exists
$meta_query = array( 'relation' => 'AND', array( 'key' => '_event_start_date', 'compare' => 'EXISTS', ), array( 'key' => '_event_start_date', 'value' => '2021-01-01', 'compare' => '>=', ), );
$meta_query = array( 'relation' => 'AND', array( 'key' => '_event_start_date', 'compare' => 'EXISTS', ), array( 'key' => '_event_start_date', 'value' => '2021-01-01', 'compare' => '>=', ), );