The Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast on Saturday May 24 at 9.00 P.M. CET. And for those of you who have never heard of the most watched non-sporting event in the world, this is what you have been missing: 

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held in Europe. One could describe it like a HUGE “American Idol” competition. Each European country that is allowed to compete submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries’ songs. The contest has been broadcast every year since 1956 and the country that wins, hosts the event the following year. This time the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Belgrade, Serbia.

Since the year 2000, the Contest has also been broadcast over the Internet.

The most notable winning Eurovision artists are probably ABBA, who won the Contest for Sweden in 1974 with their song “Waterloo“, and Céline Dion, who won the Contest for Switzerland in 1988.

Take a look at some of the contestants over the years…

Celin Dion long before the movie “Titanic”

Celin Dion won for Switzerland in the 1988 with the song “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi”.

Monsters from Finland

These Finish monsters caused quite a stir when they won the competition in 2006. The group’s name is “Lordi”.

Charlotte Perrelli from Sweden

Charlotte Perrelli will represent Sweden with her song “Hero” on Saturday! If she makes it to the final round, that is.

El Chiki Chiki from Spain

The Spanish song “El Chiki Chiki” is kind of funny – but you probably need to know some Spanish to realize it! This song will also compete on Saturday. 

Lithuania, 2006, with “We are the winners of Eurovision”

Check out Lithuania’s song during 2006 competition…

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