The upcoming Opening Ceremony, to be held on July 26, is the first time in the history of the Olympic Games that the opening festivities will not be held in a stadium. The French capital, Paris, will be transformed into a grand stadium and theater, and athletes will be paraded in boats along the Seine River, passing some of Paris' most iconic landmarks along the way.
Here's everything you need to know about the Opening Ceremony, so let's count down the days until the much-anticipated event.
When will the Opening Ceremony take place?
The Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will take place on Friday, July 26th.
The Opening Ceremony starts at 19:30 CET and lasts over three hours in total.
Why is this opening session historic?
Paris 2024 will be the first time in the history of the Summer Olympics that the Opening Ceremony will be held outside the stadium.
Instead of the traditional entry of athletes along the track, this Opening Ceremony will see athletes meet spectators along the river that runs through the center of Paris.
With the Seine, the lifeblood of Paris, as the stage, the athletes will parade slowly, with the quays on both sides of the river as spectator seating, mirroring the ancient urban fabric and landmarks, and painting a magnificent picture together in the golden light of the setting sun.
This outdoor concept also makes the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics the largest in terms of audience size and geographic coverage.
What is the parade route?
The parade route along the Seine River is a visual feast through the history and architecture of Paris.
The parade will travel 6 kilometers from east to west along the Seine, starting at the Pont d'Austerlitz near the Paris Botanical Gardens and passing several historic bridges and landmarks, such as Notre Dame and the Louvre, as well as Olympic venues scattered throughout the heart of the city including the Cour d'Invalides and the Grand Palais in Paris.
Each national or regional delegation will travel on the same boat, with the final destination of the Trocadero Square - located across from the Eiffel Tower - where official ceremonies will continue before the main Olympic torch stand is lit and the Paris 2024 Games are declared officially Opening.
How many athletes will participate?
The organizing committee will use nearly 100 boats to carry about 10,500 athletes on a cruise down the Seine. For the 206 National and Regional Olympic Committees (NOCs) taking part in the parade, the larger NOCs will have their own boats, while the smaller NOCs will share boats.
An entertainment show to look forward to?
French theater director and actor Thomas Joly will be the artistic director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
While most of the performances are still being kept under wraps, based on the clues so far, we can expect a spectacular show on a grand scale, blending classical and modern elements. In a January press interview, Joly said he wanted to bring together all the elements that represent France's diverse cultures, whether it be opera or rap, to showcase the country's cultural diversity.
Thanks to the efforts of opening and closing ceremony choreographer Maud Lepradek, there will be dance performances on every bridge along the parade route. Le Pradek will lead 400 dancers in the show, while the number of performers involved in the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics will reach 3,000.
French TV presenter Daphne Bourget will be the costume director for the opening and closing ceremonies, and his team includes hundreds of people, consisting of tailors, hairstylists and makeup artists. Bürki focuses on the concept of sustainability, so the opening and closing ceremonies will include both old or remodeled costumes and newly made ones.
What are the different ways to watch the opening ceremony?
Nearly 600,000 people are expected to be able to watch the Opening Ceremony in person. In line with the motto “A more open Olympics”, the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee is aiming to involve as many people as possible, so the Opening Ceremony has been moved outside of the traditional stadiums.
In addition to the 104,000 paid tickets on the downstream piers, 222,000 free tickets will be available for spectators to watch the parade on the banks of the upper Seine. For the first time in history, the majority of spectators were able to watch the Opening Ceremony without having to pay for a ticket, marking another historic milestone for Paris 2024.
With 80 giant screens laid out across Paris, those who didn't snag a ticket will be able to watch the opening ceremony on the big screen.
A further 1.5 billion people worldwide are expected to watch the opening ceremony via the television broadcast.
Article source: Olympics