⏰ when

When was the first Eurovision Song Contest?

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Quick Answer

The first Eurovision Song Contest was held on 24 May 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland, with seven countries taking part.

The Full Story

The contest was organised by the European Broadcasting Union to test live cross-border television broadcasting. Seven countries competed: the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, West Germany, France, Luxembourg and Italy, with each performing two songs. Switzerland won with Lys Assia singing 'Refrain'. It was the only contest in which each country entered two songs, and the scores were never published. Eurovision has since grown into one of the world's most-watched non-sporting events.

Key Facts

1.The first contest was held on 24 May 1956 in Lugano.
2.Seven countries took part.
3.Lys Assia won for Switzerland with 'Refrain'.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"Seven countries, one TV experiment β€” how Eurovision began in 1956."