I ended up in Vienna for the week the Eurovision Song Contest was going on, including the final. Austria, having won last year, are hosting this year’s final.
The city is infected with Eurovision fever. Cafes, bars, trams, and even police vans have some reference to Eurovision.
For Eurovision, there was a week of activities: the semi-finals and the final at the arena; and the opening ceremony outside City Hall. You could also watch the arena shows on big screens for free at City Hall. I joined the crowd for the opening ceremony and the final outside City Hall.
Security was tight for both events I went to. You weren’t allowed to take any bags in. I found this out for the opening ceremony. There was a place to check-in your bag, as long as you were happy to queue. For the final, I didn’t bring a bag to avoid having to queue with hundreds of others. I had a bottle of water with me. They confiscated the cap. I managed to get a veggie burger from one of the food trucks.
At the event itself, people were dancing. Some had dressed up.
The weather had turned a few days ago. For the final, it was cold (about 7°C) and it had rained intermittently. I wore all the layers I had with me! I wondered how long I’d stay. I ended up seeing all the songs in the final.
It was interesting seeing the crowd’s reaction to the songs. Many knew the lyrics and sang along to several songs. There were loud cheers for a few countries, including Bulgaria, the eventual winners.
Not knowing when public transport would end (and it was getting colder), I went back to my apartment to watch the voting.
Eurovision has been a tradition in my family since I was a kid. We used to tune in every year. Eurovision has always been bonkers. But it’s unique. It’s popularity has waxed and waned. Right now, it’s a global phenomenon. The Rest of the World even get an audience vote. Australia, initially a one-off entry, has become a regular presence. There are rumours that Canada might join next.
In the early days, countries used to sing in their own language and wear national costumes. The national costumes, in particular, were a source of entertainment in my family when I was growing up. There’s more uniformity now but you still get amazing fashion statements. This year had a man painted in silver, another who was a character out of a video game, a man dressed as a cat, and a masked singer! Even the winning entry, Bulgara, had people with blood-covered mouths and plastic masks.
Eurovision, once a year, displays humanity in all its splendid variety.