After months of meticulous preparation and planning, the big day finally arrived on May 16, 2026: 11,000 fans celebrated Dara at the Wiener Stadthalle and Bulgaria’s first-ever Eurovision victory. And so a wonderfully vibrant week in Vienna came to an end. Fans from a total of 75 countries attended the nine ESC shows, with 42 percent of the 95,000 tickets sold going to international guests.

All of Vienna swept up in Song Contest fever

Not even the somewhat dreary weather could dampen the good mood. On every corner, people were dancing, singing, or taking photos of Eurovision stars. Around 150,000 people attended the wide-ranging events at the Eurovision Village on Vienna’s Rathausplatz. At the same time, up to 30,000 people watched the live TV shows in one of the most beautiful public viewing venues in the world. Afterward, the Euro-Club at the Praterdome, the official Eurovision Song Contest party venue, really took off. The Eurofan House at the Wien Museum served as the official daytime fan meeting point. More than 23,000 visitors (twice as many as the previous weekly record) came to cheer on the Eurovision contestants, who came and went in a steady stream on the museum’s terrace.

Show all pictures

1 /of 5

5 pictures

But beyond the big, official side events, the city also turned into one huge Eurovision fan zone with one-of-a-kind happenings: the Eurofan Cafés in 21 Viennese coffeehouses, a party streetcar that made its rounds between the Ringstrasse and the Wiener Stadthalle, Euovision sing-alongs with the choir of the Volksoper Vienna, the Eurofan Cruises on the Danube Canal, the Eurovision Markt Contest at Vienna’s Naschmarkt, and much more.

Eurovision stars celebrated Vienna

Many participants used the time between rehearsals and performances to get to know Vienna. With Vienna OFFStage, delegations and members of the press were offered the biggest accompanying program in Eurovision Song Contest history. They were able to book 78 curated experiences at museums, wineries, on city tours and much more, and enjoy free admission to 33 venues.

Show all pictures

1 /of 3

3 pictures

The stars were thrilled with what Vienna had to offer, from culture to cuisine:

The Vienna Eurovision Song Contest hit new heights (again)

Vienna is no stranger to hosting major events. The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 became the most inclusive in history, with accessible infrastructure and dedicated services for deaf and neurodivergent people. When it came to sustainability, the focus was primarily on short distances within the city and on public transport. What’s more, for the first time, the impressive stage was lit exclusively using energy-efficient LED technology. With 10,000 Vienna Experience Bags given away in a raffle, it was the biggest Eurovision Song Contest fan activation in history.

© WienTourismus/Rafael Bittermann