Eurovision is one of the most popular singing contests in Europe and has a huge fan following worldwide. Hosting a Eurovision party is a great way to get together with friends and family to enjoy the music, costumes, and excitement of this annual event. With some planning and creativity, you can create a memorable Eurovision party that captures the spirit and spectacle of the contest.
When to Host Your Eurovision Party
The Eurovision Song Contest is held annually in May. The 2023 contest will take place from May 9-13 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. The grand final will be held on Saturday May 13. This is the best weekend to host your Eurovision party.
You’ll want to host your party on the day of the grand final so you can all watch the live show together. Have the party start 1-2 hours before the start of the live broadcast so you have time for guests to arrive, eat, and settle in.
Where to Host Your Eurovision Party
When choosing a location, think about space. You’ll want room for guests to mingle, dance, play games, and watch Eurovision comfortably. Some good options include:
- Your home – This is the most convenient and cost-effective option. Clear furniture out of your living room to create open space.
- A friend’s house – Get together with Eurovision-loving friends and host the party at one of your homes.
- A bar or restaurant – Many bars host viewing parties for major TV events like Eurovision. You could also book a private party room at a restaurant.
- An event venue – Consider booking space at an event venue if you’re hosting a very large Eurovision party.
Guest List
The guest list is one of the first things to figure out when planning your Eurovision party. Consider the following when creating your guest list:
- Invite fellow Eurovision fans – These will be the guests most likely to appreciate the party activities and get into the Eurovision spirit!
- Set a guest count – Consider the size of your venue when deciding how many people to invite. Between 10-20 guests is ideal for most home Eurovision parties.
- Send invitations – Create fun Eurovision-themed invitations to get guests excited. Send them 4-6 weeks in advance of the party.
- Have guests RSVP – Know exactly who is coming by asking guests to RSVP yes or no to the invitation.
Food and Drinks
One of the best parts of a Eurovision party is the food! Plan a menu filled with delicious bites and beverages from around Europe. Here are some ideas:
- CHARCUTERIE BOARDS – Fill grazing boards with European meats, cheeses, breads, fruit, nuts, jams, and pickles.
- TAPAS – Include Spanish tapas like tortilla española, gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas.
- GREEK – Make spanakopita, dolmades, Greek salad, pita and hummus.
- FRENCH – Offer a cheese plate, coq au vin, ratatouille tarts, macarons.
- GERMAN – Serve soft pretzels, potato salad, mini bratwurst, German chocolate cake.
- ITALIAN – Prepare bruschetta, Caprese salad, tiramisu.
- SWEETS – Baklava, French macarons, Italian cannoli, Russian tea cakes.
- DRINKS – Offer cocktails, sparkling wine, beers from different European countries.
Make signs or flags to label dishes by country to tie into the Eurovision theme. Provide a mix of appetizers, entrées, sides, and desserts so there’s something for every taste.
Decorations
Decorate your party space with fun Eurovision-inspired touches:
- NATIONAL FLAGS – Hang flags from past winning countries around the space.
- MAP OF EUROPE – Post a large map and allow guests to put pins where their families are from.
- TRAVEL POSTERS – Hang vintage European travel posters showcasing different cities.
- EUROVISION PROPS – Make signs with “douze points” (12 points). Create oversized scoreboards.
- STAGE & MICROPHONE – Set up a fake “Eurovision stage” so guests can perform.
- TV SCHEDULE – Print out a schedule of the TV broadcast so guests know when each country performs.
- MOOD LIGHTING – Use string lights, lanterns and lamps to create a festive atmosphere.
Rent or buy a photo booth backdrop featuring the Eurovision logo or icons of Europe. Provide guests with fun props like wigs, hats, and boas for photo booth pictures.
Entertainment & Activities
Plan fun ways for your guests to take part in Eurovision festivities:
- KARAOKE – Let guests belt out Eurovision classics.
- EUROVISION TRIVIA – Test everyone’s knowledge of past Eurovision contests.
- SCOREBOARD COMPETITION – Award points to countries and crown your own Eurovision winner.
- MUSICAL CHAIRS – Play rounds of musical chairs using Eurovision songs.
- PHOTO BOOTH – Provide costume pieces and props for silly photos.
- DANCE-OFF – Hold a EUROdance contest during interval acts.
- EUROVISION BINGO – Make bingo cards with tasks like “spot wind machine” “drink for pyro”
When it’s time for the live broadcast, dim the lights and have everyone focus their attention on watching the show and cheering on their favorite acts.
Music Playlist
No Eurovision party is complete without the perfect playlist. Build a playlist featuring:
- Upbeat EUROPOP dance songs and disco hits.
- Recent Eurovision winners and fan favorites.
- Classic Eurovision tracks from past decades.
- Current 2023 Eurovision entries.
- European pop music from different eras and countries.
Make sure to include artists like ABBA, Celine Dion, and Loreen who launched to fame through Eurovision. Have the playlist going in the background all party long!
What to Watch
The centerpiece of your Eurovision party will be watching the live broadcast together. Here’s what to tune into:
- Live Grand Final – This is the big event! It broadcasts live on the Saturday night.
- Semi-Finals – Fans may want to watch the live semi-final broadcasts earlier in Eurovision week.
- Previews – Watch preview clips and interviews released by Eurovision in the lead-up to the contest.
