A Look at The 2024 Olympic Closing Ceremony
The 2024 Summer Olympics are winding down with only one more full day of competition on the schedule. With that in mind, many people around the world are already wondering what to expect from the closing ceremony.
The opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics certainly gained a lot of attention, thanks in large part to a controversial part of the ceremony that depicted the Last Supper.
While event organizers and those who planned the opening ceremony have been on the receiving end of lots of backlash, it’s worth remembering that there’s still a closing ceremony on the schedule.
When was the closing ceremony, and what did we expect to see? Did we see any more controversy like we witnessed in the opening ceremony, or did event organizers scale things back a bit?
When Was the Olympic Closing Ceremony?
The Olympic closing ceremony is slated to kick off at 2 PM EST on Sunday, August 11, 2024. Because of the time difference, the ceremony took place during prime time in Paris, France, the host city of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
For locals, the event was scheduled for 9 PM CEST. Those in the central time zone could expect the ceremony to start at 1 PM, mountain time zone residents can watch the closing ceremony at noon, while those in the Pacific time zone will get the closing ceremony at 11 AM.
The parade of flags and athletes officially kicked off the closing ceremony. While we didn't know all of the plans for the event, the closing ceremony of the 2020 Olympics, which was actually held in 2021, lasted around three hours.
Remember, the last Summer Olympics was pushed back an entire year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
With this in mind, it’s possible that organizers in Tokyo, Japan scaled back to ceremony because of the restrictions that were still in place. It’s possible that event organizers in Paris opted for a longer, more elaborate ceremony following the iteration of the event that was largely altered by the pandemic.
Were There Any Competitions on August 11?
The closing ceremony isn’t the only thing that you could watch on Sunday. If you’re a devout fan of the Olympics, you may be upset to know that the Games are coming to an end. There were still several competitions that took place on Sunday. These include:
• Women’s basketball gold medal game
• Women’s basketball bronze medal game
• Women’s marathon
• Women’s cycling
• Men’s cycling
• Men’s handball gold medal game
• Men’s handball bronze medal game
• Women’s modern pentathlon
• Women’s volleyball gold medal game
• Men’s water polo gold medal game
• Men’s water polo bronze medal game
• Men’s water polo classification match
• Women’s weightlifting
• Wrestling
With so many events taking place on August 11, you hopefully were able to get your fill of the Olympics before the Games wrap up. The Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles, California in 2028, while the Winter Olympics are less than two years away, slated to take place in February 2026 across Italy.
Did the Closing Ceremony Have Entertainment?
The first closing ceremony took place during the 1896 Olympics, the first of the modern era, which was held in Greece as a way to pay homage to the Games’ history.
However, most Olympic historians say that the closing ceremony for that version of the Olympics was quite boring. That’s certainly not the case anymore.
Today, host cities spend a great deal of time, money, and energy to ensure that the closing ceremony is just as grand as every other facet of the Games.
Thomas Jolly, a visual artist, was largely responsible for the events that will make up the closing ceremony.
While the closing ceremony included traditional elements like the parade of athletes, the parade of flags, and a ceremonial transfer of the Olympic flag from Paris to Los Angeles, Jolly is responsible for putting together what he calls “an immersive experience” that’s designed to “will take over the Stade de France.”
There were more than 100 entertainers there, including singers, circus performers, dancers, acrobats, and more.
The Stade de France’s stage featured an elaborate, massive set design that incorporates countless lights, while performers had costumes that Jolly claimed would take spectators on an Olympic journey that spans time, going from the past and into the future.
Jolly gave the closing ceremony a name, “Records.” However, it was a bit cryptic, which was undoubtedly an intentional move to keep everyone guessing. Jolly had been working on this closing ceremony for years, designing every detail, so it’s no wonder that he wants to save as much of it for its grand reveal as possible.
As is always the case, we did know that live music would be a huge part of the celebration. Some aspects of the musical performances had already been announced.
Since the Games are heading to Los Angeles for 2028, the plans call for some LA-based performers to be on stage. Variety had reported that Snoop Dogg, who has been a mainstay at the Olympics this year, often being pictured with American athletes, would be performing. Alongside the rap icon, we’re expected to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Billie Eilish, both of whom have personal ties to Los Angeles.
In previous Olympic closing ceremonies, performers have also had direct ties to the country hosting the Games that year.
For instance, several years ago during the closing ceremony for the London Olympics, fans were treated to an unexpected Spice Girls reunion, which thrilled the hearts of 90s kids everywhere. For the Sydney Olympics, Kylie Minogue performed during the closing ceremony and covered ABBA’s smash hit, “Dancing Queen.
As a nod to Los Angeles, it was also widely reported that Tom Cruise is going to play a major role in the closing ceremony, but no one (other than Jolly and the world-class team that he surrounded himself with) was exactly sure what that was going to look like.
Jolly, who is world-renowned for his creative genius, had promised to put together a show that honors the Olympics’ rich history, highlights the present by paying homage to Paris and the wonderful job that the city has done hosting the games, while also building excitement for the future, starting with the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
How Can I Watch the Closing Ceremony Now?
The closing ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics was on NBC and streaming on Peacock. It will also be replaying for anyone who missed it.
This was great news for those who have had to be a bit creative while watching the Games this year, with so many of the events being broadcast on NBC’s cable partners such as E!, USA, and CNBC.
While the Olympics are consistently the biggest sporting event in the world, even those who don’t enjoy the sports themselves can appreciate the pageantry. That pageantry is never more evident than during the opening and closing ceremonies. This year promised to be no different.