Paris Olympics at a Glance: Snoop Dogg, BTS’ Jin, Kelly Clarkson Among Big Names for the Summer Games

With Paris Olympics around the corner, talent from around the world is coming together to celebrate the XXXIII games with top secret opening ceremony performances. As one of the most ambitious opening ceremony’s in Olympic history, over 200 boats carrying 10,500 athletes down the River Seine marks the first time a ceremony will be held outside a stadium with over 3,000 dancers, musicians, actors and circus performers bringing to life river banks and bridges.

While performances for opening ceremony is top secret, 42-year-old artistic director of Paris Olympics Thomas Jolly had a clear vision in mind charged with delivering the opening and closing ceremonies for this summer’s Olympics and Paralympic. Rumblings of some performances includes R&B star Aya Nakamura to Dua Lipa and Celine Dion — which would make for an epic spectacle. Jolly wanted to ensure the diverse music selection set for the opening ceremony is French-influenced from opera’s Natalie Dessay to rapper Jul and Edith Piaf.

Celebrities from around the world will support the historic games from Snoop Dogg on the front lines to BTS’ oldest member of K-pop group Jin who will be the torchbearer representing South Korea in the torch relay. Peyton Manning, Kelly Clarkson and Mike Tirico will host the opening ceremony for NBCUniversal, while Jimmy Fallon will co-host the closing ceremony. Call Your Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper will also be hosting a series of interactive watch parties for the network.

PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES: KEY DATES

July 24

The Games will begin two days before the Opening Ceremony, starting with one of the most anticipated events: soccer. This date starts the men’s group stage. Gold medal matches are scheduled for Aug. 9 (men) and 10 (women).

July 26

Breaking with tradition, the Opening Ceremony will not take place at a stadium. Athletes will wave to the crowd from boats floating along a roughly 4-mile (6-kilometer) route on the Seine.

July 27

Fourteen gold medals will be up for grabs at the first events following the opening hoopla, including bling for judo and skateboarding.

July 29

Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown holds the six fastest times in the 100-meter backstroke and could very well break her own record.

Aug. 6

Florence Griffith Joyner’s 200m record is in jeopardy. Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson reached the finish line in 21.41 seconds at the world championships in Budapest last year, just .08 of a second from beating Flo-Jo’s 36-year-old mark. Jackson might well save her best for the final.

Aug. 10

The penultimate day of competition happens to include the most gold medal events: 39 — including the men’s basketball championship. You’ll have to plan your TV schedule judiciously because, like Pokémon, you can’t catch them all.

Aug. 11

The Closing Ceremony is set for the Stade de France. Jimmy Fallon will co-host, and Snoop Dogg will provide commentary as he did at the Tokyo 2020 Games. “It’s gonna be me … getting with the athletes, moving through the city, just doing the things Snoop Dogg does,” says the rapper-cum-commentator. Expect hilarity to ensue.

A version of this story first appeared in the July 2024 issue of Los Angeles magazine, on newsstands now; click here to subscribe today.