- Parties – View the online Eurovision parties on Youtube and Facebook before and during the live shows.
In addition to the live shows, you can watch recordings of previous Eurovision contests and special documentaries about Eurovision history to get in the spirit.
Dress Code
Eurovision’s wild costumes and over-the-top fashions are all part of the fun. Encourage guests to channel this spirit with fun dress code options:
- EUROVISION COSTUME – Challenge guests to recreate iconic Eurovision looks.
- NATIONAL PRIDE – Have people dress in clothing representing their heritage.
- EURO KITSCH – Anything loud, sparkly, or campy.
- EUROVISION COLORS – Guests wear the colors of their favorite entry.
Consider turning the dress code into a friendly “best dressed” competition with a prize for the winning look. Provide costume pieces like feather boas, wigs, hats, and flashy accessories for guests to take their outfit to the next level.
Party Games
Incorporate these lively games and contests into your Eurovision party:
Guess the Year
Play short song clips and have guests write down which year they think the song is from. Whoever guesses the most correctly wins.
Song Lyric Quiz
Read out snippets of lyrics and have guests name the song title and artist. Give points for speed and accuracy.
Eurovision Trivia
Test your guest’s Eurovision knowledge! Sample trivia questions:
- Which country has won Eurovision the most times? (Ireland, 7 wins)
- Who was the first winner of Eurovision in 1956? (Switzerland)
- Name the 4 Eurovision countries also known as the “Big Five” (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain)
Eurovision Bingo
Create bingo cards with Eurovision moments that guests can mark off as they happen on the live show like “wind machine”, “song over 3 minutes”, “violin on stage”, etc.
Scoreboard Competition
Recreate the Eurovision voting segment by assigning countries to guests. Have everyone award their top 10 countries points then tally up scores on a leaderboard to crown your own winner.
Photo Booth
A photo booth is a must for capturing all the fun. Here are photo booth ideas for your Eurovision party:
- PROPS – Provide feather boas, oversized sunglasses, colorful wigs, hats, and signs.
- BACKDROPS – Use a Eurovision logo wallpaper or European city skylines.
- CAPTIONS – Print out speech bubbles like “Douze points!” or “And now…Europe vote!”
- PRINTS – Offer instant prints of photos as party favors.
You can rent a photo booth or make your own DIY version. Encourage guests to pile in for silly group snapshots all night long.
Eurovision Drinking Games
For adult parties, add some Eurovision drinking games to the mix! Here are popular games guests can play:
Interval Act Chug
When the interval act comes on, everyone takes a drink until the next song begins.
Drinking Roulette
Guests sit in a circle and spin a wheel marked with different Eurovision prompts like “wind machine” and “key change”. Drink when it lands on your trigger.
Lyrics Drink
Every time you hear a repeated lyric, like “higher” or “love”, take a sip of your drink.
Ballad Sip
Whenever a slow, dramatic ballad starts, take a drink for the duration.
Remember to drink responsibly and provide non-alcoholic options for any non-drinking guests.
Public Viewing Party
If you want to open up the party, consider hosting a public Eurovision viewing event at a bar, restaurant, or other venue. Here are tips:
- Contact venues in advance to reserve space for the broadcast date.
- Promote the event on social media, print flyers, contact local Eurovision fan clubs.
- Charge a cover fee to offset rental and food/drink costs.
- Partner with a local bar or restaurant for food and drinks.
- Decorate the space with Eurovision banners, props, and decor.
- Raffle off Eurovision souvenirs or offer drink specials.
Encourage guests to dress up and get into the fun Eurovision spirit. Arrive early to meet fellow fans before the show starts!
Planning the Party Schedule
Here is a sample schedule to plan out your Eurovision party timeline:
| 7:00 pm | Guests Arrive |
| 7:00 – 8:00 | Serve Appetizers & Drinks |
| 8:00 – 8:20 | Eurovision Trivia |
| 8:20 – 9:00 | Watch Semi-Final Performances |
| 9:00 – 10:40 | Watch Live Grand Final Show |
| 10:40 – 11:00 | Dance Party |
| 11:00 – 12:00am | Finale & Awards Ceremony |
Build in buffer time between activities to allow for transitions. Schedule more lively activities like games and dancing after the live show finishes so guests can focus on watching the performances.
Plan for a Technical Check
On the day of the party, test out your tech set-up in advance:
- Check TV is connected to cable/dish to view live broadcast.
- Connect laptop to TV to project screensaver of live Youtube parties.
- Test sound system and queue up your Eurovision playlist.
- Ensure microphones and karaoke machine work.
- Check lighting effects and disco ball.
- Test any games on TVs – trivia slides, scoreboards.
- Confirm photo booth camera and prints work.
Sort out any audio, video, or connectivity issues early so you’re ready for showtime! Have backup batteries for mics and remotes.
Conclusion
Planning a Eurovision party takes creativity and attention to detail. Start preparations early, decorate the space, provide delicious European food and drinks, create fun games and entertainment, and of course, watch the show. Your guests will have an amazing immersive Eurovision experience they’ll never forget.
What will make your Eurovision party unique? Get inspired by Europe’s music diversity, rich cultures, and flair for theatrics. The Eurovision spirit is all about bringing people together, so most importantly – have fun and enjoy celebrating this legendary contest with friends from all over the world!