The 69th Eurovision Song Contest, to be held mid-May in Basel, northwestern Switzerland, is around the corner. If you haven’t pre-registered for the tickets and managed to be among the lucky ones who secured their entry in rapid few-minute sales, chances are you’ll have to follow the world’s most popular televised music event in front of, well, a TV screen. Sad? Maybe. Hopeless? Absolutely not! You can still experience watching Eurovision in Basel among the crowds! Ranging from market places and quirky churches to fabulously queer rooftop bars, ESC Basel public viewing locations are the next best thing to a Eurovision live show!
Knowing where to find free or low-cost public viewing spots for Eurovision in Basel is priceless for any budget-conscious superfan
Fans are flying in from more than 80 countries – from Argentina to New Zealand, and even tutta l’Italia – but Switzerland, bless its mountains, isn’t exactly budget-friendly.
Even if there are many amazing free things to do in Basel, Basel Eurovision tickets are not on that list. The prices for attending the music event of the year range from CHF 70 to CHF 270 for the semis, all the way up to a glittering CHF 350 for the grand finale (that’s €373 or $425 for those converting with tears). Add flights, fondue, and fancy hotels, and your finances might hit a higher note than JJ in “Wasted Love”.
So, knowing where to find free or low-cost public viewing spots for Eurovision in Basel is more than useful – it’s priceless for any budget-conscious superfan.
Get your map out, grab a pen, and start marking down the must-visit Basel Eurovision locations!
In 2024, Eurovision has entered an era of United by Music controversies, the greatest one still being asked: Why is Israel in Eurovision? Click on the links to learn more.
Where to watch Eurovision in Basel?
Basel Eurovision main venue
Let’s start with the heart of the action: St. Jakobshalle, the official Eurovision 2025 venue in Basel. Located at St. Jakobs-Strasse 390 in Münchenstein, this arena is where the Eurovision magic will unfold live on stage. Locals affectionately call it Joggelihalle (Joggeli is a nickname for St. Jakob).
This multi-purpose arena will host not one, not two, but nine Eurovision shows available to the public, including dress rehearsals (aka preview shows) and the live televised spectacles.
First Semi-Final
Preview shows – Monday 12 May at 9 pm, and Tuesday 13 May at 3 pm
Live TV show – Tuesday 13 May at 9 pm
Second Semi-Final
Preview shows – Wednesday 14 May at 9 pm, and Thursday 15 May at 3 pm
Live TV show – Thursday 15 May at 9 pm
Grand Final
Preview shows – Friday 16 May at 9 pm, and Saturday 17 May at 1:30 pm
Live TV show – Saturday 17 May at 9 pm
How much time do we have left to buy the most wanted tickets in town? Erm, they’re gone. Well, don’t cry now, c’est la vie. The organizers still try to add a seat or two in the arena, but that borders on a miracle that would have to involve both Gaja’s divine intervention and some serious bur man laimi spells.
If you still hope to witness Basel Eurovision live, in front of its main stage, your best lifeline is fanSALE, the event’s official resale partner. It’s the only platform where legitimate ticket holders can resell their spots in the auditorium at face value.
ESC Basel public viewings
1. Arena Plus St. Jakob-Park
Located right next to the Eurovision’s central venue, the St. Jakob-Park football stadium will host the biggest public viewing event of the grand final on Saturday, May 17.
Before the grand final viewing starts on gigantic screens, the largest stadium in Switzerland will host a baller pre-spectacle featuring both Swiss and international Eurovision artists, kicking off at 7:30 pm.
The headliner of the evening is Marko Purišić, better known as Baby Lasagna, a Croatian runner-up on Eurovision 2024. The wildly addictive “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”, dedicated to all youngsters deslocado from their country in pursuit of a better life, racked up over 60 million Spotify streams. The song was a fan favorite of the ESC Malmö edition, so we can surely expect 36,000 stadium visitors executing the iconic elbow-dance in unison.
Also joining the lineup in Arena Plus is Belgium’s dance pop queen Kate Ryan, bringing her “Je T’adore” from ESC Athens 2006, along with her greatest dance hit covers, such as “Elle Elle L’a” and “Voyage Voyage” (not to be confused with faire un voyage voyage lyrics in this year’s Swiss ESC entry).
The 90-minute pre-show will include domestic artists as well: Basel-born Anna Rossinelli (ESC 2011, with “In Love for a While”), Luca Hänni (ESC 2019 with “She Got Me”), and DJ Antoine, Swiss king of club beats whose mega-successful international anthems “Ma Chérie” and “Welcome to St. Tropez” will take the energy through the roof, maybe even reaching Laika party in the sky.
Some tickets for the Grand Final Public Viewing Show at Arena Plus are still available here, ranging between CHF 45 and 128.
