Going to my first Eurovision (1 Viewer)

[whatisityoucantface]

Was feeling despondent, so... I booked tickets for 2 shows & flights to Malmö (from Australia)

What are your Eurovision tips? Are the previews actually good?? I'm seeing the Monday evening SF1 preview, and the GF preview. Keeping an eye on resale tix for the actual GF!

 

[La Peneloupée monte le son]

First of all - I hope you have a BRILLIANT time! My first Eurovision in Lisbon was great fun.

What I'd say I learnt from last year though is that it's so much more about the people you watch with than it is about the shows themselves.

 

[OutSynk]

I hope it’s something you can face.

 

[ButterTart]

Last year was my first Eurovision and it was honestly one of the best weeks of my life.

I'd say don't overthink it or plan things too rigidly, the whole city will be buzzing with activity so just enjoy the atmosphere. Also, don't watch the final in the Eurovillage because it gets punishingly crowded and, if you're anything like me, it becomes a bit overwhelming.

 

[whatisityoucantface]

Last year was my first Eurovision and it was honestly one of the best weeks of my life.

I'd say don't overthink it or plan things too rigidly, the whole city will be buzzing with activity so just enjoy the atmosphere. Also, don't watch the final in the Eurovillage because it gets punishingly crowded and, if you're anything like me, it becomes a bit overwhelming.

Incredible advice. Thank you. We are staying in Copenhagen but popping over the bridge for the events & will most likely play it by ear.

Literally can't wait

 

[Say Sheena-na-na]

I’m debating getting a CAMPER VAN for the experience

 

[Say Sheena-na-na]

And you will likely find GF live tickets close to the day if not before. Last year in Liverpool you could literally buy them an hour before, so don’t give up hope.

I also know Copenhagen and Malmö fairly well. We have friends in Malmö but thinking I will stay in Copenhagen at least for a bit.

 

[Raining on Me]

I’m debating getting a CAMPER VAN for the experience

This is what we're doing! We're in our camper most of the time anyway, which is a whole other story, and have been wanting to do this for a few years now. It was the plan last year to drive to Liverpool for it, but work got in the way. This time we've got it off and have some strange circus looking campsite booked over the Eurovision weekend which is about 45 minutes walk from Malmö. I was a bit suspicious that prices seemed to be NORMAL rather than elevated like hotels presumably are (it's about £17 a night) but maybe not a lot of people do it this way? Plus it's hardly central.
I've got a booking confirmation but we don't pay until we arrive so I'm worried it'll end up ten times that! I'm hoping not since price seemed to be confirmed at booking. If it is, we might just park up on any old street and do it that way

 

[Raining on Me]

Also fun fact - it takes about the same amount of time to drive from Calais to Malmö as it does from the south coast of England to the north of Scotland. Which is ridiculous

 

[Alla]

Remember to talk about little Susan to be the cutie of the evening in the sauna. Have fun x

 

[Raining on Me]

Last year was my first Eurovision and it was honestly one of the best weeks of my life.

I'd say don't overthink it or plan things too rigidly, the whole city will be buzzing with activity so just enjoy the atmosphere. Also, don't watch the final in the Eurovillage because it gets punishingly crowded and, if you're anything like me, it becomes a bit overwhelming.

But I also came in to ask some of this stuff as well. We've never been before and we don't have tickets. We just thought we'd drive and enjoy the Eurovision feel in the host city. Although we're only there Friday to Monday, I'm now thinking we should be there for the semis too so might rectify that...

However I feel the same as you, I want to enjoy all of that stuff but am likely to find it all a BIT MUCH if it's super crowded. Which of course, it surely will be. And we want to watch the final in a bar somewhere, but preferably so we can see and hear it!

I guess the only answer to that is to explore ourselves during the day and figure it out, but all suggestions/advice/recommendations are most needed and gratefully received please

 

[Kaleen]

Sweden has a total bag ban for ALL public events at the moment. That includes the arena, euro clubs, Eurovision village etc so just bear that in mind, especially if you are staying in Copenhagen. You will also need your passport when getting the train over the border.

 

[Raining on Me]

Sweden has a total bag ban for ALL public events at the moment. That includes the arena, euro clubs, Eurovision village etc so just bear that in mind, especially if you are staying in Copenhagen. You will also need your passport when getting the train over the border.

Thanks, that's good to know about bags as I usually take mine everywhere, although I doubt I would have on the Saturday.

What about walking around during the day though, you still can't? I suspect we'll be exploring Malmö whilst there but if we wanted to pop into the Eurovision village in the day to have a look (assuming it's open, I don't know how it works) we wouldn't be able to with a backpack? As inevitably I'll have that if we're out wandering...

The passport thing should be fine as we're in Sweden, just outside the city. Assuming where we're staying has properly booked us in as it's all a bit vague!

 

[Kaleen]

Thanks, that's good to know about bags as I usually take mine everywhere, although I doubt I would have on the Saturday.

