I would feel weird getting a ticket for my friend's birthday party or backyward BBQ, but this does seem to be a decent suggestion for more public events. This looks like a decent FOSS alternative, though I haven't tried it https://www.attendize.com/
Isn't it ticket-centered? Most of FB events are free for all or paid on-site with cash.
Yes it uses tickets for attendance but sites like eventbrite are free to use when issuing free tickets.