With the Eurovision Song Contest taking place fewer than 30km away this year this coming Saturday, and the Danish song almost guaranteed to win, has there ever been a better opportunity to sample the atmosphere of the song contest? The city is one of the smallest to ever host the singing competition, second only to the 1993 contest that was held in Millstreet in Ireland, so the plan is that the entire city will become part of the venue. Tickets to the final have changed hands for as much as 2,000 kroner, but there are still plenty of ways to take the short trip across the Øresund Bridge and enjoy the day – particularly for those on a tight budget.
For those who are put off by the ticket prices but still wish to spend a day enjoying a drink in the sunshine listening to some of the finest (depending on how you look at it) pop music, then there will be several large public screens around the city. If the weather is good, and so far the forecast is sunny but fine, then Folkets Park will be the best setting to enjoy the day.
“A lot of the partying will take place at Folkets Park. We hope that it will ooze with festivities there,” said the competition’s executive producer Martin Österdahl. Also known as the people’s park, Folkets Park has a whole schedule of entertainment lined up for Saturday, ranging from Eurovision workouts and a circus school for children to a Eurovision picnic quiz. Alongside live events and performances, there will a 45 sqm TV screen − and best of all, it’s free admission. The screening of the final starts at 21:00, so drag yourself away from the amusements and make sure you have grabbed your perfect viewing spot by then.
Other venues include the Moriska Paviljongen, which will host a Eurovision fan cafe with music completely dedicated to Eurovision music past and present, with free entry before 22:00. Euroclub − the official Eurovison club for media, fans and contestants − is located at Slagthuset, conveniently located 100 metres from Malmö Central Station, and it’s free entry before 23:00. The actual arena is a short train journey away in the city district of Hyllie, but the lucky ticket holders will probably know this already.
If the weather takes a turn for the worse, then the Euro Village will be screening the final in a large tent on Saturday evening. Located on Gustav Adolfs Torg, the village has a lively schedule of entertainment planned from now until the 18th − on the day check out the dance festival at 16:30.
In keeping with the idea that the entire city is playing host to the competition, there are many pop-up events planned at unexpected locations. Take a musical boat tour of Malmö, leaving at 12:30 and 16:30 opposite Malmö Central Station, or watch the Sardine Sauvage artists’ collective burst into song and dance, leaping around the intersection at Baltzargatan at 13:30, 15:00 and 16:30.
The easiest method of transport from Copenhagen to Malmö has to be by train. Running every 10 minutes from Central Station during the day, it takes just over 30 minutes to cross the Øresund Bridge and costs 172kr for a return ticket valid for 24 hours. Trains will be running hourly throughout the night from Malmö back to Copenhagen for those revellers who like to party into the early hours.
