The opening ceremony for the Olympics typically runs around 3 to 4 hours, depending on the edition of the Games and the program the host city has planned.

Quick Scoop

  • For Paris 2024, the opening ceremony began at 19:30 local time and wrapped up around 23:30, so just under 4 hours.
  • Organizers and news outlets had indicated in advance that the Paris river-based ceremony on the Seine would “last nearly four hours,” mainly because of the long athlete parade by boat.
  • In general, modern Summer Games opening ceremonies are designed as large artistic shows plus the formal protocol (speeches, oaths, cauldron lighting), which naturally pushes them into the 3–4 hour range.
  • Broadcasters often tell viewers to set aside most of an evening or afternoon if they want to watch the whole thing live, and some coverage can extend even longer with pre‑ and post‑show segments.

So if you’re planning a watch party, it’s safe to assume you’ll be sitting there for about three to four hours from start to finish.

TL;DR: The Olympics opening ceremony usually lasts about 3–4 hours, with Paris 2024 running just under 4 hours from official start to finish.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.