The best moments from the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool so far

The contest is well underway!

Author: Charlotte RoszkoPublished 10th May 2023
Last updated 11th May 2023

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest is well underway as Liverpool hosts the contest on behalf of Ukraine. The first semi-final has already taken place in front of a packed crowd at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena.

There have been plenty of other events to enjoy too - from the National Lottery's Big Eurovision Welcome Party to the city's dedicated Eurovision Village Fan Zone. We've rounded up some of the highlights from the celebrations so far...

Semi-final 1

The contest got off to a spectacular start on Tuesday 9th May, with the first semi-final broadcast live from the M&S Bank Arena. 15 acts took to the stage in a bid to win a place in Saturday's (13th May) Grand Final.

This year, the acts selected for the final were chosen entirely by a public vote. The 10 countries who secured a place in the final were Croatia, Moldova, Switzerland, Finland, Czechia, Israel, Portugal, Sweden, Serbia and Norway.

Many fans watched the first semi-final at the Euro Village located at the Pier Head. The dedicated fan zone is open every day up until the Grand Final and is home to an array of incredible live performances, DJ sets and special surprise appearances. There is also a special Discover Ukraine area, which is dedicated to celebrating Ukrainian creatives.

Acts including Finland's Käärijä and Sweden's Loreen received huge reactions from the crowds at the Euro Village, who enjoyed watching the first semi-final.

Liverpool welcomes Eurovision fans

Liverpool gave a warm welcome to Eurovision fans as they arrived in the city to enjoy the contest. Some people even started the party on their journey into the city, thanks to two special party trains, which allowed fans to arrive at Lime Street in style.

The trains were operated by Avanti West Coat from London Euston and London Northwestern Railway from Birmingham New Street.

Upon their arrival, Eurovision fans were greeted with a spectacular welcome and an incredible atmosphere.

The National Lottery's Big Eurovision Welcome Party

AJ Odudu and Joel Dommett hosted The National Lottery's Big Eurovision Welcome Party on Sunday 7th May, kickstarting what promises to be an incredible week of events.

The show saw St George's Hall host a huge party, getting everyone in the Eurovision spirit. Acts on the line-up included Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Zara Larsson and Atomic Kitten. Fans also enjoyed performances from previous Eurovision contestants Jamala and Conchita Wurst.

The Turquoise Carpet

The 2023 Eurovision entries made their way into St George's Hall in style by making their way down a special turquoise carpet, which was surrounded by adoring fans.

The UK's entry Mae Muller got a very warm welcome from fans, who sang along to her track 'I Wrote A Song'!