Eurovision 2027 may be hosted in Burgas, but the celebrations are set to extend far beyond Bulgaria’s Black Sea Host City.
Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna are all planning Eurovision-related events for 2027, with Bulgarian National Television (BNT) expected to work with the three cities on activities allowing fans and local residents to experience the Contest even if they are hundreds of kilometres away from the main Eurovision venue.
All three cities originally competed against Burgas in Bulgaria’s Eurovision 2027 Host City selection process. Now, rather than stepping away after losing the bid, they are looking to reuse parts of their proposals to turn Eurovision into a much broader national celebration.
Sofia plans a Eurovision festival route through the capital
Sofia appears to be considering one of the most ambitious programmes outside Burgas.
Plans currently being explored include Eurovision activities extending from Tsarigradsko Shose Boulevard towards Sofia city centre, effectively creating a festival route through part of the Bulgarian capital.
Sofia Deputy Mayor for Culture and Tourism Irina Dakova has indicated that the area would be decorated for Eurovision, while information points could be established where visitors and residents could follow the Contest.
The concept is expected to incorporate elements from Sofia’s original Host City bid, particularly its plans for cultural events and public spaces designed to bring residents together during Eurovision week.
Exactly which locations will participate and whether Sofia will establish an official large-scale public viewing area have not yet been confirmed.
Nevertheless, the plans could give fans staying in or travelling through the capital an opportunity to participate in the Eurovision atmosphere without being in Burgas.
Plovdiv considering several landmark locations
Plovdiv is also exploring a substantial Eurovision programme.
Among the locations reportedly being considered are Kolodrum Plovdiv, the Ancient Theatre, the Roman Stadium and Central Square.
The city is examining both Eurovision-related events and public screenings of the live shows.
Using locations such as the Ancient Theatre or Roman Stadium could give Plovdiv’s Eurovision celebrations a particularly distinctive character, combining the modern music competition with some of Bulgaria’s best-known historical landmarks.
However, these locations should currently be considered potential venues rather than confirmed Eurovision event sites.
Further details about the scale and programme of Plovdiv’s celebrations are expected as preparations develop.
Varna could bring Eurovision to the beach
On Bulgaria’s northern Black Sea coast, Varna is considering a different approach.
The city is reportedly looking at its Sea Garden and beach areas as potential locations where people could gather during Eurovision.
That could create an interesting contrast with Burgas itself, with Eurovision-related activity taking place simultaneously in Bulgaria’s two largest Black Sea cities.
Like Plovdiv, Varna was originally part of the Eurovision Host City competition before being eliminated ahead of the final stage.
Specific events, venues and screening arrangements have not yet been announced.
From rival Host City bids to a national Eurovision celebration
The involvement of Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna is particularly significant because all three originally wanted to host Eurovision themselves.
Bulgaria’s Host City process initially involved four candidates: Burgas, Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna.
Following the technical evaluation, the competition was narrowed to Burgas and Sofia before Burgas was ultimately selected by BNT and the European Broadcasting Union.
Burgas was chosen after its overall proposal was assessed across factors including the venue, municipal support, transport connections, infrastructure, accommodation and the city’s wider Eurovision vision.
The 71st Eurovision Song Contest will therefore remain firmly centred on Burgas, with Arena Burgas hosting the two Semi-Finals and Grand Final.
But the latest plans suggest that parts of the unsuccessful bids may not go to waste.
Instead, ideas developed during the bidding process could now become regional Eurovision celebrations.
Eurovision across Bulgaria
Taking Eurovision beyond the Host City could be particularly valuable in 2027.
Bulgaria will be hosting the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in its history, following DARA’s victory with Bangaranga in Vienna in 2026.
That makes the event much more than another edition of Eurovision for the country. It will be the first opportunity for Bulgarian audiences to experience the Contest on home soil.
Not everyone will be able to travel to Burgas or secure tickets for the live shows. Large public screenings and cultural programmes elsewhere in the country could allow significantly more people to participate.
It could also spread some of Eurovision’s tourism and economic impact beyond Burgas, particularly if international visitors combine their trip to the Host City with stops in Sofia, Plovdiv or Varna.
For fans arriving internationally, Sofia and Varna could also serve as important gateways into Bulgaria before continuing towards Burgas.
Burgas remains the centre of Eurovision 2027
The plans do not change Burgas’s status as the official Eurovision 2027 Host City.
The main Eurovision infrastructure, delegations, rehearsals and live television productions will be based there.
Burgas is also expected to host the traditional Eurovision programme outside the arena, including Eurovision Village, EuroClub and a wider programme of cultural and entertainment events.
The First Semi-Final will take place on 11 May 2027, followed by the Second Semi-Final on 13 May, with the Grand Final on 15 May at Arena Burgas.
Details of the official fan venues and wider programme are expected to be announced progressively over the coming months.
Could Eurovision 2027 become a Bulgaria-wide festival?
That may ultimately be what makes Bulgaria’s first Eurovision particularly distinctive.
Instead of concentrating virtually all public Eurovision activity in one city, 2027 could see celebrations stretching from Sofia in western Bulgaria and Plovdiv in the south to Varna and Burgas on the Black Sea coast.
There are still many details to be confirmed. None of the proposed locations in Sofia, Plovdiv or Varna should yet be treated as official Eurovision venues, and the final programmes could change substantially before May.
What is now becoming clear, however, is that losing the Host City race did not end the Eurovision ambitions of Bulgaria’s other candidate cities.
Burgas will host Eurovision 2027 — but Bulgaria appears determined to celebrate it as a country.