What about walking around during the day though, you still can't? I suspect we'll be exploring Malmö whilst there but if we wanted to pop into the Eurovision village in the day to have a look (assuming it's open, I don't know how it works) we wouldn't be able to with a backpack? As inevitably I'll have that if we're out wandering...

The passport thing should be fine as we're in Sweden, just outside the city. Assuming where we're staying has properly booked us in as it's all a bit vague!

They haven’t announced Eurovision Village’s rules but it is ‘all public events’ - so I’m guessing anywhere where you need to actually go into will follow the bag ban rules.

I’m going to an outdoor schlager festival in Stockholm a few weeks after the Eurovision final and the rules apply there.

I think with the likelihood Israel are now competing will mean that security rules will be even tighter.

 

[Raining on Me]

They haven’t announced Eurovision Village’s rules but it is ‘all public events’ - so I’m guessing anywhere where you need to actually go into will follow the bag ban rules.

I’m going to an outdoor schlager festival in Stockholm a few weeks after the Eurovision final and the rules apply there.

I think with the likelihood Israel are now competing will mean that security rules will be even tighter.

As we're staying a 45 minute walk outside the city (but on a bus route that takes 10 minutes), I suspect we'll have to separate the day into city exploring and then Eurovision stuff then, but we can use the first day to see Malmö and find out where the Eurovision related things are before we head out (bagless) again in the evening.

I've just tried to extend our stay so we arrive on Wednesday so hopefully we can suss out places we might enjoy to watch the 2nd semi on Thursday and if that goes tits up, we can try elsewhere on the Saturday. I'm sure we'll have fun regardless, even if it will be £99 a drink

God I cannot wait now, even though we're not actually seeing a live show. But now I kind of wish we had tickets to one...

 

[Soldi Elektronike]

We need to organise a Malmö moopmeet at some point!

 

[Raining on Me]

Also all Malmö touristy advice for things to see and do please would be handy!

 

[ButterTart]

But I also came in to ask some of this stuff as well. We've never been before and we don't have tickets. We just thought we'd drive and enjoy the Eurovision feel in the host city. Although we're only there Friday to Monday, I'm now thinking we should be there for the semis too so might rectify that...

However I feel the same as you, I want to enjoy all of that stuff but am likely to find it all a BIT MUCH if it's super crowded. Which of course, it surely will be. And we want to watch the final in a bar somewhere, but preferably so we can see and hear it!

I guess the only answer to that is to explore ourselves during the day and figure it out, but all suggestions/advice/recommendations are most needed and gratefully received please

Definitely go to the village in the day - the atmosphere is fantastic - but the more and more it filled up before the show the less comfortable I was, to the point where the final itself was my least favourite part of the whole week.

 

[Kaleen]

We need to organise a Malmö moopmeet at some point!

Yes we do!!! Depending on what tickets people have we could maybe do either Wednesday or Friday? Most people will be there by then.

 

[Una Kratz Per San Marino]

I am tempted to just TURN UP (and possibly turn tricks for tickets, let’s see). I haven’t been since Tel Aviv

 

[Raining on Me]

Definitely go to the village in the day - the atmosphere is fantastic - but the more and more it filled up before the show the less comfortable I was, to the point where the final itself was my least favourite part of the whole week.

This sounds like me all over

We will definitely do the village in the day (minus bags - not even a padded one) but I'm not sure where we'll plant ourselves at night. Happy to sit in a bar with atmosphere and all that, but I don't want to be squashed in like sardines and at least be able to see and hear it clearly. I feel like this might be too much to ask...maybe a bar somewhere outside the village would be better

 

[Soldi Elektronike]

This sounds like me all over

We will definitely do the village in the day (minus bags - not even a padded one) but I'm not sure where we'll plant ourselves at night. Happy to sit in a bar with atmosphere and all that, but I don't want to be squashed in like sardines and at least be able to see and hear it clearly. I feel like this might be too much to ask...maybe a bar somewhere outside the village would be better

We’ve watched it in a bar in the last couple of years before going out after. It’s nice knowing you’ve not got a trek and then a twenty minute wait for the bar/toilet.

 

[Raining on Me]

We’ve watched it in a bar in the last couple of years before going out after. It’s nice knowing you’ve not got a trek and then a twenty minute wait for the bar/toilet.

But watched it in a bar outside the village or in? I think if we're still standing we definitely intend to go out afterwards, mood and crowd tolerance depending.

We just want to enjoy the contest with a mix of atmosphere and easy bar access without it being too full on, and then we'll see what happens after

I JUST WANT IT ALL TAILORED TO SUIT ME that's all

 

[Finnland]

God the thought of going OUT after Eurovision. That's, like, after 10pm??? Not for me dear

 

[Soldi Elektronike]

But watched it in a bar outside the village or in? I think if we're still standing we definitely intend to go out afterwards, mood and crowd tolerance depending.

