Eurovision Song Contest 2024 - How to Prepare?
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Eurovision Song Contest 2024
Loreen from Sweden won Eurovision Song Contest 2023. Congratulations!
Now, it is time to look ahead to Eurovision Song Contest 2024. Eurovision Song Contest is so a popular event that you must prepare early if you wish to watch the performances live. We have often attended the Eurovision Song Contest live and so we want to share our helpful tips on how to make it possible.
Eurovision Song Contest, or shortly ESC, is not only a place for its loyal fans but this event is equally suitable for anyone who loves music. We can't deny that ESC is especially popular among LGBTQIA+ people but as a non-political event, there are no borders. No matter where you are from or with whom you come, Eurovision Song Contest is a great place to enjoy good music and watch amazing shows. So in the year 2024, don't just follow the event on television but be present at the venue yourself. This however requires early preparation as we have only mentioned that this event is hugely popular and that everyone who wants to see the song contest live should follow our tips.
Why to Prepare So Early?
There are two main reasons to prepare early: You will save money and you increase the chances to get tickets as there are limited tickets sold and also to be able to book the accommodation according to your wishes.
ESC 2024: When and Where
Let us look at some details of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.
Dates
If no changes will be made to the structure of the event, ESC will be one week full of shows. The semifinals will take place on Tuesday and Thursday and the Grand final will be held on Saturday. The rehearsal shows are the night before the live show. In addition, there will be family shows in the afternoons. So together, there will be nine (9) shows and three (3) of them will be broadcasted live.
The dates of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will be decided in late 2023. It is already now quite easy to make educated guesses about the possible dates. Most likely, ESC will be held in one of the following weeks in 2024.
- 6th to 12th, May 2024
- 12th to 19th, May 2024
- 19th to 26h, May 2024
It is necessary to guess the dates already now to make initial hotel bookings with lower prices.
Venue
Sweden will host Eurovision Song Contest 2024. Sometimes, there are exceptions. For example in 2023, Ukraine couldn't host the event in its territory because of the Russian invasion and the event was in Liverpool, the UK. In the majority of cases, the winning country hosts the next event. We have no doubts about Sweden's ability to host the contest.
Quite often, the venue will be in the capital of the country. However, ESC can also be held in another city of the host country if a few requirements are fulfilled: There must be a big international airport near and the city must have a venue with a capacity of 5,000 people or more.
To proceed with the bookings early, you need to guess the host city.
In Sweden, we expect the contest to be held in Stockholm but Malmö is another option. Stockholm has the best flight connections and a large hotel capacity. Because the year 2024 is Abba's 50th anniversary, Stockholm would be a logical place. There are a few arenas In Stockholm but of course, practical arrangements are necessary to adjust the schedules with other events.
Booking Steps
We advise on which order you should make the bookings.
Accommodation
You already have the best guesses for the dates of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.
You need to make hotel/hostel/Airbnb bookings for all possible date and venue combinations. Usually, we have made about 5 bookings ourselves to get the best results. The bookings must be refundable because some of them need to be cancelled later. It is even better if they are payable later at the hotel so you don't need to use your credit card even temporarily. Do not wait with the bookings because the demand increases fast and by being a few hours late, you pay 2 to 3 times more.
Tickets to Eurovision Song Contest 2024
Next step is to buy event tickets. The sale will start around November 2024 so there is no hurry with the ticket booking. To get information about the exact sale dates, we advise following the official ESC communication channel.
We expect the sale to be done in several batches. There will be a queuing system and the luckiest get the best tickets. Tickets to rehearsal and family shows are easier to get. Even though these shows do not have the same atmosphere as live shows, the stage features the same shows and music. And the best thing is that they are cheaper.
ESC has many ticket classes. Tickets close to the stage are standing tickets which are forbidden from young children for safety reasons. The greatest fans love to be close to the stage. Other tickets have seats and they are suitable for the whole family. Usually, there are separate tickets also for people who are using a wheelchair. Ticket prices vary from 20 euros up to 500 euros depending on the show and ticket class.
The host country's general price level is reflected also in the ticket prices.
Tips on How to Secure Eurovision Tickets
Be prepared ahead of others.
Before the Eurovision tickets go on sale, ensure that you are updated on the exact date and time when the tickets will be available. Decide ahead of time which types of tickets you want to purchase. This decision is dependent on where you want to be seated. This is an important part of the preparation process as you do not want to waste any of the checkout time as every second is valuable at this point. Our hint is to set reminders 15 to 30 minutes before tickets go on sale. This allows you to get all of the relevant websites open and ready for when the Eurovision ticket sale begins.
Register for all Eurovision ticket sales.
Usually, there is a ticket presale for all the shows and events of the Eurovision Song Contest. If you think you are eligible for ticket retailers or artists’ fan pre-sales, don’t forget to sign-up for it or simply by subscribing to their mailing lists not to miss the latest updates.
Be patient and keep the faith a while longer.
When Eurovision tickets go on sale, the high volume of site traffic may cause some issues. For example, all tickets may be sold out but this is not always the case. With thousands of users accessing the ticket sale website simultaneously, this may sometimes cause an error and it may seem like Eurovision tickets are unavailable. Even if you encounter such a scenario, be diligent in checking and looking for tickets continuously over the next few hours. More tickets may still be available and this could be your only chance to finally secure them.
Fan Club Tickets
OGAE International is a non-profit organization that represents fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was founded already in 1984 in Finland. There are currently 44 national OGAE clubs.
Even though, OGAE is not officially connected to European Broadcast Union, EBU is allocating ticket packages to national clubs and only the club members can buy these packages. Usually, a ticket package contains tickets to live and rehearsal shows which make it quite expensive, maybe around 1,200 euros. Tickets are also personal so ticket resale is forbidden.
