// Place this into a custom plugin or into your functions.php

function custom_events_query($query) {
    // Check if we're on the main query and it's the archive for 'events' custom post type
    if (!is_admin() && $query->is_main_query() && is_post_type_archive('events')) {
        // Set the meta query to only show events from today's date onward
        $meta_query = array(
            array(
                'key'     => 'event_start_date',
                'value'   => date('Ymd'),
                'compare' => '>=',
                'type'    => 'DATE'
            )
        );

        // Set the query to order by the event_start_date meta field
        $query->set('meta_key', 'event_start_date');
        $query->set('orderby', 'meta_value');
        $query->set('order', 'ASC');
        $query->set('meta_query', $meta_query);
    }
}

add_action('pre_get_posts', 'custom_events_query');