2. Basel Eurovision Village
If Eurovision had a beating heart in the city, it would be the Eurovision Village at Messe Basel, an exhibition center located in the vibrant Kleinbasel district.
From May 10 to 17, Hall 1 is your go-to hub for free Eurovision events in Basel, including the public viewing of the semi-finals and the grand final. Eurovision Village opens at noon, and goes shh at midnight (max. at 2 am, on DJ nights), because everyone needs a beauty sleep!
On several stages, you can expect live concerts and DJ acts that will make you starry-eyed like asteromáta.
Besides former Swiss Eurovision artists (Remo Forrer, Luca Hänni, Timebelle, Sinplus, Anna Rossinelli), the continuous warm-up party includes appearances by Conchita Wurst (Austria’s 2014 winner with “Rise Like a Phoenix”), Michael Schulte (German representative at ESC 2018 with “You Let Me Walk Alone”), ABBA Gold Concert Show, and 90s survivor icons such as SNAP! (“Rhythm Is a Dancer”), Rednex (“Cotton Eye Joe”), and Twenty 4 Seven (“Slave to the Music”). Prepare to dance like nobody’s filming… even though someone definitely is.
The hosts of the program in the Eurovision Village will be Tanja Dankner (soul-jazz singer and vocal powerhouse), Odette Hella’Grand (the biggest Swiss drag queen, clocking in at two meters in heels), and Joël von Mutzenbecher (stand-up comedian).
The entry to the Eurovision Village is free.
Messe Basel will also host EuroClub, the official after-party of Eurovision, where fans will be able to meet delegations and artists. This is a camera-free zone, so expect total freedom, here and there, everywhere. EuroClub is a ticketed event, and the entrance costs between CHF 20 and 35, depending on the day.
If you want to meet Eurovision stars in a casual setting, maybe with a cup of espresso macchiato, head to EuroCafé, open daily from 4 pm.
3. Kulturkirche Paulus – the Culture Church
Welcome to St. Paul’s Church! Before you ask what the hell just happened, and how did a Eurovision program end up under a church organ, you have to know that recent decades saw a declining congregation sizes in Switzerland, so around 250 churches went through a sort of a conversion therapy, becoming cultural venues, museums, libraries, and even private residences.
Located at Steinenring 20, Kulturkirche Paulus, erected in the early 20th century, was originally an evangelical-reformed church. In 2021, it turned into a cultural venue, now hosting concerts, events, and community gatherings.
If you wonder what happens when you mix stained glass, soaring choirs, and Eurovision divas, this May, the Culture Church invites you to three vespers under its neo-Romanesque meets Jugendstil roof.
May 13
The evening begins at 5 pm, with a lineup of local choirs: Vocal Cords, Round Table (men’s choir) and Ensemble Singvoll (women’s choir) from the Basler Liedertafel 1852, and Basler Beizenchor with excerpts from the Beizivision Song Contest, a local spin on Eurovision. Even if you come in an outfit screaming Volevo Essere Un Duro, you’ll still melt like Mila to some of the songs. Once your ears are blessed, stick around for the Eurovision Semi-Final public viewing.
May 15
At 6 pm, before the live broadcast of the second Eurovision Semi-Final, Kulturkirche Paulus hosts Basel Madrigalists with the Classical Eurovision Song Contest. Who would have won douze points in earlier centuries – Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert? This whimsical evening is hosted by the cabaret impersonator David Bröckelmann.
May 17
Starting at 4 pm, before the Eurovision Grand Final appears on the big screen, the church will echo with songs performed by the Wasgenring primary school children choir, children’s songsmith Balz Aliesch, Ensemble Cantalon, and Queer Choir Switzerland. Not only maman will be proud!
Entrance to Eurovision public screenings at Kulturkirche Paulus is free of charge.
4. Elisabethenkirche – the Disco Church
For a real party in a sacral institution, head to Offene Kirche Elisabethen (Open Church of St. Elisabeth) at Elisabethenstrasse 14.
Once traditional, this neo-gothic church became a post-denominational space in 1994, embracing every bird of pray, regardless of a person’s belief, background, or identity (including LGBTQ+). They’re even known for blessing pets, from dogs to rabbits.
Starting from May 10th, Elisabethenkirche will transform into a Disco Church. And no, it’s not a hallucination. Every night from 6 pm, you can hit the church floor with your best esa diva dance moves. “Hits All Night Long” means a euphoric blend of dance anthems, DJ sets, and the occasional Eurovision banger at the altar.
On Eurovision nights, May 13, 15, and 17, the ESC public viewing in the holy house of disco kicks off at 8 pm.
In front of the church, the Swiss Square keeps the energy flowing from 11 am already, with food trucks (amen), bars (communion optional), karaoke (unleash your inner Käärijä), live concerts, day parties, and probably a few spontaneous voguing sessions.
