Preparations. Preparations in the host venue typically begin approximately six weeks before the final, to accommodate building works and technical rehearsals before the arrival of the competing artists. Delegations will typically arrive in the host city two to three weeks before the live show, and each participating broadcaster nominates a head of delegation, responsible for coordinating the movements of their delegation and being that country’s representative to the EBU. Members of each country’s delegation include performers, composers, lyricists, members of the press, and—in the years where a live orchestra was present—a conductor. Present if desired is a commentator, who provides commentary of the event for their country’s radio and/or television feed in their country’s own language in dedicated booths situated around the back of the arena behind the audience.

Each country conducts two individual rehearsals behind closed doors, the first for 30 minutes and the second for 20 minutes. Individual rehearsals for the semi-finalists commence the week before the live shows, with countries typically rehearsing in the order in which they will perform during the contest; rehearsals for the host country and the “Big Five” automatic finalists are held towards the end of the week. Following rehearsals, delegations meet with the show’s production team to review footage of the rehearsal and raise any special requirements or changes. “Meet and greet” sessions with accredited fans and press are held during these rehearsal weeks. Each live show is preceded by three dress rehearsals, where the whole show is run in the same way as it will be presented on TV. The second dress rehearsal, alternatively called the “jury show” and held the night before the broadcast, is used as a recorded back-up in case of technological failure, and performances during this show are used by each country’s professional jury to determine their votes. The delegations from the qualifying countries in each semi-final attend a qualifiers’ press conference after their respective semi-final, and the winning delegation attends a winners’ press conference following the final.

A welcome reception is typically held at a venue in the host city on the Sunday preceding the live shows, which includes a red carpet ceremony for all the participating countries and is usually broadcast online. Accredited delegates, press and fans have access to an official nightclub, the “EuroClub”, and some delegations will hold their own parties. The “Eurovision Village” is an official fan zone open to the public free of charge, with live performances by the contest’s artists and screenings of the live shows on big screens.

Eurovision Week – The term “Eurovision Week” is used to refer to the week during which the Contest takes place. As it is a live show, the Eurovision Song Contest requires the performers to have perfected their acts in rehearsals for the programme to run smoothly. In addition to rehearsals in their home countries, every participant is given the opportunity to rehearse on the stage in the Eurovision auditorium. These rehearsals are held during the course of several days before the Saturday show, and consequently the delegations arrive in the host city many days before the event. Journalists and fans are also present during the preceding days, and so the events of Eurovision last a lot longer than a few hours of television. A number of officially accredited hotels are selected for the delegations to stay in, and shuttle-bus services are used to transport the performers and accompanying people to and from the contest venue..

Each participating broadcaster nominates a Head of Delegation, whose job it is to co-ordinate the movements of the delegate members, and who acts as that country’s representative to the EBU in the host city. Members of the delegations include performers, lyricists, composers, official press officers and—in the years where songs were performed with a live orchestra—a conductor. Also present if desired is a commentator: each broadcaster may supply their own commentary for their TV and/or radio feed, to be broadcast in each country. The commentators are given dedicated commentary booths situated around the back of the arena behind the audience.

Rehearsals and press conferences – Since 2004, the first rehearsals have commenced on the Sunday almost two weeks before the Grand Final. There are two rehearsal periods for each country. The countries taking part in the semi-finals have their first rehearsal over four days from the first Sunday to Wednesday. The second is from Thursday to Sunday. The countries which have already directly qualified for the Grand Final rehearse on the Saturday and Sunday.

After each country has rehearsed, the delegation meets with the show’s production team in the viewing room. Here, they watch the footage of the rehearsal just performed. At this point the Delegation may make known any special requirements or changes needed for the performance, and request them to the host broadcaster. Following this meeting, the delegation hold a press conference where members of the accredited press may pose them questions. The rehearsals and press conferences are held in parallel; so one country holds its press conference, while the next one is in the auditorium rehearsing. A printed summary of the questions and answers which emerge from the press conferences is produced by the host press office, and distributed to journalists’ pigeon-holes. However, for the 2020 contest in Rotterdam, pigeon holes will not be used, in an effort to modernise the exchange of information.

Before each of the semi-finals three dress rehearsals are held. Two rehearsals are held the day before (one in the afternoon and the other in the evening), while the third is held on the afternoon of the live event. Since tickets to the live shows are often scarce, tickets are also sold so the public may attend these dress rehearsals.

The same applies for the final, with two rehearsals on the Friday and the third on Saturday afternoon before the live transmission of the grand final on Saturday evening. For both semi-finals and for the final, the second dress rehearsal is also the Jury Final, this is where the jury from each country casts their votes. This means that 50% of the result is already decided before the live contests have taken place.

