Everything you need to know about the Paris Olympics opening ceremony

PARIS (AP) — The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics is scheduled for Friday.

Instead of the traditional route to the stadium, some 10,500 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats over a 6km route on the Seine. Contrary to tradition, this will be the start of the ceremony, not the end.

When does the opening ceremony start?

The ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 pm local time (1700 GMT) and is expected to last more than three hours.

Where will the opening ceremony be held?

The parade starts at the Pont d’Austerlitz next to the Jardin des Plantes and continues along the Seine from east to west. It circles two islands in the center of Paris before passing over several bridges and canals. Athletes on board will be able to see several Olympic venues, such as the Parc de la Concorde (3X3 basketball, cross-country, freestyle BMX, skateboarding), the Invalides (archery, marathon finish line, road cycling and time trial start) and the Grand Palais (fencing and taekwondo). The parade ends at the Pont d’Iène, which connects the Eiffel Tower on the left bank of the Seine to the Trocadero neighborhood on the right bank. The final part of the parade will take place at the Place de Trocadero. French President Emmanuel Macron will declare the Games open, among other ceremonies.

How to see it in Paris?

Around 220,000 spectators are expected to be invited and, under strict safety measures, fill viewing points along the upper Seine, while a further 104,000 will watch in the lower Seine basin and in the square near the Trocadero.

Those who are in Paris but cannot buy tickets can watch the ceremony on 80 giant screens installed in different parts of the city.

Who will perform at the inauguration?

In addition to the participants in the parade, another 3,000 dancers, artists and athletes will take part in the opening and closing ceremonies. Most of the acts remain a mystery. NBC News reported that Celine Dion and Lady Gaga arrived in Paris, leading to speculation that the two singers will perform at the opening ceremony.

What if it rains?

Since there is no roof over the Seine, participants may end up getting wet.

According to the weather forecast, there is a small chance of rain. The French meteorological agency predicts that from noon, the sky will be cloudy and there will be drizzle in the morning. The weather will improve in the afternoon, but there is a warning on Thursday that rain may fall in the Paris area overnight.

If it rains, the ceremony will go on as planned.