Be your own lighter, feel the spark, and may the flames of zjerm fall upon your tribal dances!
The event is brought to you by Ü-Parties.ch, an organizer specialized in themed parties. Tickets are only available at the door.
5. Das Viertel – the Super-Gay Public Viewing
If your idea of Eurovision bliss involves drag queens, rooftop bites, and cocktails shaken harder than Milkshake Man’s van, then Das Viertel is calling your name, preferably in falsetto.
Located at Münchensteinerstrasse 81, the rooftop of this buzzing night club transforms into the unapologetically fabulous Super-Gay Eurovision Public Viewing, for both semi-finals and grand final Eurovision night.
This isn’t just a watch party; it’s a full-on queer communion under the stars, with an atmosphere that will steam up hotter than bara bada bastu sauna. Your tavo akys (‘your eyes,’ in Lithuanian) won’t know where to look: the drag queens, the disco lasers, or that person dressed as Verka Serduchka.
Milky Diamond and Klamydia Von Karma, Swiss drag icons with unforgettable names, will host the evenings.
Public viewings are free, but if you want to party even after the last points are dropped, stay for Europop and electro house tunes with Queen Moustache DJ Collective, Taylor Cruz, and Hortus Duplex. Get your tickets for CHF 35 (20 in pre-sale).
The organizers of Eurovision’s Super-Gay Public Viewing are Mannschaft, the LGBTQ+ media outlet, and Pink Cross, the national umbrella for gay rights and advocacy.
More Drag Queens Take the Mic Looking into other options for drag-fueled Eurovision frenzy? Or even considering hitting the entire runway of alternative public viewings in one night, in your version of a Drag Race? To find the fiercest queens around, here’s where you’ll have to sashay your way: Grand Casino Basel at Airport Hotel (Flughaffenstrasse 215) hosts a public viewing of both Semi-Finals and the Grand Final, with showtime karaoke. On May 13, expect high camp with Freiburg-based drag queen Dita Whip, while on May 15 and 17, the mic goes to “Switzerland’s sweetest drag queen”, Amélie Putain. The evenings start at 7:30 pm. Free entry. KaBar (Kaserne, Klybeckstrasse 1b), a popular LGBTQIA+ venue, has its own royalty for the main night – Tara LaTrash, the drag persona of Luca Papini, who will DJ and comment through the evening. On the First Semi-Final night, just like every Tuesday for the last 40 years, KaBar transforms into a legendary ZischBar, and queer public viewing will be accompanied with karaoke, presented by Mischa and DJ Pussy Galore. On the Second Semi-Final, the venue prepares Pink Cross speedfriending with Gelateria Sound System in the background. Doors open at 5 pm, no charge. Sudhaus (Werkraum Warteck, Burgweg 7) will organize the public viewing of Eurovision’s Grand Final. The moderator of the evening is Jeff van Phil, Swiss drag performer and boylesque icon. Doors for this sparkling soirée open at 7 pm, and a ticket costs CHF 20 (a glass of Prosecco included). At Basso vegetarian restaurant/bar/club (Elsässerrheinweg 101), right by the Rhine, a team of international drag queens headlined by Ana Dolly will entertain you for the Grand Final public viewing. Count on spectacular performances, Eurovision video throwbacks, a pop quiz, and DJ sets. The night starts at 7 pm, and the party rolls on till 4 am. Tickets available for CHF 10.
6. KinoKoni
When it comes to watching the live broadcast of Eurovision in Basel, probably the comfiest seats of all (even sofa options available) can be found at KinoKoni, at Steinenvorstadt 36.
This boutique cinema, usually reserved for luxurious film experiences, will be screening all three Eurovision nights on its big screen.
All you need to do is get comfy in that plush armchair, enjoy your favorite acts with crystal-clear sound, and crunch on that popcorn in anticipation.
This cinematic Eurovision treat comes with free entry. Just show up, sit back, and let the drama unfold.
7. Markthalle Basel
Markthalle Basel, at Steinentorberg 20, with one of the largest domes in Europe, is not just a roof for the food supply, but a vibrant community with a welcoming atmosphere.
On semi-final and grand final nights, the living room of the Market Hall will host another Eurovision public viewing. If you fancy rooting for your favorite acts while enjoying drinks from the house bar or an uncomplicated dinner from global food stands at large communal tables, this is the place to go.
The entrance at Markthalle Basel is free, so say Ich komme early to secure the best view of the screen!
