The Rio Olympics opening ceremony: A viewer's guide

We know for sure there will be a flag, an oath, and anthem, and a flame

Brazilian designer Glauber Penha takes part in the Olympic Flame torch relay.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Bruno Kelly)

Friday night brings the spectacle that is the Olympics' opening ceremony, and if the past serves as any indicator, there's sure to be a memorable gaffe, greatest hit, or both. Remember the parachuting pair of James Bond and Queen Elizabeth II from London in 2012? Perhaps you'd rather not recall the plight of the doves in Seoul in 1988.

The artistic program typically showcases the host nation's traditions and heritage, but this year's pageantry remains mostly under wraps (though word has it supermodel Gisele Bundchen will be strutting into Maracaña Stadium to the tune of "The Girl from Ipanema"). Still, viewers can count on seeing a number of traditional elements, from the parade of nations to the raising of the Olympic flag. Read on for a guide to what's on tap and their historic origins. The show begins in Rio at 7 p.m., though NBC is delaying coverage by an hour.

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Alexis Boncy is special projects editor for The Week and TheWeek.com. Previously she was the managing editor for the alumni magazine Columbia College Today. She has an M.F.A. from Columbia University's School of the Arts and a B.A. from the University of Virginia.