Happy birthday, Eurovision!

Happy birthday, Eurovision Song Contest. Today it is 66 years ago that the first Eurovision song contest was held.

The Eurovision Song Contest was created after the coronation of the British Queen Elizabeth II was broadcast on French television. They wanted to use the equipment purchased for this for other events. A song contest, modeled after the Italian festival of Sanremo, was one of the ideas.

The first song contest took place in Lugano, Switzerland. Ten countries wanted to participate, in the end there were seven. They each presented two songs. There was no voting as we know it now. The jury consisted of two members from each country. Remarkable: Luxembourg had no jury, two Swiss did the honors for that country. At the end of the evening, chairman Rolf Liebermann only announced that the song “Refrain” had won. That was one of Lys Assia‘s two Swiss entries.

Little image has been preserved of the first Eurovision; only a part of the reprise, when Lys Assia had won.

Wanna know more? Have a look at our 1956 page!

Related news

Eurovision 2026

🇵🇹 National: Portugal: results 1st semi are in

Portugal selects their entry through Festival da Canção. However, this year most of the participants stated they will not represent Portugal, due to the participation of Israel. Only André Amaro and Bandidos do Cante will travel to Vienna. Sandrino’s opinion is not known yet. The results of the first semifinal are in now. Four songs were added in the first round of voting. The 5th one, the one with *, is voted through to televoting only in a second round of voting. 1st semifinal date: 21 FebruaryPlace: Valentim de Carvalho Studios, LisbonHosts: Vasco Palmeirim, Alexandre Guimarães & Catarina Maia 1 Dinis Mota Jurei final       l & m: Dinis Mota         2 Nunca Mates o Mandarim Fumo final       l: João Amorim m: João Amorim, João Campello & Manuel Dinis         3 Evaya Sprint final       l: Beatriz Bronze & Guilherme Firmino  m: Beatriz Bronze, Guilherme Firmino & João Valente         4 André Amaro Dá-Me a Tua Mão final*       l & m: André Amaro         5 Bateu Matou Nos Teus Olhos eliminated       l & m: Joaquim Albergaria, Ruit Pité & Ivo Costa         6 Marquise Chuva final       l: Mafalda Matos  m: Mafalda Matos, Matias Ferreira, Miguel Azevedo & Miguel Pereira         7 Agridoce Onde Quero Estar eliminated       l & m: Margarida Castanheira, Joana Banza, Sofia Jorge, Tiago Alves & Pedro Agostinho         8 Mário Marta Pertencer eliminated       l & m: Djodje & Alberto Koenig           2nd semifinal date: 28 FebruaryPlace: Valentim de Carvalho Studios, LisbonHosts: Vasco Palmeirim, Alexandre Guimarães & Catarina Maia 1 Gonçalo Gomes Doce ilusão         l: Gonçalo Gomes & Pedro Fernandes  m: Gonçalo Gomes, João Umbelino, Pedro Fernandes & Bernardo Almeida         2 Silvana Peres Não Tem fim         l & m: Rita Dias         3 Sandrino Desposto a tudo         l & m: Sandrino & Francesco Meoli         4 Francisco Fontes Copiloto         l & m: Francisco Fontes         5 Bandidos Do Cante Rosa         l: Duarte Farias, Miguel Costa, Luís Aleixo, Francisco Pestana, Francisco Raposo, Kasha, Gui Alface, Gonçalo Narciso & Bluay  m: Duarte Farias, Miguel Costa, Luís Aleixo, Francisco Pestana & Francisco Raposo         6 Jacaréu & Ana Margarida O-pi-ni-ão         l & m: Jacaréu         7 João Ribeiro Canção do Querer         l: Cristina Branco m: Luís Figueiredo & André Henriques         8 Inês Sousa Um Filme ao Contrário         l & m: Inês Sousa           final date: 7 MarchPlace: Valentim de Carvalho Studios, LisbonHosts: Vasco Palmeirim, Alexandre Guimarães & Catarina Maia * Dinis Mota Jurei final       l & m: Dinis Mota         * Nunca Mates o Mandarim Fumo final       l: João Amorim m: João Amorim, João Campello & Manuel Dinis         * Evaya Sprint final       l: Beatriz Bronze & Guilherme Firmino  m: Beatriz Bronze, Guilherme Firmino & João Valente         * Marquise Chuva         l: Mafalda Matos  m: Mafalda Matos, Matias Ferreira, Miguel Azevedo & Miguel Pereira         * André Amaro Dá-Me a Tua Mão final*       l & m: André Amaro         *                       *                       *                       *                       *                      