Alternative Food-Accompanied Public Viewings Let’s be real: waiting for that one country to give your favorite act a “douze points” can be emotionally draining - and a little snack in front of the TV just won’t cut it. If you’d rather mix your ESC drama with a side of actual dinner, here are a few more Basel spots where public viewing comes plated and garnished: Atlantis Basel (Klosterberg 13), a legendary fusion restaurant and a gathering spot of music lovers for eight decades, will livestream Eurovision in the background of a cozy dinner. Taste their tartars (beef, vegetable, Alpine salmon), dive into a burger, or their signature white Toblerone mousse. The host of the night is charismatic Nick Schulz. Free entry, starts at 8 pm. Café Stoa at Sommercasino (Münchensteinerstrasse 1) delivers Eurovision public viewing on its colorful terrace with fine catering. Doors swing open at 5 pm, hot food and appetizers start sizzling from 6. Free entry. The concert club Kuppel Basel (Nachtigallenwäldeli 9) is another cultural venue committed to Eurovision broadcasting. Besides your hungry ears, they’ll be feeding your mouth too – the neighboring Backstage Bistro will be offering smash burgers under their dome. Starts at 9 pm. Entry? Still free. Altes Kraftwerk (Lehenmattstrasse 353) is a decommissioned power plant, now powering the Eurovision spirit.. Just a skip from the St. Jakobshalle, this ESC House of Fans delivers 80s and 90s vibes all week. On the live show nights, it hosts both public viewings and aftershow parties. The food lineup includes burgers, raclette, sausages, and falafel. Doors open at 4 pm, and entry is free.
8. Natural History Museum
The entrance to one of my favorite Basel museums is free during the entire ESC week. So why not use the opportunity to wander around the Natural History Museum‘s exhibition Wildlife Photographer of the Year? Among other taxidermied specimens displayed in the museum, these days you can even take a selfie with – a unicorn.
But for one night only, Thursday, May 15, the museum at Augustinergasse 2 invites you to the public viewing of Eurovision’s Second Semi-Final in their secluded courtyard.
From 6 pm, the After-Hours ESC Special will welcome you with DJs Flavah Nice and The Haze. There will even be a jukebox party in the smallest teledisco in the world!
Free admission.
9. Helvetia Campus
One never knows when a poison cake could mess up one’s plans. Helvetia, the Swiss insurance giant that ensures a new day will rise with less stress, saw a precious opportunity in sponsoring this year’s Eurovision.
In that light, they decided to open their new campus at St. Alban-Anlage 26 (Helvetia Versicherungen) to the ESC community and include it in the Eurovision party mile.
During the day, expect food trucks (serving everything from wurst to Thai), muted ESC dancing, and interviews with delegations conducted by the Wiwibloggs team. And then, in the evening, Helvetia’s garden becomes another venue for ESC public viewing.
The entry to Eurovision events at Helvetia is free.
Where in Europe is Basel?
Basel is located in the northwestern corner of the country, right at the border triangle where Switzerland, France, and Germany shake hands. Even Basel airport (EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg) has dual citizenship, half Swiss, half French.
Basel itself sits along the Rhine River, which made it a key European hub for trade, culture, and transportation (róa regattas included), as well as a cosmopolitan city with historical and cultural ties across Europe. Practically, a perfect place to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2025!
ESC Basel Public Viewing Locations – Conclusion
From the moment it welcomes you with dobrodošli on May 11, until it sends kiss kiss goodbye on May 17, Basel will be breathing Eurovision.
Even if you didn’t snag a ticket for the live shows at St. Jakobshalle, or any of the Eurovision public viewing events, worry not. Basel has open-air celebrations and spontaneous dance breaks around every corner!
Wherever you roam in Basel city center, you’ll stumble into Eurovision magic
Barfüsserplatz transforms into Eurovision Square with concerts and live performances. Steinenvorstadt gets its moment as Eurovision Street, while the stretch from Basel SBB to Badischer Bahnhof and along the Rhine promenade becomes Eurovision Boulevard, lined with installations, street shows, selfie stations, and spots to snack, sip, and sing along.
Wherever you roam in Basel city center, you’ll stumble into Eurovision magic. Just follow the vibrant Eurovision pink-blue hues (bathing everything from banners to trams), “Welcome home” signs (ESC Basel motto, just next to that permanent “United by Music”), or the love-spreading, gender-neutral Lumo (the official Basel Eurovision mascot with big bright eyes and untamed curly hair, de facto la poupée monte le son).
One minute you’ll be listening to choirs in Kulturkirche Paulus, the next you’ll get baptized by the strobe lights at the Disco Church. But forget the Basel Eurovision map!
When that longest turquoise carpet in Eurovision history rolls out at the Opening Ceremony on May 11, the whole of Basel will become a stage. The music will kick in, and everyone will run with u toward the loudest beat.
Whether you’ll be waving your flag in a stadium crowd, clinking cocktails with drag queens on a rooftop, dancing under a disco ball in a Gothic church, or nibbling dumplings under the dome at Markthalle – the points may come from the jury, but the party will always be with the people.
If you haven’t noticed, the titles of 37 songs competing at Eurovision 2025 have slid into this article like Easter eggs. If you cannot find them all, they are marked in bold italic.
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