Eurovision Song Contest 2026: Mayor Ludwig and ORF Director General Thurnher at the Construction of the Eurovision Village at Rathausplatz
Two days before the grand Opening Ceremony, the official start of the Eurovision week in Vienna, Mayor Michael Ludwig and ORF Director General Ingrid Thurnher today visited the construction of the Eurovision Village at Vienna's Rathausplatz. Starting Sunday, May 10, the central meeting point for Eurovision Song Contest fans from Vienna, all of Europe and around the world opens here.
Extensive work on and off Rathausplatz
The work for the event is enormous: Initial structures were already set up at the end of April, and since May 2, construction has been in full swing. On and around Rathausplatz, a large team of employees is working in shifts to implement the Eurovision Village. Up to 300 people are simultaneously engaged in the setup – from stage construction and technology to infrastructure, gastronomy, and security and organizational measures.
The Eurovision Village is among the largest temporary event venues the center of Vienna has implemented in recent years. The event area encompasses around 70,000 square meters and expands to nearly 100,000 square meters with ring closures during the four show days.
Right in front of the town hall rises the large stage, which forms the centerpiece of the Eurovision Village. The area is complemented by 15 screens for live broadcasts, 14 gastronomes, 10 sponsor areas, two merchandise tents, an area for visitors with disabilities, an activity area with karaoke box and photo point, as well as the impressive ORF glass studio directly on the Ringstraße and much more.
80 hours of programming on the big stage
The Eurovision Village will be open from May 10 to May 17, 2026, with free admission and is intended for hundreds of thousands of guests from Vienna, Austria, and all over the world. As an official side event of the EBU, the Eurovision Village is a fixed component of every ESC host city and in Vienna, the largest publicly accessible venue of the ESC week.
Visitors can expect a dense, nearly 80-hour program with live concerts, DJ sets, show formats, and interactive offerings over eight days. Highlights include performances by current and former ESC participants, well-known Eurodance icons, or stars from the United Stages of Vienna. The focus is primarily on the three live shows, which are broadcast live from the Wiener Stadthalle on May 12, 14, and 16 and can be followed together at Rathausplatz. Up to 45,000 visitors are expected per day.
A special highlight will be the Turquoise Carpet Event on May 10, where all 35 delegations will appear together for the first time, marking the official start of the ESC week in Vienna.
Mayor Michael Ludwig was impressed by the progress of the construction work during the site visit:
„It is impressive to see the commitment with which work has been carried out here for days. Vienna is ready for the 70th Eurovision Song Contest. My great thanks go to all involved, who work around the clock to make this international major event possible and create a safe and unforgettable experience for hundreds of thousands of guests.“
ORF Glass Studio as the Heart of Multimedia Coverage
ORF Director General Ingrid Thurnher presented the ORF Glass Studio during the media tour. At this vibrant location, the media heart of ORF coverage beats around the Eurovision Song Contest. The specially constructed multimedia studio will become the central meeting point for information, entertainment, and live experiences. "City Hall Square is the number one fan zone for this Eurovision Song Contest— a place where Vienna shows itself as the host city at its best. With the ORF Glass Studio as the heart of our multimedia coverage, we make the ESC accessible to all of Austria— live, open, and across all media."
More than 100 hours of live programming on TV and radio will be presented from the Glass Studio. For the first time, all ORF radio stations, as well as numerous television shows - including „Ö3-Wecker,“ „Kulturmontag,“ a special daily ESC magazine on ORF1, and „Vienna Today“ - will broadcast under one roof. From the opening ceremony to the final countdown before the big finale on May 16, ORF aims to share the unique atmosphere of the Eurovision Song Contest live, close, and directly from the city with all of Austria.
City of Vienna and ORF Present Complete Program from Eurovision Village and EuroClub
All of Vienna is Eurovision Song Contest! Now, ORF, together with the host city Vienna, presents the extensive program at the Eurovision Village and the EuroClub in Prater. But not only do these two locations spread ESC enthusiasm, there will be events surrounding the Eurovision Song Contest throughout Austria. More information can be found at https://songcontest.orf.at.
