See the Most Spectacular Olympic Opening Ceremonies Photos ~ ANDY AMAG

See the Most Spectacular Olympic Opening Ceremonies Photos Lydia Price, Stephanie SengweFebruary 3, 2026 at 9:52 AM 0 Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 FrançoisXavier MaritPool/Getty The winter Olympics are days away from kicking off in Milan, and as the athletes gear up for competition, there's another group of superstars working behind the scenes to pull off yet another dazzling Opening Ceremony. A tradition that has been part of the games for decades, the Opening Ceremonies always show the best of what each country has to offer.

- - See the Most Spectacular Olympic Opening Ceremonies Photos

Lydia Price, Stephanie SengweFebruary 3, 2026 at 9:52 AM

Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024

François-Xavier Marit-Pool/Getty

The winter Olympics are days away from kicking off in Milan, and as the athletes gear up for competition, there's another group of superstars working behind the scenes to pull off yet another dazzling Opening Ceremony.

A tradition that has been part of the games for decades, the Opening Ceremonies always show the best of what each country has to offer. From performances by megastars representing the host country (everyone from Celine Dion to the Spice Girls!) to culturally significant dances, and, of course, awe-inspiring fireworks displays, the event is always so grand, one can argue it can be a sport in itself.

With the Milan Cortina winter Olympics officially kicking off Friday (live coverage will begin at 2 p.m. EST, with the primetime event starting at 8 p.m. on NBC and Peacock), look back at some of the spectacular photos from past Olympic Opening Ceremonies.

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Paris, 2024

Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024

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For the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team France showed some hometown pride, with a presentation of colorful smoke that resembled the country's flag billowing over Pont d'Austerlitz during the opening ceremony.

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Paris, 2024

Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024

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Later that night, the Eiffel Tower shone brightly as the Olympic flag was raised at the Place du Trocadero.

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Beijing, 2022

Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics 2022

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The winter Olympics in 2022 were held in Beijing and featured this striking fireworks display shaped like the Olympic Rings for the opening ceremonies.

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Tokyo, 2021

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The long-delayed Tokyo Summer Games started with a literal bang, in a dazzling event entitled "United by Emotion." Though there weren't spectators in the Olympic stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at-home viewers were treated to a ceremony that included many nods to Japanese tradition and moving moments with former and current Olympians. COVID-19 also took center stage, with some segments of the event meant to represent the isolation of the pandemic, and tributes to healthcare workers throughout.

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Tokyo, 2021

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The opening ceremony also highlighted a unique part of Japan's history and culture, with a group of tap dancers performing a traditional work song called the "Kiyari Uta," dressed as carpenters.

The song was performed by members of the Edo Firemanship Preservation Association, which is a group that keeps firefighting traditions alive.

It all culminated in a gorgeous set of Olympic rings, made from the lumber of trees that grew from seeds athletes brought from their home countries to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

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Pyeongchang, 2018

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The colorful, culture-filled ceremony featured a group of young kids who appeared to embark on a journey through South Korea's rugged mountains with Pyeongchang's official Olympic mascot, Soohorang, a white tiger who serves as a sign of protection.

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Pyeongchang, 2018

In a moving performance, a group of singers voiced John Lennon's "Imagine" surrounded by performers joining, lights in hand, to create a single, large dove. The stunning display drew gasps from the audience, as the performers moved from creating two doves to joinging together to create one bird around the performers.

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Rio de Janeiro, 2016

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The ceremony celebrated Brazil's history — all of it. In its charting of the nation's rich cultural history, the ceremony began at the very beginning of time, with dancers in silver representing the amoebas who evolved to bring us life. Brazil's most famous supermodel, Gisele Bündchen, also took a nice long runway walk.

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Rio de Janeiro, 2016

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Also in the Rio opening ceremony: a giant, stadium-wide dance party, the introduction of the Olympics' first refugee team and an exploration of Brazilian industry and culture.

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Sochi, 2014