In less than a month, the Eurovision Song Contest is coming to Basel! We have the honor of hosting the official fan zone during ESC week at MesseQuartier. Visitors can expect two central hotspots: the Eurovision Village and the EuroClub & Café. A first for us — the Village will be indoors for the first time!
We spoke with Lorenz Schibler, Head of City Venues for ESC, and Simone Weiss, Project Manager for the halls, who gave us insights into the challenges and highlights of preparing these locations for such a grand event.
Our Hall 1 will be transformed into the Eurovision Village, and the Event Hall into the EuroClub & Café. What are the particular challenges in preparing these venues for such a large-scale event?
Preparing these locations for an event as massive as the Eurovision Song Contest involves several complex challenges. Both the Eurovision Village in Hall 1 and the EuroClub & Café in the Event Halle need to offer a welcoming atmosphere, meet high safety standards, and support a smooth visitor flow. On top of that, both venues must be technically equipped to provide guests with a seamless experience. The biggest challenge, however, is the timeline — pulling off such a mega-event in just over half a year with an entirely new team is incredibly demanding.
Another major hurdle is the coordination of other events taking place in the halls shortly before the ESC. This calls for meticulous planning to make sure that setup and teardown processes run smoothly and don’t interfere with one another. It takes close collaboration and clear communication among all responsible teams and individuals.
The ESC is the biggest musical event worldwide. What experiences from previous major events are helping you, and are there specific lessons learned that you are already applying?
Simone: Even with extensive experience in large events, participating in the ESC is an incomparable experience in every aspect. The tight timeline, diverse stakeholders, and numerous cross-cutting themes associated with the project’s entire dimension make the organization particularly challenging. It’s a continuous learning process for everyone involved. What certainly helps us are reports from organizers of past venues such as Malmö or Liverpool.
Lorenz: For the EuroClub, we are closely collaborating with the OGAEs, the ESC fan clubs — they also have experience and knowledge from previous ESC editions that we have been able to benefit from. This was also very helpful during the bidding process for the ESC.
How are the halls designs tailored to meet the ESC’s specific requirements? What technical highlights or creative concepts can visitors expect?
Simone: Our infrastructure must be designed to accommodate 12,000 visitors daily, allowing them to move safely and smoothly while experiencing an unforgettable event. At the Eurovision Village, we are creating unique experiences like public viewing and live concerts. Additionally, we are offering creative presentation opportunities and exciting content areas for national and international sponsors.
The culinary selection at the Eurovision Village focuses particularly on vegetarian options, sourced through a regional food tender.
Another central aspect is inclusion and accessibility, which play a significant role at the ESC. In close collaboration with specialists, we are optimizing our halls accordingly and integrating specific programs to ensure a barrier-free experience for everyone.
Thousands of fans will flow through the halls daily — how do you plan visitor flows and security measures to ensure a smooth and unforgettable experience?
Simone: Security is a major concern across all ESC venues. In collaboration with the host city’s security officials, the SRG, and the EBU, we have developed a concept to ensure security at all times, providing visitors with a sense of safety to enjoy a peaceful and unforgettable music festival. For instance, airport-style security measures apply throughout our venues — nothing can be brought into the halls, and visitors must pass through metal detectors before entry.
There will also be several attractions on Exhibition Square during ESC week — what are the highlights, and how do you combine the different event locations?
Simone: Messeplatz will be bustling with activity. Various media houses will be on-site with creative setups, providing live coverage. They complement the offerings in the halls and make the ESC accessible on Messeplatz, outside the halls. We’re keeping some surprises under wraps, so there will definitely be more to come!
Lorenz: We can seamlessly combine the different event locations. Thanks to the close proximity between the Eurovision Village and the EuroClub & Café, we enable visitors to move quickly and easily within this fan zone.
The Eurovision Village is freely accessible to everyone, opening daily from 12:00 noon during ESC week. For those preferring a quieter atmosphere, the EuroCafé just opposite offers a relaxed alternative starting at 4:00 pm, where they can enjoy the ESC vibe in a cozy setting. Daily from 11:00 pm, right behind the EuroCafé, the EuroClub kicks off with many former and current ESC acts and hits from past years.
For more information about the ESC at MesseQuartier, visit: https://www.mqbasel.ch/en/esc
