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The Eurovision song contest is a celebration of all things ludicrous, camp and colourful. It’s brought us some top tier memes (and a few good tunes) over the years, and it’s always a fun way to mark the start of the summer. But if you were hoping to go to a massive Eurovision party this year, we’ve got some disappointing news.
Eurovision Party London, one of the city’s biggest and most popular watching parties, has just been cancelled. The event’s organisers and its long-running Dalston venue The Rio Cinema both say they’ve agreed to cancel this year’s finale celebrations. The participation of Israel in the contest was cited as the reason for cancelling the party.
According to Variety, an announcement from Eurovision Party London said: ‘It is with a heavy heart that we have collectively decided not to screen the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest this year.
‘We firmly believe that the Eurovision Song Contest has the power to bring people together across the world, and when its core values of inclusivity, equality and universality are upheld, it can be a genuine force for good.’
The statement continued to say that, in the spirit of Eurovision, they hope that music will hopefully unite everyone again soon, and that they will continue to organise fundraising events for the charities they support, which include Doctors Without Borders and Medical Aid for Palestine.
The move follows news that 400 industry executives and celebrities signed an open letter in support of Israel’s continued inclusion in the competition.
In response to news of the cancellation of Eurovision Party London, Director General of European Broadcasting Union (EBU, the company that organises Eurovision) Noel Curran said that EBU understands the concerns and is also moved by the conflict in Gaza.
‘However, the Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political music event and… not a contest between governments,’ he said. ‘The EBU is aligned with other international organisations… that have similarly maintained their inclusive stance towards Israeli participants in major competitions at this time. We remain committed to ensuring [Eurovision] remains a non-political event that continues to unite audiences worldwide through music.’
Eurovision 2024 kicks off May 9 at the Malmö Arena in Sweden, with the finale taking place on May 13.
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