Stockholm hosts EurovisionStockholm to be the host city of the 61st Eurovision Song Contest.

Stockholm is the birthplace of the Swedish music phenomenon, from ABBA to Avicii, and one of the world’s leading music exporters.

“It is an honour to be the host city of Eurovision Song Contest. Stockholm is music. Our city is boiling with activities that revolve around music. Creativity is close to our heart and we want this to be visible during the event. Hosting Eurovision is an opportunity for us to strengthen and stimulate the interest that music creates. We are looking forward to greeting the world to Stockholm in May,” says Karin Wanngård, Mayor of Stockholm.

Together with SVT, the city of Stockholm will create a new innovative arena concept, including all four venues: Tele2 Arena, Ericsson Globe, Hovet and Annexet. The main events will occur at all four venues in the Stockholm Globe District, with the finale taking place in Ericsson Globe on May 10-14 next year.

“The solution with multiple arenas enables us to produce the Eurovision Song Contest in the Globe, have the press centre at the Hovet and the delegations area at the Annex. The Jewel in the Crown is to take Eurovision Song Contest to the next level by incorporating Tele2 Arena during the evening of the finale,” says Martin Österdahl, executive producer of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016.

“The ‘Stockholm Gay and Lesbian Network’ of the Stockholm Visitor’s Board, alongside ‘Stockholm Gay Life’, an organisation for the gay business and social community in Stockholm are thrilled to be able to host this global event that has great appeal to so many LGBTI people – an opportunity to showcase our fabulous city, that we believe is among the, if not THE, most open-minded, LGBTI-welcoming city in the world. To hear of this just before we go into this year’s Stockholm Pride and Eurogames is fantastic news,” says Christina Guggenberger, who leads marketing and outreach to LGBTI visitors for the city of Stockholm.

For more news on gay and lesbian Stockholm, visit gaylesbian.visitstockholm.com.