Although it takes place on British soil, there has been a concerted effort to make sure that the Ukrainian elements are noticed at all times.
One of the hosts, Julia Sanina, is Ukrainian and panoramic shots of her homeland will feature prominently during the Grand Final on Saturday.
«The really interesting thing for us from a creative point of view was the relationship with Ukraine,» Claire McColgan, Liverpool’s director of culture, said in an interview on Wednesday, adding that the city had sought advice from Ukrainians about which artists ordering and tips on how to get the right shade.
He said he hoped the art and culture on display in the city would allow people to «cry over something and see something that’s really beautiful and moving and shocking, but then turn a corner and laugh at something that’s really joyful.» .
Throughout Liverpool, bars and nightclubs have temporarily turned into Eurovision-themed venues, hoping to attract fans who want to talk about their favorite tickets and debate who will win.
Some have featured performances by current and past acts and the playlists have seen heavy Eurovision rotation.
Longtime attendees wear T-shirts from past pageants, while others dress up as their favorite acts. This year a fan club chartered a train from London to Liverpool for die-hard fans who played their favorite songs on the 2½-hour’s journey north of Britain’s capital.
«Liverpool beats everything,» McColgan said. «You know, it’s a big party town.»
Ukraine, as the previous winner, automatically advanced to the final, along with the «big five», comprising the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, who get a free pass due to the financial contributions they make to the competition. .
Another 31 competed in two semifinals on Tuesday and Thursday with 10 of each going to the final.