Paris 2024, Summer Olympics opening ceremony: all the essential information you need

Opening Ceremony of Summer Olympics 2024 in Paris

The opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Paris will cause an Olympic frenzy in the capital. This excitement will last for more than 15 days and take over daily life. The goal is to defy expectations and norms by planning the biggest Olympic ceremony in history. This historic event will not only take place in a stadium but also traverse the entire city. The play, which is being directed by creative outsider Thomas Jolly, seems to be a true experience. Let’s take it step by step.

The opening ceremony date of the Summer Olympics

The date of the opening ceremony is July 26, 2024.

Commencing time of summer Olympics

The ceremony begins at 8.24 p.m. CEST, or 20.24 if you’re using the 24-hour clock. Take note of what they did there. That is 7.24 p.m. BST in the UK, 1.24 p.m. CDT and 11.24 p.m. PDT for viewers in the US.

The ceremony will held outside a stadium

Most likely not where you anticipated. The opening ceremony for Paris 2024 will happen outside, by the Seine River’s banks and even in its waters. The opening ceremony will not be held in a stadium for the first time in the Summer Olympics history. This significantly expands the possible seating capacity.

A ceremony on the river

The spectator path begins at a Seine river bridge and stretches six kilometers. It ends at the Trocadéro, which is located across from the Eiffel Tower. Indeed, it will be ambitious.

At dusk, the celebration starts on the Seine River. On boats arranged by nations, about 10,500 athletes from various national delegations will assemble. The Greeks will lead the route, following tradition, and begin the trek from the Pont d’Austerlitz to the Pont d’Iéna. The 116 boats and their occupants will arrive at the Trocadéro esplanade. They will face the Eiffel Tower for a spectacular finale. 11:50 p.m. is the scheduled starting time for this segment. The French boat, the final vessel in the convoy, is due to arrive at this time.

A public celebration that many people can attend

An inclusive ceremony is the first of its kind. With 80 enormous screens, everyone will be able to see the show. With well-placed speakers, the enchanted ambiance of the show will reverberate around the French city. The biggest opening ceremony in Olympic history will take place in Paris in 2024. Everyone is welcome to attend. This includes locals from Paris and the surrounding areas. It also includes tourists from France and the globe.

There had been an initial mention of 600,000 spectators. However, for safety and logistical reasons, particularly the city’s transport system, organizers have reduced the number to 300,000.

A ceremony created by and for athletics

The ceremony’s athletes will be its center and essence. Breaking with precedent, Paris 2024 opens with an athletes’ parade. Before the ceremony, athletes will be showcased on stage. They will also be showcased during the ceremony. Paris 2024’s ongoing goal is to host Games designed with athletes in mind.

In charge of the inaugural event

The creative director of the many ceremonies happening during Paris 2024 will be none other than the renowned stage director Thomas Jolly. Shakespearean epics and their tragic and grotesque qualities have long captivated Jolly, the seasoned artist responsible for the success of the revived musical “Starmania,” among many other critically praised plays and operas. Jolly has also demonstrated his capacity to bring fresh life to classic literature. Despite the ambitious magnitude of the endeavor, he has surrounded himself with writers and historians to help him write the opening ceremony to restore the event’s “simplicity.”

The theme song for the Summer Olympics

Victor Le Manse’s “Parade” serves as the official theme music. The Orchestre National de France recorded and played the song at the Olympic Flame’s arrival in Marseille on May 8.

Stage performances

The event is expected to be a multifaceted extravaganza that combines dance, theatre, circus acts, and opera. The event will break up into different parts that intertwine with various narratives. One of these tales will center on the ever-captivating capital of France, with its plethora of famous landmarks brought to life along the way. Not only that, but the director has added anecdotes of individuals who work and live by the river, adding a little bit of regional flavor to the program.

Tickets for the ceremony

In May, sellers offered for sale 100,000 tickets with prices ranging from €90 to an incredible €2,700. Individuals who had registered and been chosen by lottery could only purchase tickets matching seating zones arranged around the Trocadéro and along the lower quays of the Seine.
There was another opportunity to obtain a complimentary ticket for the seating sections arranged along the upper quays of the Seine if you were unable to obtain one of the 100,000 first-release tickets for the Paris 2024 opening ceremony. Of course, if you are unable to attend the ceremony in person, you can always watch the entire event on television on large screens located across the city.

Watch the webcast of the opening ceremony

There will be a dedicated Olympic streaming channel where you may watch free live and archived events. The games will be broadcast on France.tv, and the BBC website and iPlayer in the UK will offer live and on-demand coverage. NBC and Peacock will also televise the opening ceremony.