Eurovision Village: Mega-Atmosphere at Vienna City Hall Square During Show Week
From May 10 to 17, 2026, Vienna City Hall Square will become the vibrant center of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest. The Eurovision Village invites fans from around the world daily from 2:00 PM (on Ascension Day already from 11:00 AM) to a diverse and free program with live concerts, international ESC stars, interactive experiences, and the largest public viewing in Austria.
In addition to performances by former and current Eurovision acts, an extensive supporting program awaits the audience: In the specially developed Eurovision Quiz, up to 2,000 people compete against each other three times daily and can win prizes from national and international ESC partners. On a small „Turquoise Carpet,“ visitors can assume the role of ESC stars themselves. Ö3 presenter and photographer Martin Krachler puts them in the limelight in front of the official press wall and crowns a „shooting star“ every day. Another highlight is the Karaok.ai-Box, where Eurovision dreams come true: With the help of artificial intelligence, participants experience their singing performances embedded in iconic ESC performances of past years. The best make it to the big stage every day. Culinary-wise, the Eurovision Village sets new standards— including the first Eurovision „Heurigen“ in ESC history and numerous other gastronomic offerings.
The daily stage program is hosted by Ö3 presenter Sylvia Graf and event moderator Bernhard Vosicky, accompanied by stage DJ Manuel Winkler. Every day at 4:00 PM, the live program kicks off with a dance floor flash mob by Radio Vienna dance expert Chris Lachmuth, who rehearses the Cosmós choreography with the audience. Each program day is themed around a legendary winning title from the 70-year history of the Eurovision Song Contest.
ORF is broadcasting several special shows live from the Glass Studio at City Hall Square. Additionally, visitors can watch the two semi-finals (May 12 and 14) as well as the grand finale on May 16 at the country's largest public viewing on more than ten LED walls live.
Program Highlights in Eurovision Village Overview
May 10 – „Merci, Chérie“: Grand Opening
The official opening ceremony with „Turquoise Carpet“ from the Burgtheater across the Ring to City Hall Square forms the festive kick-off in the Eurovision Village. The ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna, led by Christian Kolonovits, provides an impressive opening at 4:55 PM, where artists from all participating nations are celebrated by thousands of fans. On the „Turquoise Carpet,“ they are welcomed by the „Woodstock Allstar Band“ with a special arrangement of a hit from their country. Stars like Monika Ballwein with the Voices of Volunteers, Cosmó, Eric Papilaya & The Good Vibe Tribe, Haddaway, as well as a performance by JJ with the RSO round off the opening day, providing atmosphere before and after the live broadcast at the square. The evening ends with the broadcast of Udo Jürgens’ last concert in Zurich 2014.
May 11 – „My Number One“: Greatest Hits
Under the theme of the ESC winner song from 2005, the Vereinigten Bühnen Wien celebrate a musical homage to great ESC hits with the ORF III show „Musical meets Song Contest.“ The premiere of the specially staged musical will be broadcast live-time-delayed at 8:15 PM on ORF III. In advance, Monika Ballwein animates thousands of spectators to sing along with the „1st Vienna Municipal Choir.“ Selected international Eurovision DJs then let the evening end with a lively atmosphere.
May 12 – „Euphoria“: Party People
In the spirit of the day’s motto „Euphoria,“ the stars of Eurodance of the 1990s „BWO vs. Alcazar“ and „Magic Affair“ create euphoria and party mood at the square and prepare Eurovision fans for the first semifinal, which is live broadcast at 9:00 PM at Austria's largest public viewing. After the show, there’s more with Australian DJ AlanT (SYD).
May 13 – „Insieme“: Eurovisions
Just as Toto Cutugno sang in 1990 with „Insieme,“ Europe and major Eurovisions take center stage on Wednesday— with international ESC stars like Lordi, Erika Vikman, and Tommy Cash. Early in the evening, the Italian singer Senhit, who is also competing for San Marino again in 2026, heats up the audience with her own DJ set.
May 14 – „Fairytale“: Folk & Fun
On the holiday, the Eurovision Village opens at 11:00 AM with a premiere: The very first ESC Frühschoppen— organized by the Vienna Wind Music Association and moderated by Martin Ferdiny. One of the guests is music cabaret artist Christof Spörk. Selected ORF regional studios broadcast this Eurovision premiere live on the radio from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. In the evening, the Global Kryner, who brought the Oberkrainer sound to the Eurovision Song Contest for Austria in 2005, provide good mood— right before the second semifinal, which is live broadcast starting at 9:00 PM.