Parties and Euroclub – On the Monday evening of Eurovision Week, a Mayor’s Reception is traditionally held, where the city administration hosts a celebration that Eurovision has come to their city. This is usually held in a grand municipally owned location in the city centre. All delegations are invited, and the party is usually accompanied by live music, complimentary food and drink and—in recent years—fireworks.

After the semi-final and grand final there are after-show parties, held either in a facility in the venue complex or in another suitable location within the city.

A Euroclub is held every night of the week: this is a Eurovision-themed nightclub, to which all accredited personnel are invited.

During the week many delegations have traditionally hosted their own parties in addition to the officially sponsored ones. However, in the new millennium the trend has been for the national delegations to centralise their activity and hold their celebrations in the Euroclub.

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Essendo uno spettacolo dal vivo, l’Eurovision Song Contest richiede che gli artisti perfezionino le loro performance per esibirsi senza problemi durante i live. Ad ogni partecipante, quindi, viene data la possibilità di provare sul palco dell’ESC. Queste prove si svolgono nei giorni precedenti agli show, e di conseguenza le delegazioni arrivano nella città ospitante molti giorni prima dell’evento. Anche i giornalisti e gli appassionati sono presenti nei giorni precedenti, e così gli eventi legati all’ESC non si limitano alle due Semifinali e alla Finale. Un certo numero di hotel sono riconosciuti ufficialmente e selezionati per il soggiorno delle delegazioni e sono predisposti dei servizi di autobus navetta per trasportare gli artisti e le delegazioni da e verso il luogo della gara.

Ogni emittente partecipante nomina un capo delegazione, il cui compito è quello di coordinare i movimenti dei membri delegati, e che agisce come rappresentante di quel paese dell’EBU nella città ospitante. I membri delle delegazioni sono gli artisti, i parolieri, i compositori, gli addetti stampa ufficiali e, negli anni in cui si eseguivano le canzoni con un’orchestra, un direttore. A volte è presente anche un commentatore: ogni emittente, infatti, può fornire il proprio commento per TV e/o radio, che andrà in onda in ogni paese. Ai commentatori è dedicata una zona, fornita di cabine, situata intorno alla parte posteriore della scena dietro il pubblico.

Prove e conferenze stampa – Tradizionalmente, le delegazioni arrivavano ​​la domenica precedente la gara, in modo da essere presenti per le prove che iniziavano il lunedì mattina. Tuttavia, con l’introduzione delle semifinali, e quindi con il conseguente aumento del numero di paesi che prendono parte allo show, le prime prove iniziano circa due settimane prima del Gran Finale. Tutti partecipanti hanno a disposizione due sessioni di prove.

Dopo che ogni paese ha provato, la delegazione incontra il direttore artistico della manifestazione nella sala video. Qui, si visualizza il filmato della prova appena eseguita, e si mettono a punto le inquadrature, le luci e l’eventuale coreografia, per cercare di ottenere la massima resa estetica in televisione. A questo punto il capo delegazione può effettuare eventuali richieste speciali, necessarie per la prestazione, alla TV ospitante. In seguito a questo incontro, la delegazione tiene una conferenza stampa in cui i membri della stampa accreditati possono porre loro delle domande. Le prove e le conferenze stampa si svolgono in parallelo. Così mentre un paese tiene la sua conferenza stampa, il prossimo è ancora in sala prove. Nel 2013, la prima sessione di prove di ogni paese è stata effettuata a porte chiuse.

Prima di ogni show live si tengono tre prove generali. Due prove si svolgono il giorno prima (una nel pomeriggio e l’altra la sera), mentre la terza si tiene nel pomeriggio dell’evento in diretta. Dal momento che i biglietti per gli spettacoli dal vivo sono spesso scarsi, vengono venduti anche i biglietti delle prove generali in modo che il pubblico possa assistervi. Per entrambe le Semifinali e per la Finale, la seconda prova generale è anche quella in cui le giurie di ogni paese esprimono i loro voti. Questo significa che il 50% del risultato è già deciso prima che le gare in diretta abbiano luogo.

Feste e Euroclub – Oltre alle sessioni di prove e alle conferenze stampa, l’ESC è fatto anche di momenti di divertimento. Si comincia con una cerimonia di apertura in cui il sindaco della città ospitante accoglie tutte le delegazioni.

Dopo i tre show live si tengono delle feste, in strutture facenti parte del complesso che ospita il concorso o in altri luoghi idonei in città.

Ogni sera, inoltre, le delegazioni e i fan si possono ritrovare all’Euroclub, una discoteca a tema eurovisivo.

Numerose delegazioni organizzano delle feste, in aggiunta a quelle ufficialmente sponsorizzate. Dal 2000 in poi, queste feste,  tendezialmente, si svolgono all’Euroclub.