Exactly 51 years ago, on the 24th May 1956, the very first Eurovision Song Contest was broadast from Lugano, Switzerland. Having been popular over so many years, the contest is obviuosly one of biggest TV shows in the world. So let's all say (or sing?) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Since 1956, many things have changed. In the first edition, only seven countries took part (Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Italy), but with two songs each. There was no open voting and only the winner was announced: Lys Assia was the winning artist with the song Refrain, a typical ballad in French. At the bottom of the page, you can watch theperformance once again.Since then, the competition has lived many memorable moments:

• 1957: First contest with open voting and a scoreboard
• 1958: Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare)finishes third an becomes a worldwide hit
• 1959: First dance routine by the German twin sisters Alice & Ellen Kessler
• 1960: First time that the winner becomes an international hit
• 1964: First time that all competing songs were recorded by the original artist(s)
• 1965: First song from a non-English speaking country entirely performed in English (Absent friend from Sweden)
• 1966: Åse Kleveland from Norway is the first female singer wearing trousers on stage and playing a musical instrument
• 1969: First and only time more than one country won… four actually!
• 1970: First (out of seven) victories for Ireland
• 1973: First time that all countries were actually allowed to choose the language they want to sing in (this rule was abolished in 1977 and re-introduced in 1999)
• also 1973: First country from outside Europe is taking part (Israel)
• also 1973: First female conductors on stage (for Sweden and Israel)
• 1974: ABBA are the first group to win the contest
• 1975: The "12 points" system is introduced
• 1976: Save your kisses for me is the commercially most succesful winner ever
• 1978: First female composer wins the contest (Nurit Hirsh from Israel)
• 1983: For the first time, the contest lasts longer than three hours
• 1985: Lill Lindfors, the host, "looses" her dress
• 1988: Céline Dion wins the contest (for Switzerland)
• 1993: For the first time, the countries that finish at the bottom would not be allowed to compete the next year
• 1994: Riverdance is the most popular interval act ever
• 1996: For the first and only time, Germany does not take part
• 1997: Introduction of the televoting in six countries
• 1998: First transsexual winner (Dana International from Israel)
• 1999: Elimination of the orchestra and introduction of the "Big 4"-rule
• 2004: First year with a semi final and a final
• 2007: First debuting country to win the contest (Serbia) – apart from the very first winner of course

Memorable moments:

The first winner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxv-Q-JKkTo

Lill LIndfors' dress accident

Åse Kleveland 1966

Alice & Ellen Kessler – dancing twins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umW0tmOxuw4