The Swiss city of Basel is getting ready to celebrate this weekend as it gears up to host the Eurovision Song Contest. Switzerland hasn’t hosted the event in 36 years—ever since Celine Dion’s win in 1988—so the return of Eurovision’s iconic turquoise carpet is a long-awaited moment.
The Eurovision Song Contest celebrates its 69th year in Switzerland, where it first took place in 1956. BBC will air all three nights, including the two semi-finals on May 13, and May 15, followed by the grand final on May 17. Viewers outside the UK can also watch the show by using a VPN to access.
The country hosted the very first Eurovision in Lugano back in 1956, but its performance since Dion’s victory has been inconsistent. From 2007 to 2010, and again from 2015 to 2018, Switzerland’s entries didn’t even make it to the final. That changed last year when Swiss artist Nemo claimed victory with The Code.
Possibly because of this, Basel is set on making this year’s Eurovision one to remember for all the right reasons. Its turquoise carpet will be the longest in the contest’s history—stretching 1.3km (0.8 miles) from Basel’s town hall, over the Rhine, and all the way to the Eurovision village.
Conradin Cramer, the head of Basel’s government, believes the city, home to just 175,000 people, is the ideal host for the estimated half a million Eurovision visitors.
Located on the borders of both France and Germany, Basel is “the heart of Europe,” he says. He also highlights the city’s strong humanist heritage: while other cities in medieval Europe suppressed free thinkers, “Basel welcomed them.” With its unique location and legacy of tolerance, Cramer says Basel and Eurovision are “the perfect match” thanks to the contest’s values of inclusivity and diversity.
Last year’s Eurovision in Malmö saw large pro-Palestinian protests, and similar demonstrations over the war in Gaza are expected in Basel.
Read More: Eurovision Winner Nemo Backs Calls For Israel To Be Excluded From This Year’s Contest
While police haven’t detailed their full plans, they’ve emphasized that peaceful protest is allowed, as long as it’s lawful and doesn’t endanger others. Around 1,300 officers will be deployed, and Basel has introduced a wide-ranging security operation to ensure a safe experience for visitors.
This includes “mobile awareness teams” in pink jackets, safe spaces for victims of harassment or violence, and a 24-hour hotline. Described as a unique initiative, the program aims to prevent sexual assault, racist abuse, and other forms of hostility. Basel’s security director, Stephanie Eymann, called the teams a “low-threshold” option for those uncomfortable approaching police.
The city has fully embraced Eurovision: turquoise flags line the streets, and although event tickets sold out quickly, Basel promises free concerts, art projects, and city-wide festivities open to all.
Tourism director Letizia Elia says, “There will be concerts all over the city, there will be art projects.” Basel boasts 40 museums and galleries within 37 square kilometers, reportedly a European record, and they’re all joining in.
Highlights include a major exhibition at the Beyeler Foundation featuring works by Warhol, Rothko, Kandinsky, and Picasso, plus a Glitz and Glam display at the natural history museum. The excitement has even spread nationwide, with school band competitions across Switzerland—four winners will perform on stage in Basel.
Hosting Eurovision is rarely smooth, and Basel’s journey has had its challenges. The city was only confirmed as the venue last August, leaving just over seven months to prepare.
Evangelical Christian groups opposed the event, claiming it clashed with traditional values and included themes of satanism and the occult. They gathered enough support to trigger a referendum to block public funding.
However, on 24 November, 66.6% of voters backed Basel’s nearly $40 million Eurovision budget. While government head Conradin Cramer expected the vote—“that’s how Switzerland works”—he was thrilled by the strong support: “It shows this is a city where people really want to do this.”
He also acknowledged the evolving global conversation on diversity, especially after Swiss singer Nemo became the first non-binary Eurovision winner. Cramer says Basel’s core message is simple: “everyone is welcome.”
Eurovision’s backstage rules remain strict, performers can only display their national flags, meaning Pride and gender identity flags are banned. Fans, however, can bring any flags into the arena. Last year’s winner, Nemo, waved a non-binary flag but had to smuggle it in. LGBTQ+ groups, like Pink Cross, criticized the continued ban, calling it “a slap in the face.” The EBU defended the policy, saying Eurovision doesn’t need flags to show its support for the LGBTQ+ community.
With rising anti-diversity sentiment in places like the U.S., Basel’s leader Conradin Cramer says the city must stand firm: “Whoever you are… this is all perfectly fine… this is what Europe should stand for.”
To help everyone join the celebration, Swiss Railways is adding extra trains, Basel’s trams will run 24/7, and fans can hop on a free 90-minute karaoke tram to sing their way across the city.
Source: BBC