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Dates: Semi-final 1 10 May 2011 - Semi-final 2 12 May 2011 - Final 14 May 2011
Host Venue: Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany
Presenters: Anke Engelke, Judith Rakers, Stefan Raab
Directed by Ladislaus Kiraly - Executive supervisor: Jon Ola Sand
Executive producer : Ralf Quibeldey, Thomas Schreiber
Host broadcaster: Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (ARD), Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR)
Opening act: Grand final: Stefan Raab performing "Satellite" with Lena Meyer-Landrut
Interval acts:
Semi-final 1: Cold Steel Drummers
Semi-final 2: Flying Steps performing "Flying Bach"
Grand final: Jan Delay performing "Oh Jonny" and "Klar"

The Eurovision Song Contest 2011 was the 56th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Düsseldorf, Germany, following the country's victory at the 2010 contest with the song "Satellite" by Lena. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcasters Arbeitsgemeinschaft Rundfunkanstalten Deutschland (ARD) and Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), the contest was held at the Düsseldorf Arena and consisted of two semi-finals on 10 and 12 May, and a final on 14 May 2011. The three live shows were presented by German comedian Anke Engelke, television presenter Judith Rakers as well as former German contestant and songwriter Stefan Raab.

During the first semi-final, many broadcasters lost contact with their commentators due to a technical glitch. Dropouts in the multi-channel sound connections were the cause of this fault, which was corrected, with a second backup system put into place, and tested extensively before the second semi-final. That's the reason why you get to hear Steven and Peter, the German commentators in the first semifinal, partly via smartphone only. Malta (no. 11) has no commentary at all, no. 12 (San Marino) to no. 17 (Lithuania) are commented via smartphone, and from no. 18 on (Azerbaijan) everything sounds fine again. The songs themselves were not affected by the sound glitch.

Forty-three countries participated in the contest, equalling the record of the 2008 edition. Four countries returned to the contest this year; Austria returned after their last participation in 2007, Hungary returned after their last participation in 2009, San Marino returned after their very first participation in 2008. Italy also returned to the contest after their last participation fourteen years earlier, in 1997.

The winner was Azerbaijan with the song "Running Scared", performed by Ell and Nikki and written by Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman and Iain James Farquharson. This was Azerbaijan's first victory in the contest, after only 4 years of participation.

Results of the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011

R/O Country Artist Song Points Place

1 Finland Paradise Oskar "Da Da Dam" 57 21
2 Bosnia and Herzegovina Dino Merlin "Love in Rewind" 125 6
3 Denmark A Friend in London "New Tomorrow" 134 5
4 Lithuania Evelina Sašenko "C'est ma vie" 63 19
5 Hungary Kati Wolf "What About My Dreams?" 53 22
6 Ireland Jedward "Lipstick" 119 8
7 Sweden Eric Saade "Popular" 185 3
8 Estonia Getter Jaani "Rockefeller Street" 44 24
9 Greece Loukas Yorkas feat. Stereo Mike "Watch My Dance" 120 7
10 Russia Alexey Vorobyov "Get You" 77 16
11 France Amaury Vassili "Sognu" 82 15
12 Italy Raphael Gualazzi "Madness of Love" 189 2
13 Switzerland Anna Rossinelli "In Love for a While" 19 25
14 United Kingdom Blue "I Can" 100 11
15 Moldova Zdob și Zdub "So Lucky" 97 12
16 Germany Lena "Taken by a Stranger" 107 10
17 Romania Hotel FM "Change" 77 17
18 Austria Nadine Beiler "The Secret Is Love" 64 18
19 Azerbaijan Ell & Nikki "Running Scared" 221 1
20 Slovenia Maja Keuc "No One" 96 13
21 Iceland Sjonni's Friends "Coming Home" 61 20
22 Spain Lucía Pérez "Que me quiten lo bailao" 50 23
23 Ukraine Mika Newton "Angel" 159 4
24 Serbia Nina "Čaroban" 85 14
25 Georgia Eldrine "One More Day" 110 9