May 15 – „Wild Dances“: Freaky Friday
The students of the Private University of Music and Arts Vienna bring a specially staged musical to the stage on the last evening before the big finale against 7:00 PM, before Liliana Klein turns the main stage into a catwalk. For the second time after 2015, the fashion event manager invites to „Fashion for Europe.“ Fashion brands and designers from twelve participating countries are invited to present their collections to fitting beats. Subsequently, John Jürgens, son of Udo Jürgens, DJs for the Eurovision community with big hits— also from his father— before DJ Slashy Disco brings City Hall Square to life.
May 16 – „Heroes“: Grand Final
On the final day, the „Heroes“ are at the center. To prepare for the big finale, where up to 20,000 people are expected at City Hall Square in the Eurovision Village, there is not only a lot of singing (with large sing-alongs, moderated and animated by Sylvia Graf and DJ Manuel), but there are also flashbacks to Eurovision week: the best performances from the Karaok.ai-Box of the week come again to the big stage as well as the best ESC star caricatures by quick-drawer Xi Ding. His drawings of all ESC acts as well as many prominent stars of the week, created over the week, are presented and auctioned in a large online auction by aurena.at for LICHT INS DUNKEL. In the evening, the dancers of the „Dance Industry“ as well as former song contest participant Zoë provide the perfect preparation for the big finale. In the middle of the night, a live broadcast from the world’s largest entertainment show is switched directly to City Hall Square when Philipp Hansa announces the results of the Austrian voting on the main stage.
May 17 – „Après Toi“: Aftershow
When the big show is over, the Eurovision Village opens once more— in the spirit of Vicky Leandros’ winner title „Après Toi“ from 1972— and invites to a cozy aftershow from 2:00 PM. With a repeat of the Grand Final on all LED walls and the diverse culinary offerings from Vienna’s restaurateurs— the Ö3 DJs „Justfränds“ also provide the perfect ESC conclusion.
Party in ESC Style: This is the Program in EuroClub
The EuroClub 2026 transports international Eurovision feeling to Vienna from May 11 to 16 and transforms PraterDOME at Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel Square into one of the important meeting places of the ESC week. With several floors, two levels, and twelve bars, Austria’s largest discotheque offers the ideal setting for long nights full of music, encounters, and Eurovision spirit. Fans, artists, delegations, and guests from all over Europe can expect a varied program with Eurovision hits from international DJs to live acts from former and current ESC candidates as well as local ESC acts. On the two semifinals evenings and on the final day, the shows are additionally broadcast live into the club. Thus, the EuroClub becomes Vienna’s great after-show location during Eurovision week.
Each Night with Own Motto, ESC Live Acts, and International DJs
Each night in the EuroClub has its own motto, ensuring individual highlights, special dress codes, and unforgettable Eurovision moments. Additionally, guests in the EuroClub can expect a diverse program with live acts from former Eurovision artists, current acts, local ESC faces, and Eurovision fan club DJs throughout the entire Eurovision week. The acts include JJ, Go-Jo, Abor & Tynna, Erika Vikman, Kaleen, Efendi, Sinikka Monte, Cesár Sampson, and Nadine Beiler. Eric Papilaya acts as the host throughout the entire Eurovision week in EuroClub, leading the program from Monday to Saturday.
Children's Disco and Golden Years Party
On Saturday, May 16, PraterDOME becomes a stage for young Eurovision fans: At the biggest ESC children's disco in Europe, children and families experience an age-appropriate program full of music, movement, color, and Eurovision spirit. The children's disco is aimed at children aged 6 to 12 years and takes place from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Star guest of the children's disco is the official Eurovision Song Contest mascot Auri. The focus is on known hits, shared dance moments, and a secure, family-friendly environment for the youngest generation of the Eurovision community.
The Golden Years Party is specifically aimed at an older ESC-enthusiastic audience. On Friday, May 15, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, ESC classics, ESC evergreens, and popular Eurovision songs are at the center. In a relaxed atmosphere, dancing, reminiscing, and celebrating together— a special format for all who love Eurovision.
(May 08, 2026)