diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index c6ba59bb..d081e332 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -33,3 +33,25 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Validate generated site
         run: bundle exec htmlproofer ./_site --disable-external --no-enforce-https --allow-missing-href --ignore-urls '/^\/\//'
+
+      - name: Setup Node
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 22
+          cache: npm
+
+      - name: Install Playwright dependencies
+        run: npm ci
+
+      - name: Install Playwright browser
+        run: npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
+
+      - name: Run Playwright smoke tests
+        run: npm run test:e2e
+
+      - name: Upload Playwright report
+        if: always()
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: playwright-report
+          path: playwright-report/
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f0851f0a..fff49932 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,3 +8,6 @@ vendor
 
 # Script output
 tmp/pending_updates.yml
+node_modules
+playwright-report
+test-results
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f3922a8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+{
+  "name": "testingconferences.github.io",
+  "lockfileVersion": 3,
+  "requires": true,
+  "packages": {
+    "": {
+      "name": "testingconferences.github.io",
+      "devDependencies": {
+        "@playwright/test": "1.62.1"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@playwright/test": {
+      "version": "1.62.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@playwright/test/-/test-1.62.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-DTcUc8qii+cpHvtOwggMtBRMjKZHXYWdw8syRYu2vtzuq4Wxphqq4NfCs5Zt44L6mA8rfDfj+PHnxFc/FeK6mQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "playwright": "1.62.1"
+      },
+      "bin": {
+        "playwright": "cli.js"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=20"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/fsevents": {
+      "version": "2.3.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fsevents/-/fsevents-2.3.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-xiqMQR4xAeHTuB9uWm+fFRcIOgKBMiOBP+eXiyT7jsgVCq1bkVygt00oASowB7EdtpOHaaPgKt812P9ab+DDKA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "hasInstallScript": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "darwin"
+      ],
+      "engines": {
+        "node": "^8.16.0 || ^10.6.0 || >=11.0.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/playwright": {
+      "version": "1.62.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright/-/playwright-1.62.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-0M+L3LAD8/nm554LOla9Ayx0j0tmFZ0FBcoQ7F1VuVHpM/XpiC8RcDzBQB8W5+hA8L22THxELzeF+2WcUzvcLg==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "playwright-core": "1.62.1"
+      },
+      "bin": {
+        "playwright": "cli.js"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=20"
+      },
+      "optionalDependencies": {
+        "fsevents": "2.3.2"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/playwright-core": {
+      "version": "1.62.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright-core/-/playwright-core-1.62.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-wPYSwEBJY9GHraISXqyqtx0na0LpO3XEX7jNDhntbex7tzUS7kLnZsOlFruFJB4Hi/rhDMjXGqHewDZ68nYZVw==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "bin": {
+        "playwright-core": "cli.js"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=20"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d732e97f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "name": "testingconferences.github.io",
+  "private": true,
+  "scripts": {
+    "test:e2e": "playwright test"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@playwright/test": "1.62.1"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/playwright.config.js b/playwright.config.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..63d87373
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playwright.config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+const { defineConfig } = require('@playwright/test');
+
+module.exports = defineConfig({
+  testDir: './test/playwright',
+  reporter: process.env.CI ? [['html', { open: 'never' }], ['github']] : 'list',
+  use: {
+    baseURL: 'http://127.0.0.1:4173'
+  },
+  webServer: {
+    command: 'python3 -m http.server 4173 --bind 127.0.0.1 --directory _site',
+    port: 4173,
+    reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI
+  }
+});
diff --git a/test/playwright/site-smoke.spec.js b/test/playwright/site-smoke.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..31b9a49d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/playwright/site-smoke.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+const { test, expect } = require('@playwright/test');
+
+test.describe('site smoke checks', () => {
+  test('API: key pages return success responses', async ({ request, baseURL }) => {
+    for (const path of ['/', '/past/', '/subscribe/']) {
+      const response = await request.get(`${baseURL}${path}`);
+      expect(response.ok(), `${path} should return success`).toBeTruthy();
+    }
+  });
+
+  test('UI: homepage renders nav links', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+
+    await expect(page).toHaveTitle(/Software Testing Conferences/);
+    await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Upcoming' })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Past' })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: 'Newsletter', exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+  });
+
+  test('UI: past page lists conferences', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/past/');
+
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/past\/$/);
+    await expect(page.locator('ul.post-list li').first()).toBeVisible();
+  });
+});