2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics took place on 26 July 2024 across Paris, beginning at 19:30 CEST. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings included an artistic program showcasing the culture of the host country and city, the parade of athletes and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. The Games were formally opened by the president of France, Emmanuel Macron. The ceremony marked the 130th anniversary of the International Olympic Committee, the centenary of the 1924 Summer and Winter Olympics in France, and the 235th anniversary of the French Revolution. Directed by Thomas Jolly, the opening ceremony was held outside of a stadium for the first time in modern Olympic history. Athletes were paraded by boat along the Seine to a temporary venue at the Jardins du Trocadéro, where the official protocols took place. The parade was interspersed with the artistic programme, which was divided into twelve acts reflecting the culture of France and its history, and took place at Paris landmarks such as Notre-Dame, Conciergerie, Musée d'Orsay, and the Eiffel Tower. The ceremony featured musical performances by French musicians such as Gojira, Aya Nakamura, Philippe Katerine, and Juliette Armanet, and international musicians Lady Gaga and Céline Dion.