diff --git a/github/events.go b/github/events.go
index 43e6137..6251997 100644
--- a/github/events.go
+++ b/github/events.go
@@ -23,14 +23,47 @@ type EventsService struct {
 
 // Event represents a GitHub event.
 type Event struct {
-	Type      string          `json:"type,omitempty"`
-	Public    bool            `json:"public"`
-	Payload   json.RawMessage `json:"payload,omitempty"`
-	Repo      *Repository     `json:"repo,omitempty"`
-	Actor     *User           `json:"actor,omitempty"`
-	Org       *Organization   `json:"org,omitempty"`
-	CreatedAt *time.Time      `json:"created_at,omitempty"`
-	ID        string          `json:"id,omitempty"`
+	Type       string          `json:"type,omitempty"`
+	Public     bool            `json:"public"`
+	RawPayload json.RawMessage `json:"payload,omitempty"`
+	Repo       *Repository     `json:"repo,omitempty"`
+	Actor      *User           `json:"actor,omitempty"`
+	Org        *Organization   `json:"org,omitempty"`
+	CreatedAt  *time.Time      `json:"created_at,omitempty"`
+	ID         string          `json:"id,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// Payload returns the parsed event payload. For recognized event types
+// (PushEvent), a value of the corresponding struct type will be returned.
+func (e *Event) Payload() (payload interface{}) {
+	switch e.Type {
+	case "PushEvent":
+		payload = &PushEvent{}
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(e.RawPayload, &payload); err != nil {
+		panic(err.Error())
+	}
+	return payload
+}
+
+// PushEvent represents a git push to a GitHub repository.
+//
+// GitHub API docs: http://developer.github.com/v3/activity/events/types/#pushevent
+type PushEvent struct {
+	PushID  int               `json:"push_id,omitempty"`
+	Head    string            `json:"head,omitempty"`
+	Ref     string            `json:"ref,omitempty"`
+	Size    int               `json:"ref,omitempty"`
+	Commits []PushEventCommit `json:"commits,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// PushEventCommit represents a git commit in a GitHub PushEvent.
+type PushEventCommit struct {
+	SHA      string        `json:"sha,omitempty"`
+	Message  string        `json:"message,omitempty"`
+	Author   *CommitAuthor `json:"author,omitempty"`
+	URL      string        `json:"url,omitempty"`
+	Distinct bool          `json:"distinct"`
 }
 
 // ListPerformedByUser lists the events performed by a user. If publicOnly is
diff --git a/github/events_test.go b/github/events_test.go
index 86e25b9..d14385d 100644
--- a/github/events_test.go
+++ b/github/events_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 package github
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"reflect"
@@ -55,3 +56,32 @@ func TestEventsService_ListPerformedByUser_publicOnly(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Events.ListPerformedByUser returned %+v, want %+v", events, want)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestEvent_Payload_typed(t *testing.T) {
+	raw := []byte(`{"type": "PushEvent","payload":{"push_id": 1}}`)
+	var event *Event
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &event); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Unmarshal Event returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	want := &PushEvent{PushID: 1}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(event.Payload(), want) {
+		t.Errorf("Event Payload returned %+v, want %+v", event.Payload(), want)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestEvent_Payload_untyped checks that unrecognized events are parsed to an
+// interface{} value (instead of being discarded or throwing an error), for
+// forward compatibility with new event types.
+func TestEvent_Payload_untyped(t *testing.T) {
+	raw := []byte(`{"type": "UnrecognizedEvent","payload":{"field": "val"}}`)
+	var event *Event
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &event); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Unmarshal Event returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	want := map[string]interface{}{"field": "val"}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(event.Payload(), want) {
+		t.Errorf("Event Payload returned %+v, want %+v", event.Payload(), want)
+	}
+}