ESCToday.com in collaboration with Wonderful Copenhagen and visitcopenhagen.com brings you the agenda for the forthcoming social events scheduled to be held in the 2014 Eurovision host city Copenhagen, as the countdown to the grand event kicks off and Eurovision fever hits the Danish capital.

Denmark is ready. With less than two weeks till it is “Good evening, Europe” live from the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in B&W Hallerne on Eurovision Island, Host City Copenhagen presents a comprehensive event programme for the city’s public celebrations. From 24 April to 11 May the Danish capital will switch to Eurovision mode with over 180 events, most of which are free.

Johnny Logan will perform an open air concert in Eurovision Village, the city’s harbour bath invites everyone to join their Eurovision Cool Pool Party, the AIDS Foundation will attempt to create the world’s biggest kiss chain down the Fan Mile, and the City of Copenhagen will marry lovers in a CO2-neutral canal boat. The event programme for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen offers approx. 180 events from 24 April to 11 May. Choose from guided tours, dance performances, parties, films, concerts, musicals and public viewings of both the semi-finals and the final.

Gigantic street party in the city

Inner Copenhagen will be buzzing with sweet music from 4-10 May, when Gammeltorv and Nytorv squares are turned into Eurovision Village. Here, one of the artists from this year’s Danish national final, pop star Bryan Rice will host the party on stage.

During the week, one will be able to experience free open air concerts with Eurovision legend Johnny Logan, ABBA tribute band Dancing Queen, Danish Eurovision duo Kirsten & Søren aka Hot Eyes, and the majority of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest participants, such as Austria’s Conchita Würst, Denmark’s Basim, Sweden’s Sanna Nielsen and French Twin Twin. But not only Eurovision artists will make their way on stage. Solid Danish acts, such as Electric Lady Lab, Julias Moon, Duné, Esben Svane, and Louise Nordstrøm are scheduled.

“We are very proud to present such a musically diverse programme for both locals and visitors during the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. Whether you are young or old, Eurovision fan or not, there will be something for everyone in the programme. We hope that many people will join the public celebrations in city centre. It is set to be a gigantic street party in the heart of the Danish capital with free entertainment for all. The atmosphere alone will be an experience,” says Head of Events Ulrich Ammundsen from Host City Copenhagen.

In addition to the music performances, Eurovision Village will present an organic street food and free tap water area. A green urban space focuses on the city’s green solutions with fun and educational environmental activities for children. Kids will also be able to cut loose in the kids’ zone, and 7 May has been declared Kids’ Day with children’s music and entertainment on stage in Eurovision Village.

Eurovision Fan Mile

And the party in Eurovision Village will be sending out good vibrations to the rest of Copenhagen. The Eurovision Fan Mile will run along the shopping street Strøget from City Hall Square, where Eurovision 2000 winners, Olsen Brothers, will play before the official opening ceremony and red carpet event 4 May. On Eurovicious Pride Square, Copenhagen Pride will host political debates and entertainment from Copenhagen’s LGBT community. In the city’s side streets, several of the city’s bars have seized the opportunity to throw a party, while LGBT film festival MIX Copenhagen will show a film at Grand Theatre and party in the Meatpacking District.

Huset-KBH changes its name to Euro Fan Café from 28 April to 10 May and offers everything a die-hard Eurovision fan’s heart desires: Fan parties, films, public viewings, talk shows, even a treasure hunt, and the programme’s only concert with last year’s winner Emmelie the Forest. Access requires a ticket.

Eurovision Fan Mile will have a few surprises up its sleeve. This could be random pop-up events such as a three-minute ABBA or Lordi rave by one of the 10 fan-selected tribute banners. As the first Eurovision host city ever Copenhagen has invited a number of partner cities to the party. On International Square, on Højbro Plads, one will thus be able to experience Chinese performing arts and German karaoke side by side. The Fan Mile ends at Kongens Nytorv square, where last year’s host city Malmö will do a pop-up picnic and light installation on the way to the harbour buses that will sail people from Nyhavn harbour to the Eurovision Song Contest on Eurovision Island.

For those who do not have tickets to the shows, there will be ample opportunity to keep up on the big screen in a number of locations. There will be public viewings of the semi-finals 6 and 8 May and the final on 10 May in Eurovision Village. The final can also be seen at City Hall Square.

The rest of the capital celebrates as well

House of Music VEGA in Vesterbro in Copenhagen houses a somewhat different genre than usual, when it opens its doors to this year’s Euro Club – the nightclub for delegates, accredited press, super fans and artists. Here you will need to be accredited to get in and party with the Eurovision VIP’s. If you are a member of the OGAE fan club, you will be able to retrieve one-day-wristbands from 28 April at 14:00 at Copenhagen Visitors Centre.

Many of the capital region’s cultural institutions have also jumped at the opportunity and offer Eurovision-related cultural experiences. Some of the more outstanding events count a Eurovision Cool Pool Party at Islands Brygge Harbour Bath, the AIDS Foundation’s attempt to beat the world record for the longest kiss chain, the domed greenhouse Dome of Visions and a Eurovision-inspired concert with Bottle Boys in the underground Cisterns.

Download free programme app

Take the programme with you on the go by downloading the free mobile app “Join Us in Copenhagen” in App Store. The mobile app is available in Danish and English and works offline. The programme is also available at www.joinusincopenhagen.com, which can be accessed from your phone. On Eurovision Fan Mile one will also be able to find highlights from the programme at information stands and a printed programme newspaper.

The host city programme runs from as early as 24 April, with most events from 4-11 May. The programme consists of both official host city events, as well as events organised by the city’s cultural institutions.

Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for the latest news on the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest 2014.