We just want to enjoy the contest with a mix of atmosphere and easy bar access without it being too full on, and then we'll see what happens after

I JUST WANT IT ALL TAILORED TO SUIT ME that's all

It’s just been a bar we’ve found during the week in the city, the bars in the village have just been stands selling a small selection of overpriced drinks. I remember in Turin we had to prebook a table but it meant we knew we definitely had somewhere (as people were queueing outside the bar to get in when we arrived!). Then in Liverpool we had tickets for a viewing at the shitter Euroclub but had nipped for a drink in a bar next door and just decided to watch it there instead. I found having a plan and having somewhere to SIT DOWN helps (considering you’ll be partying into the night). I wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself if we just chanced it as I’d spend all day STRESSED.

 

[Raining on Me]

It’s just been a bar we’ve found during the week in the city, the bars in the village have just been stands selling a small selection of overpriced drinks. I remember in Turin we have to prebook a table but it meant we knew we definitely had somewhere (as people were queueing outside the bar to get in when we arrived!). Then in Liverpool we had tickets for a viewing at the shitter Euroclub but had nipped for a drink in a bar next door and just decided to watch it there instead. I found having a plan and having somewhere to SIT DOWN helps (considering you’ll be partying into the night). I wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself if we just chanced it as I’d spend all day STRESSED.

Okay this makes more sense, I think we'll find a bar in Malmö (bar suggestions too people please for those who know it) and go from there. If we need to book a table, as we'll definitely want to sit down, we can hopefully do that on the Thursday or Friday

As @Finn says though, it's all dreadfully late isn't it, so whether we manage or care enough to go out AFTER that remains to be seen. The intention is there, but...yeah Best not to overthink it...

All that said, we are staying on a campsite and if they have something going on and it seems fun there we might end up doing that. We were planning on driving around Sweden and then Germany anyway, so this wasn't the be all and end all of things

 

[ZjermGiraffe]

(considering you’ll be partying into the night)

@Soldi had to be escorted back to the WIRRAL HOVEL after a single hour of partying as he almost fell asleep standing up in the club

 

[Soldi Elektronike]

@Soldi had to be escorted back to the WIRRAL HOVEL after a single hour of partying as he almost fell asleep standing up in the club

We’d been drinking since LUNCH

 

[whatisityoucantface]

God I cannot wait now, even though we're not actually seeing a live show. But now I kind of wish we had tickets to one...

This is so wonderful!!
I'll be there. You can't miss me, I'll be the tall botoxed twink singing a third above all the uptempo numbers xoxo

 

[whatisityoucantface]

Thanks everyone for all these absolute pearls of wisdom.

There are still return tix available for a few shows throughout the week, cheapest i Saw just now we're 2200 SEK

 

[C’est la VoR]

This is so wonderful!!
I'll be there. You can't miss me, I'll be the tall botoxed twink singing a third above all the uptempo numbers xoxo

Yeah you'll really stand out at Eurovision with that aesthetic.

 

[Say Sheena-na-na]

This is what we're doing! We're in our camper most of the time anyway, which is a whole other story, and have been wanting to do this for a few years now. It was the plan last year to drive to Liverpool for it, but work got in the way. This time we've got it off and have some strange circus looking campsite booked over the Eurovision weekend which is about 45 minutes walk from Malmö. I was a bit suspicious that prices seemed to be NORMAL rather than elevated like hotels presumably are (it's about £17 a night) but maybe not a lot of people do it this way? Plus it's hardly central.
I've got a booking confirmation but we don't pay until we arrive so I'm worried it'll end up ten times that! I'm hoping not since price seemed to be confirmed at booking. If it is, we might just park up on any old street and do it that way

What's the place you're staying, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[whatisityoucantface]

Yeah you'll really stand out at Eurovision with that aesthetic.

Look out for me on TV

 

[Raining on Me]

What's the place you're staying, if you don't mind me asking?

The Grand Circus Hotel where you can stay in wagons and...circus looking stuff

But they have campervan pitches with electric hook up and there's showers and toilets etc on site, so looks like it'll do the job for us.

However I'm still dubious, as although I have an email confirming the booking, we haven't paid for anything and I've got fears of turning up to find it double booked and/or 10 times the advertised price. I've also emailed them to ask if we could extend it by arriving Wednesday night (we originally booked Friday to Monday) but I've heard nothing yet. I could book it on the website but I'm worried that will override my original booking somehow...

But the joy of a campervan is if it all goes tits up, we'll just slum it on any old road side or car park if we can (whilst grabbing a moopy member and demanding politely requesting use of their hotel shower)

 

[Raining on Me]

Malmö has a clean air zone too, so that's another reason we avoided the centre as our van is diesel and quite old, but if it's like Bath where you pay £9 a day or whatever to drive in regardless, we could do that if need be. Because obviously it's fine to spread your noxious gases if you pay for it