Ok, I’ve  now gone to one Eurovision—in Malmö—so that of course makes me an expert. Here’s my guide to how to best enjoy Eurovision.

  1. Do not watch or listen to any act before the broadcast show. Don’t watch them on YouTube, don’t go to the rehearsals, ignore them when they’re playing in the press center. I did watch Israel rehearse as an experiment and it detracted from seeing it live as I knew what to expect. I had pre-graded Moran.
  2. Watch the show from the floor. Sitting in the stands is worlds better than watching on TV. But on the floor is worlds better than the seats. Yes this means waiting in line for 2 hours to be at the front when let in, then waiting another hour for the show to start, then the 2+ hours of the show. All standing. But you never feel it because you are so charged up the entire time. (Take Advil with you and swallow those the second the show is over – because then you will feel the impact of standing that long.)
  3. Talk to everyone around you. Everyone else is there because they love ESC and so it’s a fun conversation. I was there by myself so I had to start conversations, but if you’re there with a group talk to others around you – it adds a lot to the enjoyment of the show – sharing the excitement.
  4. Find out where all the parties are. Contact the press agent for each act and ask. If you have a press or fan pass, they’ll generally tell you. Second only to the show for a great time.
  5. Get a press pass. A lot of the press conferences are predictable. But there are some very sweet moments in them. And a surprising number of times you get real answers instead of the rehearsed ones. Also talk to other press members in the press area – you’ll have some very enjoyable conversations.
  6. Don’t take pictures or videos or anything else. Just enjoy the show. (I did take one picture just to show everyone the view from where I was standing.)

If you have any additional suggestions, please add as a comment.

David is a Colorado-based correspondent for WiwiBloggs.com Follow the team from WiwiBloggs.com on Twitter @wiwibloggs.