The BBC is planning for Liverpool and other big cities to be taken over by Eurovision fan zones.
The Insignia Handover on Tuesday, January 31, saw those with a key part to play in the upcoming show arrive in Liverpool to officially ring in the contest. Before the semi-final allocation draw and handing over of the keys took place, a group of industry heads took part in a private lunch briefing ahead of the show.
In attendance was Culture Liverpool's Clare McColgan, UA: PBC's Head of Managing, Mykola Chernotytskyi, and BBC Eurovision's managing director Martin Green. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, McColgan and Green revealed Liverpool, along with several other cities around the UK, will be turned into massive fan zones.
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The Eurovision fan zones see hundreds of people gather from all around Europe to soak up the atmosphere and party the night away. The free-to-access area broadcasts the live show's from the contest to an outside audience.
Fans can expect the Eurovision zones to be on the same scale as those for the World Cup. Green said: "The main fan zone is the Eurovillage and that's down on the river which will operate for a whole nine days – big screens during the day, very family orientated and a bit of a party vibe during the evening.
"We want to work very much with the small businesses across Liverpool because again, this is about driving people into those bars, driving people into those restaurants who can show it as well as celebrate it as we see in any regular Eurovision.
"What we're currently doing is talking to a number of towns and cities across the UK about whether they want to join in and show it. The proximity of the other major event this year, the King's Coronation, is helpful here because some cities may want to do things that cover the two at once.
He added: "The important thing is that the offer is there for us to be able to do it. So whether you want to watch it at home, in a group, or whether you want to go into a bar or restaurant, all of these options are available to experience it your way."
Green added that cities have to explicitly state their interest and the BBC and Eurovision team will work with them on their requirements, stating it is not an onerous situation.
McColgan told the ECHO that the majority of the city has taken the initiative to put on their own shows which have helped shape the landscape over the contest period.
She said: "We've had news of what Concert Square is planning and they're doing it off their own back, and that is exactly what we want. So if you come here with your family for a weekend or you come in to party on a Tuesday night in May, you'll feel Eurovision wherever you go."
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