Guide Note

The Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Summer Olympics began at 8:08:08 p.m. China Standard Time on August 8, 2008. It was held at Beijing National Stadium in Beijing, China.

The ceremony included traditional cultural Chinese performances, a fireworks display and concerts by musicians. It also featured a parade of competing athletes. Numerous world leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda attended.

Fast Facts

1. Date: August 8, 2008
2. Time: 8:08:08 p.m. China Standard Time (8:08:08 a.m. Eastern Standard Time)
3. Location: Beijing National Stadium in Beijing, China
4. Length: Three-and-a-half hours¹
5. Director: Zhang Yimou
6. Ceremony will not be televised live in the United States
7. The taped performance broadcast on NBC on August 8 at 8 p.m. EST
8. Performers: Celine Dion, Jay Chou, A-One^{2 3 4}

Several world leaders and teams have publicly announced their boycott of the Opening Ceremony, citing concerns of air quality in Beijing, human rights policies, censorship in China and the control of Tibet. Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Poland will not send representatives to the ceremony.⁵ Steven Spielberg, who was originally slated to be an adviser for the ceremony, has also announced his boycott, citing the crisis in Darfur.⁶

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