The countdown to Benidorm Fest begins

Benidorm has already dressed up to host, starting tonight, the third edition of the Benidorm Fest, the competition organized by the city council, the Generalitat Valenciana and Spanish Radio Television to select the artist who will represent Spain in the 68th edition of Eurovision. Palau d'Esports L'Illa in Benidorm will host the first semi-final of this competition starting at 10:30 p.m. tonight, a program broadcast live on La1 on Spanish Television and from which the first four finalists will be chosen. All of them, along with the four qualifiers in the second semi-final, will compete in the grand final on Saturday for the Bronze Microphone.

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, visited the latest stage assembly work this afternoon, along with other representatives of the Municipal Corporation, led by the Councilor for Festivals and Events, Jesús Carrobles. There they were able to learn all the details of the work that has been carried out at the sports venue to host this event, which during these days will place Benidorm in the media focus of the country and other places in Europe.

Likewise, Plaza de El Castell was the scene of a press conference in which Ruth Lorenzo, Marc Calderó and Ana Prada, presenters of the three television galas, participated, along with Inés Hernand, Aitor Albizua and Jordi Cruz, who will be in the programs that RTVE will broadcast after the galas to address everything that happened during them as well as other current affairs related to the festival. Along with them, the director of Communication and Participation of RTVE, María Eizaguirre, also appeared before the media.

Artists and order of participation

In this first semi-final, surrounded by the great expectation to meet the first four finalists, Lérica will participate in this order with her song 'Astronauta'; Noan, with 'Te echo de menos'; Sofía Coll and hers 'Here to stay'; Mantra, with 'Me vas a ver'; Miss Caffeina and the theme 'Blah, blah, blah'; Quique Niza with 'Prisionero'; Angy Fernández with the song 'Sé quien soy'; and, finally, Nebulossa with the song 'Zorra'.

The second semi-final will take place next Thursday, day 1, on this same stage and at the same time, and will bring together the other eight participants selected for this edition: María Peláe and 'Remitente'; Dellacruz with 'Beso en la mañana'; Marlena and 'Amor de Verano'; St. Pedro with the theme 'Dos extraños'; Jorge González and his 'Caliente'; Yoly Saa and the song 'No se me olvida'; Roger Padrós with 'El temps'; and, finally, Almácor with 'Brillos Platino'.

In the grand final, which will take place starting at 10 p.m. on Saturday, February 3, the eight classified in the two previous galas will perform, among which the jury and public will choose the artist who will represent Spain in the 68th edition of the Festival of Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held from May 14 to 18, 2024 at Malmö Arena in the city of Malmö, Sweden.

As for the installation itself deployed on the central court of Palau d'Esports, it has been transformed into a futuristic television set, oval in shape and with an area of 581 square meters, which is made up of two parts. fundamental: the circular central area, which includes a large circular screen on the floor, and two side tunnels that connect to the back of the stage. In addition, it will have an impressive high-resolution LED screen in the centre, also oval.

At the other end of the venue, right in front of Benidorm Fest stage, there will be the surface that will house the 'Green Room' – the area where the artists rest after performing their show – and the jury table, all with an extension of 475 m². Finally, there will also be a space for the public who will be able to follow the galas 'in situ', on the one hand, from the dance floor itself, which will be located between the stage and the 'Green Room' area. At the same time, the rest of the audience will occupy the stands located on the sides. The public area will have an approximate area of 680 m².

Outside the venue, the now famous orange carpet that represents Benidorm Fest has been deployed, as well as a 'photocall' space, where the public can take souvenir photographs of this third edition. Likewise, an area has been set up with sponsors and collaborators in the anteroom to the set where the galas will take place.

Benidorm City Council has arranged litter bins throughout this space and in other parts of the venue for the selective collection of packaging, to promote recycling among the public and the artists who are going to attend this event.