Hello Helsinki!
As Finland prepares to host its first-ever Eurovision Song Contest, Eurovision fever heats up with a jam-packed calendar of events around Helsinki in the lead-up to the big event mid-May.
Following the surprise win of last year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Athens by Finnish masked monster rockers Lordi (who won with a record-making 292 points – more points than any winner had ever received in the contest’s history), the 52nd annual contest will be hosted by Finland this year.
Finland is pulling out all the stops to ensure that the event, produced by the country’s public broadcaster YLE and numerous sponsors, will be a success. About 1,000 official delegates, 2,000 media representatives and 10,000 fans are expected to fly to Helsinki for the contest, whose theme is “true fantasy.”
In addition to the show, which takes place at Helsinki’s Hartwall Areena on May 10th (semi-final) and May 12th (final), a variety of festive events – from the unveiling of the “Lordi fish” at the city’s Sea Life aquarium to a massive street party – will take place around the city. After all, a fun-loving attitude is part of the Eurovision spirit, and public participation a key factor in a pop song contest whose outcome is determined by the European public through tele-voting.
Club Eurovision
The official Euro Club headquarters will be at Vanha, the Old Student House, which dates back to 1870 and is located in the heart of Helsinki at the convergence of Mannerheimintie and Aleksanterinkatu streets. In addition to hosting delegates from a record-breaking 42 countries, including new participants Georgia and the Czech Republic, the Euro Club will act as a centre for media broadcasters, DJ’d music happenings, and events such as the StarAlike singing contest. Participants can perform their favourite Eurovision songs and other pieces in StarAlike, which is open to everyone and runs from May 3rd to May 11th.
The official Euro Club will be headquarted at Vanha, the Old Student House
Meeting space for fans
A few minutes’ walk from the Old Student House is media centre Lasipalatsi, which will be the official Fan Centre from April 30th to May 13th. Lasipalatsi, the “glass palace,” is a fine example of 1930s functionalist style and houses cafés, restaurants, boutiques and the Bio Rex cinema, where visitors can watch the Eurovision semi-final and final on the big screen.
The Fan Centre will have a meeting place and an Internet café, created exclusively for Eurovision visitors’ use: 15 Internet terminals, equipped with web cams, Skype, MSN and Yahoo! Messenger, will be available free of charge. For those with their own portable devices, a free wi-fi network is available. The centre will also host a Eurovision retrospective exhibition.
Euro market
In the Esplanade park between the city’s most picturesque and touristy boulevards – Pohjoisesplanadi (north side) and Eteläesplanadi (south side) – participating countries will re-create a mini-Europe with displays that showcase each nation’s culture, tourism, food and, of course, music, from May 8th to 12th.
On May 9th, Europe Day, which marks the anniversary of the day in 1950 when the European Union was conceived, special programs and shows are scheduled, including a jazz and world music concert.
Nearby, the neo-classical Senate Square (with its majestic white Lutheran cathedral), will also be the site of live big-screen broadcasts of both the semi-final and final contests.
Dancing in the streets
Organised by the City of Helsinki, a huge street party will take place on Friday, May 11th from 4 pm to 10 pm in the areas of Senate Square, Mikonkatu street, the small square in front of the Euro Club, and the areas surrounding Lasipalatsi and the Esplanade park, all of which are within walking distance of one another.
Given Finland’s strong arts and design heritage, Eurovision week will also include special design and arts commissions marking the occasion. Starting on May 3rd, choirs will sing different Eurovision tunes from the contest’s illustrious past at Ateneum Art Museum.
In collaboration with the Design Museum and the Helsinki University of Arts, Reddress, a giant dress-like tent designed by designer Aamu Song will be unveiled at Diana Park. More than 200 people can attend concerts and other performances on the huge red dress.
Written by Katja Pantzar
Eurovision Song Contest 2007(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)