The final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest may not be until next weekend but contestants have already been putting on the style for the event’s official opening in Malmo.

Representatives of the 37 participating countries will be hoping to emulate Sweden’s Loreen, last year’s winner with her song Tattoo.

As many as 100,000 visitors are set to descend on the city in Sweden’s south-west for the world’s largest live music contest.

Here are a selection of photographs from some of the Eurovision hopefuls who posed on the turquoise carpet at the Malmo Arena.

UK hopeful Olly Alexander arrived at the venue wearing a loose-fitting, multi-coloured robe.

The singer, actor and fashion icon is hoping for success with an upbeat dance number called Dizzy.

Finland’s entry – Windows95man – made a dramatic entrance ahead of the finals.

A Finnish visual artist and DJ – real name Teemu Keisteri – Windows95man’s signature entry is to emerge from a giant egg before the dancing begins.