Read More »
Eurovision 2026
Martijn

🇵🇹 National: Portugal: results 1st semi are in

Portugal selects their entry through Festival da Canção. However, this year most of the participants stated they will not represent Portugal, due to the participation of Israel. Only André Amaro and Bandidos do Cante will travel to Vienna. Sandrino’s opinion is not known yet. The results of the first semifinal are in now. Four songs were added in the first round of voting. The 5th one, the one with *, is voted through to televoting only in a second round of voting. 1st semifinal date: 21 FebruaryPlace: Valentim de Carvalho Studios, LisbonHosts: Vasco Palmeirim, Alexandre Guimarães & Catarina Maia 1 Dinis Mota Jurei final       l & m: Dinis Mota         2 Nunca Mates o Mandarim Fumo final       l: João Amorim m: João Amorim, João Campello & Manuel Dinis         3 Evaya Sprint final       l: Beatriz Bronze & Guilherme Firmino  m: Beatriz Bronze, Guilherme Firmino & João Valente         4 André Amaro Dá-Me a Tua Mão final*       l & m: André Amaro         5 Bateu Matou Nos Teus Olhos eliminated       l & m: Joaquim Albergaria, Ruit Pité & Ivo Costa         6 Marquise Chuva final       l: Mafalda Matos  m: Mafalda Matos, Matias Ferreira, Miguel Azevedo & Miguel Pereira         7 Agridoce Onde Quero Estar eliminated       l & m: Margarida Castanheira, Joana Banza, Sofia Jorge, Tiago Alves & Pedro Agostinho         8 Mário Marta Pertencer eliminated       l & m: Djodje & Alberto Koenig           2nd semifinal date: 28 FebruaryPlace: Valentim de Carvalho Studios, LisbonHosts: Vasco Palmeirim, Alexandre Guimarães & Catarina Maia 1 Gonçalo Gomes Doce ilusão         l: Gonçalo Gomes & Pedro Fernandes  m: Gonçalo Gomes, João Umbelino, Pedro Fernandes & Bernardo Almeida         2 Silvana Peres Não Tem fim         l & m: Rita Dias         3 Sandrino Desposto a tudo         l & m: Sandrino & Francesco Meoli         4 Francisco Fontes Copiloto         l & m: Francisco Fontes         5 Bandidos Do Cante Rosa         l: Duarte Farias, Miguel Costa, Luís Aleixo, Francisco Pestana, Francisco Raposo, Kasha, Gui Alface, Gonçalo Narciso & Bluay  m: Duarte Farias, Miguel Costa, Luís Aleixo, Francisco Pestana & Francisco Raposo         6 Jacaréu & Ana Margarida O-pi-ni-ão         l & m: Jacaréu         7 João Ribeiro Canção do Querer         l: Cristina Branco m: Luís Figueiredo & André Henriques         8 Inês Sousa Um Filme ao Contrário         l & m: Inês Sousa           final date: 7 MarchPlace: Valentim de Carvalho Studios, LisbonHosts: Vasco Palmeirim, Alexandre Guimarães & Catarina Maia * Dinis Mota Jurei final       l & m: Dinis Mota         * Nunca Mates o Mandarim Fumo final       l: João Amorim m: João Amorim, João Campello & Manuel Dinis         * Evaya Sprint final       l: Beatriz Bronze & Guilherme Firmino  m: Beatriz Bronze, Guilherme Firmino & João Valente         * Marquise Chuva         l: Mafalda Matos  m: Mafalda Matos, Matias Ferreira, Miguel Azevedo & Miguel Pereira         * André Amaro Dá-Me a Tua Mão final*       l & m: André Amaro         *                       *                       *                       *                       *                      

Read More »
Follow Us: