Amsterdam joins in the Eurovision fun as it intends to construct and screen the semi-finals and final on large screens in the city centre.
After pulling out of the bidding contest in early-July, Amsterdam will still play a small role in spreading the Eurovision joy to audiences next year.
When Mayor Femke Halsema withdrew the city’s hosting bid, it seemed as if the song contest would pass Amsterdam by. But this week a report from nu.nl suggests that Amsterdam will ‘Open Up’ in 2020 – albeit in a smaller role.
Nu.nl report that large screens to broadcast the shows will be put up on the city’s Reguliersdwarsstraat street – “Amsterdam’s most famous gay street”.
With planning talks reportedly in an advanced stage, the municipality has already released a subsidy of 35,000 euros for the street event. It is now just waiting on a work permit, but nu.nl believe that it “does not expect any major problems” in this regard.
Although current details are scarce, both the semi-finals and the final will be broadcast live on Reguliersdwarsstraat in what is alluded to be multiple screens.
Eurovision in the heart of the city
In addition to broadcasting the shows live, the street will turn into something akin to a ‘World Cup fan park’. On the days between the two semi-finals and the final, special events and themed parties will be organised. Around 6,000 people are expected to come and share in the Eurovision festivities every evening – according to nu.nl.
At the moment further no further details can be found, but expect this to change as we approach the contest in May!
From the cinema to the streets
This is not the first time The Netherlands has taken measures to screen Eurovision on communal screens. Although last time out, it was in the comfort of a cinema…
Last year, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS screened the Grand Final in Tel Aviv in 21 cinemas across the country.
The screenings then where only available to AVROTROS members and were distributed on a first-come-first-served basis. Although not confirmed, the plan to broadcast live on Reguliersdwarsstraat street sounds like an open event.
And if you can’t get tickets to the main event in Rotterdam, what could be better than watching the shows live in the (hopefully) sunny streets of Amsterdam!
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