After four long years of waiting for its return, the 2016 Summer Olympic Games are upon us and will be taking place in Rio de Janeiro. But before the competition gets into full swing, there is one major spectacle eager fans have to look forward to: the 2016 Olympics Opening Ceremony, which will take place on Friday, Aug. 5. This event is easily one of the most highly anticipated moments of the Games and really helps to kick the process into full gear. However, considering how long the opening ceremony for the Olympics tends to be some years, many of you may eventually find yourselves wondering when it will be over — not because you're bored by any means, but just because it really does go on for quite a while.
According to TVGuide.com, the festivities kick off at 7:30 p.m. (ET) and won't come to a close until midnight, 12 a.m. (ET). That's four and a half hours total, so if you're planning on watching the entire thing from start to finish, then you definitely want to have some snacks and comfy clothes handy. (In other words, your usual Netflix marathoning attire.) And I highly suggest that you do tune in for the whole ceremony because regardless of how long it is, this event is well worth your time — and here's why...
There Will Be Celebrity Appearances
Model Gisele Bundchen will be showcased throughout the event reportedly as the Girl of Ipanema while the ever recognizable Ryan Seacrest, Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira and Hoda Kotb will also be reporting minute to minute coverage of all the excitement taking place. Not to mention that you'll also get a chance to see the athletes themselves before they gear up for their respective competitions that have been four years in the making.
It Will Showcase Brazilian Culture
According to The Latin Post, Brazilian stars Gilberto Gil, CaetanoVeloso, Paulinho da Viola, Jorge Ben Jor, and Luiz Melodia will all be performing in the opening ceremony that will be reflective of Rio's culture apart from just the traditional Parade Of Nations. This will give viewers from all across the world a chance to learn and admire a way of life that differs from their own, which should be really interesting and a whole lot of fun.
The Fireworks
No patriotic event would be complete without an outstanding fireworks display and no event does it better than the Olympics. Nothing will fill you with a better sense of patriotism and pride than watching all the competing athletes look to the sky in admiration of such a stunning spectacle. Sure, they'll be battling against each other in the coming days, but in this one moment we're all feeling the same thing. Eat your heart out, Fourth of July fireworks!
The Surprises
The great thing about the Olympics is that you never know what kind of surprises each ceremony may have in store. There's only a limited amount of information out there as to what exactly will take place during the big opening, so we may be in for a few surprise performances or guest appearances that've been kept under wraps.
The point is, you can never be too sure what's going to happen during such a monumental event. This is history in the making, my friends, and if I were you, I wouldn't want to miss a moment of the action.
Images: Giphy (2)
