WPIssue

<?php $args = array( 'post_type' => 'events', 'posts_per_page' => 12 , 'orderby' => 'event_date', 'meta_key' => 'event_date', 'orderby' => 'meta_value', 'order' => 'ASC');
                $loop = new WP_Query( $args );
                if ($loop->have_posts()) { while ( $loop->have_posts() ) : $loop->the_post();

                //set the exp_date variable

                // if the Hide Event Date is set, use it for the expiration date
                if (get_field('hide_event_date')) {
                    $exp_date = get_field('hide_event_date'); }

                // if the Hide Event Date is not set, use the end event date.
                elseif( get_field('event_end_date')) {
                    $exp_date = get_field('event_end_date'); }

                // if neither the Hide Event date is set nor the event end date is set, use the event start date
                else { $exp_date = get_field('event_date'); }

                // check to see if the event is expired
                if (time() <= strtotime("$exp_date")) {

?>

                    <?php if( get_field('event_date') ):
                    // Retreive date object
                    $start_date = DateTime::createFromFormat('Ymd', get_field('event_date'));
                    endif; ?>

                    <ul id="home-events-sub">
                        <li>
                            <div class="home-events-sub-left">
                            <strong class="event-meta">
                                <?php if(get_field('event_date')) { ?>
                                    <span class="event-date-m"><?php echo $start_date->format('M');?></span><br><?php echo $start_date->format('d');?>
                                <?php } ?>
                             </strong>
                            </div> <!-- home-events-sub-left -->
                            <div class="home-events-sub-right">
                                <?php if (get_field('event_short_name')) { ?>
                                    <a href="<?php echo the_permalink() ?>"><?php the_field('event_short_name'); ?></a>
                                    <?php } else { ?>
                                    <a href="<?php echo the_permalink() ?>">
                                        <?php
                                        $thetitle = get_the_title();
                                        $getlength = strlen($thetitle);
                                        $thelength = 18;
                                        echo substr($thetitle, 0, $thelength);
                                        if ($getlength > $thelength) echo "...";
                                        ?>
                                    </a>
                                    <?php } ?>
                            </div> <!-- home-events-sub-right -->
                        </li>
                    </ul>

<?php } ?>

<?php endwhile; } wp_reset_query();?>