Paris all set for Olympics opening ceremony with athlete parade taking place on boats along River Seine

This will be the first Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games to be held outside a stadium, and Paris is set to turn into a massive stadium and theater, with the athlete parade taking place on boats along the Seine and passing several iconic Parisian landmarks, as per Olympics.com.

In the opening athlete parade, more than 10,000 athletes will travel on about 100 boats along River Seine, passing by iconic Parisian landmarks, including Notre Dame, Pont des Arts, and Pont Neuf, while the floating parade will depart from the Austerlitz bridge beside the Jardin des Plantes and end at the Trocadéro, according to Olympics.com website.

Mint reported that as many as 500,000 people are expected to watch the opening ceremony in person from newly constructed stands, with ticket prices reaching up to 2,700 euros (Rs 2.45 lakhs), while others will view for free from the riverbanks and nearby balconies or apartments.

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According to a report by AFP, the opening ceremony is likely to be divided into 12 segments, featuring approximately 3,000 dancers, singers, and performers positioned along both banks of the river, on the bridges, and on nearby monuments.

The opening show is expected to last more than three hours, as per reports.

At the Olympics opening ceremony, Indian men will take part wearing kurta bundi sets while women are expected to wear sarees, both reflecting the colors of India's flag.

The outfits, which are designed by Tarun Tahiliani, feature traditional ikat-inspired prints and Banarasi brocade, as per reports.

Though the Olympics opening ceremony's lineup of performers has been kept under wraps, some media reports suggest that Singer-songwriter and actor Lady Gaga and Celine Dion performed furing the show.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach delivered the message of hope in the Olympics 2024's opening ceremony on Friday (July 26) as persistent rain failed to ruin excitement of the never-seen-before Paris parade.

"I invite everybody: Dream with us. Like the Olympic athletes, be inspired with the joy that only sport can give us. Let us celebrate this Olympic spirit of living life in peace, as the one and only humankind, united in all our diversity," Thomas Bach said.