Once upon a time, the Eurovision Song Contest was a bit of a guilty pleasure for us Brits. But these days Eurovision parties are not only much-anticipated, they’re practically a national institution. For last year’s contest, a whopping 11 million of us tuned in for the event.
And while the UK is never too far away from an embarrassing nil point, the Eurovision Song Contest really is about taking part. It’s a multi-coloured carnival of fun, cool and kitsch. And there’s no better way to celebrate than gathering your friends and family and turning your front room into a Eurovision wonderland! Set up the screen, fire up the air flyer and fly the flags as we give you some great ideas to take your Eurovision party to fever pitch…
Eurovision ultimate party kit
Set up your screen
Watching the Eurovision Song Contest on a big vibrant TV screen, like an OLED or QLED, means you don’t have to fly over to Sweden to get the Eurovision experience. The vibrant colours and sharp contrast of these top TVs bring the kaledioscope performances to life and put you right in the crowd.
But the Eurovision Song Contest is also about music (hot take), so pair your TV with a soundbar to make every song sound its best. From soaring vocals to thumping bass, a good soundbar can really bring your party to life. Sit back (or get ready to jump up and dance), turn up the volume and soak in all the sights, sounds and spectacle of Eurovision.
And before everything begins, you can get in the mood with last year’s Eurovision playlist. Download the Spotify app to your smart TV or blast the playlist straight through your soundbar.
Eurovision tip: If friends can’t make it to your front room party, you can watch the show live on the BBC with BBC Together. Just pick your programme and add your friends. Another way to do it is on Zoom or on extensions like YouTube Party - which let you watch YouTube streams with friends. These will let you enjoy the fun together, send messages and predictions about who’ll sweep the boards or walk away with nil point.
Bring out the bunting!
What would Eurovision be without colourful flags? Whether it’s the UK, Sweden or Moldova, there’s never been a better excuse for bunting. And instead of going online and ordering 44 different flags, a cheaper way to do it is find the flags for free and then print them out at home. The HP DeskJet All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer comes with an HP Instant Ink subscription that sends you more ink before you run out - and you’ll only be charged by the page. So if you don’t need to print out so many flags in June, no problem!
Eurovision tip: Attach mini flags to cocktail sticks and use them to decorate everything from colourful cocktails to Eurovision-inspired cheese boards.
Snack attack
Dancing around the living room can work up an appetite, so keep your guests fuelled up for the whole evening with some air fryer snacks. You can go for a smorgasbord of ready-to-heat European snacks - think Swedish meatballs, Spanish tapas or a French camembert. Or make easy tempura, onion rings, bhajis and cauliflower wings with our vegan air fryer recipes. Ninja has released a space-saving Double Stack air fryer that lets you cook 4 canapes at once and have them ready all at the same time.
You can also whip up a selection of easy dips (like a creamy guac or spicy salsa) in a food processor or blender.
Showstopping cocktails!
Good news! The Eurovision final falls on Saturday (11th May) so if you’re loooking to get creative with your beverages, how about blending up a cocktail? There’s obviously plenty of options inspired by European countries - how about an Italian Aperol spritz or French Martini?
But inspired by host country Sweden, we’ve mixed up a few Eurovision-themed cocktails for you to try…
Swedish spritz
You will need:
Crushed ice
1 part Swedish vodka - like Absolut or Karlsson’s
Half a part of Fino sherry
2 dashes of cucumber bitters
Tonic water (to dilute the cocktail to your taste)
Fill your glass with crushed ice and then add the ingredients. Garnish with slices of cucumber and strawberry. You can also use a sprig of dill.
The winner shakes it all
For this ABBA themed cocktail (flavoured with Sweden’s much-loved licorice) put everything into a cocktail shaker with ice, including:
Half a part licorice liqueur (like Sambuca)
1 part Swedish vodka
Half a part lemon juice
1 part apple juice
1tbsp lingonberry jam
And for more classic cocktails, the KitchenAid Artisan K400 Blender is tough enough to crush ice for that the perfect mojito or frozen margarita.
Cast your vote!
Part of the fun (and tension) of the contest is watching the votes roll in. But don’t be left out. The public vote has become more important every year (and can now even swing the contest) so download the app and have your say.
Find your dream screen
If you want to find the perfect TV size for your any size room, grab a tape measure and check out our TV screen measuring guide. Plus, you can get all the help you need picking a telly with our TV buying guide.
