Eurovision Song Contest events to close streets around Helsinki

Senate Square to become "living room" for Eurovision fans; weather expected to remain cool

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Events linked with the Eurovision Song Contest, whose finals are to be held at the Helsinki Arena on Saturday, will cause a considerable amount of alterations in traffic patterns, both near the Helsinki Arena in Pasila and in the centre of the capital.
      With extensive road construction going on in the area near the Arena, members of the public are strongly advised to use public transport rather than their own cars.
      Meanwhile, temperatures in Helsinki are expected to remain fairly cool during the week.
      Senate Square will be a living room for Eurovision fans. A large television screen will be set up to follow the semifinals and finals. There will also be live music performances at Senate Square, which will be a centre of Eurovision events from May the 7th through the 14th.
      The adjacent streets of Hallituskatu, Yliopistiokatu, and key parts of Unioninkatu will be closed off to traffic for the whole week. There will also be restrictions on parking on Aleksanterinkatu and Snellmanninkatu.
     
The Helsinki Party on Friday will close many streets in the centre of the city to vehicular traffic. The streets will be reserved for pedestrians and parades.
      The temporary closures will affect Pohjoisesplanadi and Aleksanterinkatu. Access to Pohjoisesplanadi from Mikonkatu, Kluuvikatu, and Fabianinkatu will be blocked. The area will be closed from about 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM on Friday.
      On Saturday only one northbound lane will be in use on the sector of Mannerheimintie which runs between Eteläesplanadi and Aleksanterinkatu.
     
A Europe Market will open on Tuesday in Esplanade Park, where countries participating in the Eurovision Song Contest will display their culture and products. On Wednesday, Europe Day will be celebrated in the park. Because of the market, the section of Mikonkatu that runs through the park between Pohjoisesplanadi and Eteläesplanadi will be cut off.
     
At the Kamppi Center, also in the centre of Helsinki, there will be a special "Eurovision Village" with music and live events throughout the week.
      Musical performances by competitors in the contest and others will take place during the week. Other events will include karaoke, quizzes, and circus performances.
      Tourist guides employed by the City of Helsinki will be available in the area to help visitors.
     
At the main venue of the contest, the Arena, the northbound lane of Veturitie, which runs past the building, will be reserved exclusively for the use of the contest between May 9th - 12th.
      No special arrangements will affect Hakamäentie, which runs north of the Arena, but a massive road construction project nearby means that traffic in the area is difficult anyway. The Arena parking garage will not be available to the public; parking for Eurovision events will be at the nearby Helsinki Fair Centre.
      "Although there are no restrictions on Hakamäentie, traffic at the corner with Veturitie will certainly be more difficult than usual, so I recommend the use of alternate routes", says Björn Åkerblom, head of security for the ESC.
      Åkerblom hopes that people arriving at the Arena would use public transport as much as possible. There is a walk of about 400 metres from Pasila Station to the Arena.
      Many extra trains will operate between Helsinki's Central Railway Station and Pasila, and the last local trains will have more rolling stock than usual between May 9th - 12th. On the night of the finals, May 12th, extra trains will operate throughout the night until five o'clock on Sunday morning.
      Helsinki City Transport (HKL) and the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV) will also upgrade their public transport services. HKL will run extra buses especially on Friday and Saturday. Certain routes will be changed in the centre of the city during events linked with the Eurovision Song Contest.
     
Weather during the week leading up to the Eurovision Song Contest finals is expected to cool down somewhat after a fairly mild early part of the week.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Eurovision Song Contest: a technical learning experience for Finnish professionals (4.5.2007)

Links:
  Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) Eurovision Song Contest website
  Videos of the entries in the ESC

Helsingin Sanomat