Eurovision 2023: What is Eurovision Village in Liverpool, where is it and when does it open?

Eurovision 2023 is fast approaching, with under a month to go until the international singing competition is hosted in Liverpool on behalf of last year’s winners Ukraine. But there’s much more to the huge event than just the glittering Grand Final, which will take place at the M&S Bank Arena on May 13.

The city’s Eurovision Village will be on hand to host stars from the world of pop, gospel and opera over nine days. The fan zone will open its doors for up to 25,000 people across various events, setting the tone for the main event.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Eurovision Village.

Where is the Eurovision Village and when does it open?

The Eurovision Village will open on May 5 at Liverpool’s Pier Head, with events running every day until the Grand Final on May 13. The Eurovision Village will offer a mix of one-off shows, live performances, DJ sets and special guest appearances.

The first eight days of the Eurovision Village will be free and non-ticketed, with the Grand Final Party at Pier Head on May 13 priced at £15 a ticket. The first wave of tickets for the Grand Final Party went on sale on April 14 from the Ticket Quarter website.

Who is performing at the Eurovision Village?

The full Eurovision Village Line Up is as follows:

May 5: 5pm – 11pm: Welcome to Eurotopia

The Eurovision Village will open with a performance from last year’s Eurovision winners, Kalush Orchestra.

May 6 – 10.30am - 11pm: A Royally Good Party

To mark the King’s Coronation, the Eurovision Village will offer live viewing of the event alongside a range of live performances from Eurovision acts.

May 7: 12pm till TBC: Firstival

The day will start with a children’s festival with live performances and appearances from the BBC kid’s channels (CBBC and CBeebies) shows. Later local emerging artists presented by the LIMF academy will perform, including Ni Maxine and vocal harmony band Mic Lowry and the House Gospel Choir.

May 8: 12pm – 11pm: This is Ukraine

Live performances with new music from the BBC Introducing and a line-up of Ukrainian music from acts, including Antytila, Go_A, Alyona and Jerry Heil.

May 9: 12pm to 11pm – Night at the Opera and Semi-final 1

The day will start with the English National Opera does Eurovision, conducted by Stephen Bell and joined by former Eurovision contestants. This will be followed by a live screening of Semi-Final 1.

May 10: 12pm to 1pm: United by Music

The National Lottery presents United by Music. Live performances from break-out stars and music icons, including Michael Aldag, The Lightning Seeds, Miles Kane and Girls Don’t Sync.

May 11: 12pm to 11pm: Jamala presents QIRIM and Semi-final 2

2016 Eurovision winner Jamala will premiere her new album QIRIM, inspired by the folk songs of Jamala’s native Crimea. The BBC Philharmonic will join the singer orchestra. A live showing of semi-final 2 will also take place.

May 12: 12pm to 12am – EuroEve

The stage will be used for Tik Tok’s Eurovision Legends, while later in the day, an all-female lineup will feature live performances from acts such as Sophie Ellis and other pop stars. Charlotte Church’s Late Night Pop Dungeon will perform its very last show at this event.

May 13: 2pm -2am: Eurovision 2023 Final

The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will be shown live. The preshow will include acts such as Katrina (Katrina and the Waves) and The Vengaboys.

What else is planned at the Eurovision Village?

A unique area - Discover Ukraine - will be dedicated to celebrating Ukrainian creatives, with a whole range of European food and drink on offer across the site. Claire McColgan, director of Culture Liverpool, said: "Across nine days, there will be a true celebration of music and unity, with household names, international acts and up-and-coming talent taking to the stage and performing - all against the stunning backdrop of our waterfront.

"Ukraine is of course the thread which runs through everything, and as well as acts on the stage it is really important for us to dedicate areas that are focused on all aspects of Ukrainian culture."