Friday marked the official start of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. The opening ceremony started at 8 p.m. in China, or 7 a.m. Eastern time.
The ceremony, which ran a little more than two hours, took place in Beijing’s National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest. The Bird’s Nest also hosted the opening ceremony for the 2008 Summer Games.
Friday’s events featured the parade of nations with all 91 delegations, a laser show, fireworks, and, of course, the lighting of the flame.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was in attendance, joined by many international dignitaries, notably including Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Leaders of some major democratic powers, however, were absent, including leaders from Great Britain, Australia, Canada and the United States.
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Highlights of the opening ceremony will be rebroadcasted at 8 p.m. by NBC.
Keep scrolling to get a glimpse of the ceremony.
USA’s flag bearers John Shuster and Brittany Bowe lead athletes in the parade of nations during the opening ceremony. (Jewel Samad SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)Performers hold up snowflakes with the names of participating countries — the snowflakes were also used during the parade of nations. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)Thomas Bach, the IOC President and a 1976 Olympic gold medalist in fencing, makes a speech during the ceremony. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)Members of Team United States pose for a photograph during the Opening Ceremony. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)Thomas Bach, IOC president, walks alongside flags of each participating country. (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)As part of the lead up to the parade of nations, performers create a flower display with LED lights to represent the “Beginning of Spring,” the first solar term of the Chinese lunar calendar. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Xi Jinping, President of China, waves during the opening ceremony. (Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)A visual display during the opening ceremony Friday. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)Organizers announced that only “selected” Chinese residents would be allowed at permitted events, but the stands appeared about half full, if not more. (Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)The Chinese national flag is raised during the opening ceremony. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)The delegation from the United States takes part in the parade of athletes during the opening ceremony at the National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest, in Beijing. (Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)Performers walk across the stadium, bringing with them a projection of images on the floor. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)As tradition dictates, the host country enters last in the parade of nations. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Performers skate as part of the creating portion of the opening ceremony. (Antonin Thuillier/AFP via Getty Images)Team Canada arrives during the opening ceremony. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)Greece kicked off the parade of nations with flag bearers Apostolos Angelis and Maria Ntanou of Team Greece leading in the team. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)China’s athletes Dinigeer Yilamujian and Zhao Jiawen wave before lighting the cauldron, which was in the shape of a snowflake. (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)Team United States, with 222 athletes at the Games, walks in during the opening ceremony. Not all athletes were present. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)The athletes from the Czech Republic walk in during the parade of nations. (Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)The creative portions of the ceremony featured LED light displays, both on human performers and on the the floor, as well as homages to several winter sports. (Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)A games volunteer holds a snowflake with the name of France as flag bearers Kevin Rolland and Tessa Worley of Team France lead the delegation into the opening ceremony. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
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