By Lennart Simonsson May 9, 2007, 19:31 GMT
Helsinki - Flags with the Eurovision logo fluttering from city trams and flagpoles, bars and restaurants offering special menus and even mock stages - Helsinki is geared up to host the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest.
Despite cooler weather than normal for this time of year, the temperature was set to rise late Thursday when entries from 28 countries - ranging from Albania and Belarus to Iceland to Turkey - were to compete for 10 spots in Saturday's final line-up.
The successful 10 join the top-10 from the 2006 Athens event along with France, Germany, Spain and Britain that were already guaranteed a spot in the final.
Finland is hosting the final after monster rockers Lordi won last year's event in Athens - the Nordic country's first win in 41 years. The host country is represented this time by 25-year-old Hanna Pakarinen, with Leave Me Alone.
Bulgaria - competing for the third time - was slated to open the semi-final competition with the song Water performed by singer Elitsa Todorova and drummer Stoyan Yankoulov.
The duo will be followed by the entry from Israel, titled Push The Button, performed by veteran group Teapacks. Austria and Latvia round off the semi-final.
First-time competitors are the Czech Republic, represented by veteran rock group Kabat with the song Mala Dama (Little Lady), and Georgia, represented by singer Sopho whose act includes a sword fight among four dancers.
Eric Papilya of Austria's stage show includes a giant red ribbon, symbolizing the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The Irish, with seven wins in Eurovision's 51-year history, are represented by folk group Dervish, and say they 'sincerely hope Dervish will bring the competition back to our country.'
Of the 42 entries, 31 are to be performed in English or include some English lyrics. Even the French entry has an English word or two, while French is used entries from Israel, Cyprus and Romania as well as France.
Some 200 million television viewers in 42 counties are expected to follow the contest - and take part in voting.
Former Eurovision winners include greats like Abba and Celine Dion.
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