sent by the client computing device; retrieving mapping data for generating a digital map corresponding to the request location; identifying, within an event database that stores event start times and event end times for events, a plurality of events with event times delimited by corresponding start times and end times, that occur within a threshold time of the request time; for each of the plurality of identified events, retrieving event data for the corresponding events from the event database; sending, via the computer network, the retrieved mapping data and the retrieved event data to the client computing device in response to the request; and causing the client computing device to display indicators for the identified events on the digital map differently depending on the proximity of the corresponding event time to the request time, so that the client device emphasizes a first event with a first event time relative to a second event with a second event time when a time difference between the first event time and the request time is smaller than a time difference between the second event time and the request time.