To be able to buy a ticket package, you need to become a member of a national Eurovision Fan club. It is important to join a club earlier than the start of the ticket sales. In the luckiest case, your national Eurovision Fan club has tickets for every ESC fanatic, but it is more probable that only the early birds will get tickets or there is a ballot system to choose buyers randomly.
Ticket Resale
We do not recommend buying Eurovision Song Contest tickets from the black market. You can't be sure that they are valid.
The official ticket partner has usually a resale marketplace where you can trade the tickets safely. Remember, that fan tickets are not allowed to be traded.
Flights
The last step is to book flights to the host country. Flying to the nearest airport is not always the cheapest option but you may need to fly a little further and take public transport to the venue in the host city. Compare prices on Skyscanner and you will save a lot. It may be a good idea to fly out a few days earlier and fly back home a few days after the event. When ESC is in a big city, flight connections are usually not challenging. You will get one for a reasonable price even if you are a little late with the booking.
Do not book flights before you are sure about the dates and destination. Flights are seldom cancellable.
How Much Does It Cost?
Attending Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is not cheap but with wise choices, you can maximize your budget. Flights inside Europe cost from 150 to 250 euros depending on the route. If you book accommodation early, a 1-week stay will be 200 to 500 euros. Tickets to the shows cost from 20 to 500 euros. Family shows are the cheapest ones and the Grand Final is the most expensive. Depending on your seat preference, the closer the seat to the stage you want to be, the more you need to pay. If you are a true fan and buy the fan package, it may cost up to 1,200 euros.
The required budget will be from 370 euros to 2,000 euros. In addition, you need to prepare money for food, shopping, and side events.
Challenges
We list the most probable challenges you may face during the booking process.
All Tickets Sold Out
Tickets to live shows are sold out fast. To be honest, they are difficult to get as they are limited, and many thousands of Eurovision fans like you are just hoping to get one. Luckily, there are many tickets for rehearsal and family shows. By being updated and acting early, you will have a higher chance to get tickets at least to one of these.
In the worst case, all tickets are sold out. Even though you can't watch the shows in the venue, the host city will be full of free and paid SEC events. You will still get into the Eurovision Song Contest mood.
Flights Out of the Budget
If the contest will be held far from your home, the flights can become more expensive than you had initially planned. We recommend reading our article on how to find cheap flight tickets. Prefer low-cost airlines, like Ryanair, and fly to distant airports if you can. Remember that there are cheap bus connections in Europe, and taking a train is a comfortable and ecological way of travelling.
Too Late with the Hotel Booking
Being late with booking accommodation is perhaps the biggest mistake. The cities run out of hotel rooms fast. Only a few hotels and Airbnb will be left and they become super expensive. That is why it is important to book a hotel as soon as possible. If you still fail to get a hotel in the host city, you may opt to stay in another city near and reach the venue by public transport.
What Is the Event Like?
When the long waited day arrives and you are heading to the venue, it is good to understand a few things. There are security checks so you need to queue sometime to get in. It is better not to have any unnecessary items because they will only slow down guests getting in. In addition, you need your ticket and a valid ID. Print your ticket beforehand because the mobile network may get crowded and accessing your email becomes impossible if you have not taken a screenshot or saved the ticket on your phone.
Depending on the country, there may be alcohol sold in the venue but the laws differ. Respect the local alcohol laws and drink only in allowed areas. Even though it is nice to have a drink or two, the venue is not a place for extensive drinking. You may enjoy the extra drinks at the after-parties.
Because there may be more than 12,000 people in the venue, public transportation becomes crowded. So reserve enough time to arrive at the venue and plan also your way back to the hotel or your next destination. It may be wise to stay close to the venue but naturally, that is more expensive. Getting a taxi may be impossible but using metros and local trains is recommended.
Common Questions
- Where will Eurovision Song Contest be hosted in 2024?
- It is almost sure that the contest will be held in Sweden. We guess Stockholm but there are a few other candidates too.
- When will the ticket sale to ESC 2024 begin?
- We expect it to start around November 2023. Follow the official ESC communication channels to get the latest information.
- How to get tickets to the ESC?
- Follow the official ESC information channel to know when the sale starts. Tickets will be sold out fast so do not be late. You must join the sale queue immediately when it opens.
- How much does a ticket to ESC cost?
- The price varies from 15 to 500 euros depending on the show and ticket type. The exact prices will be announced later.
- How many shows will there be together?
- Usually, there are 9 shows. Three live, three rehearsal shows, and 3 family shows.
- What are the rehearsal shows?
- They are non-live shows the night before the live shows.
- What are the family shows?
- They are non-live shows in the afternoons before the live shows.
- Where to book hotels?
- We recommend booking hotels on Booking.com which has good booking terms.
- Is it expensive to attend Eurovision Song Contest?
- With the right choices, you will stay within a reasonable budget.
Bottom Line
Eurovision Song Contest is an event that unites nations thru music. It was founded after wars to make Europe stronger which eventually became a super popular event with non-European nations also participating in this event.
If you love watching the Eurovision Song Contest on television you will love it more when you will be at the venue yourself. That is why we recommend attending the event at least once. Avid fans of Eurovision will visit the ESC host city every year. As a popular event, getting tickets at a reasonable price is a challenge. Thankfully, with the tips we enumerated in this article, you will save some money and increase your chances to make arrangements successfully in your pursuit of seeing the Eurovision Song Contest live.
Have you been to Eurovision Song Contest before? What is your most memorable moment as an ESC fan? Comment below!
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