diff --git a/icalendar_timeseries_server/cal.py b/icalendar_timeseries_server/cal.py
index accff89..fb5269d 100644
--- a/icalendar_timeseries_server/cal.py
+++ b/icalendar_timeseries_server/cal.py
@@ -99,6 +99,15 @@ def scrape_calendar(name: str, config: CalendarConfig):
     _scrape_calendar(name, config, start, end)
 
 
+def start_scrape_calendar(name: str, config: CalendarConfig):
+    # Get current time in configured timezone
+    tz = get_config().tz
+    now: datetime = datetime.now(tz)
+    # Schedule first calendar scraping
+    cron = Timer(0, lambda: scrape_calendar(name, config))
+    cron.start()
+
+
 def get_calendar(name: str):
     global _SCRAPE_CACHE
     return _SCRAPE_CACHE.get(name, [])
diff --git a/icalendar_timeseries_server/main.py b/icalendar_timeseries_server/main.py
index 2456a2f..a1168f0 100644
--- a/icalendar_timeseries_server/main.py
+++ b/icalendar_timeseries_server/main.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import sys
 
 import bottle
 
-from icalendar_timeseries_server.cal import scrape_calendar
+from icalendar_timeseries_server.cal import start_scrape_calendar
 from icalendar_timeseries_server.config import load_config, load_default_config, get_config
 
 # Contains decorated bottle handler function for /api/v1/query
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ def main():
         print(f'Can only read one config file, got "{" ".join(sys.argv[1:])}"')
         exit(1)
     config = get_config()
+    # Schedule calendar scraping in the background
     for calname in config.calendars.keys():
-        scrape_calendar(calname, config.calendars[calname])
+        start_scrape_calendar(calname, config.calendars[calname])
+    # Start the Bottle HTTP server
     bottle.run(host=config.addr, port=get_config().port)