Here's how to watch the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

The summer can be a bit of a downtime in the sports calendar. Baseball and the WNBA are still humming along, but the NFL, NBA, and NHL are all in the midst of their respective offseasons. College football and basketball is still far off, and even the Premier League is weeks away from beginning.

It's lucky then, that the Olympics are set to officially begin. For the next two-and-a-half weeks, Paris, France will host the greatest athletes from around the world in over 300 events across 32 sports. Fan favorites such as basketball, soccer, and track & field will be contested, as well as newer sports like breaking, sport climbing, and skateboarding.

The competition for medals will undoubtedly be intense, but for pure spectacle, there's no better way to get in the Olympic spirit than to watch the Opening Ceremony. Paris has a feast for the eyes planned that is unlike any Opening Ceremony in Olympic history. It will be the first of its kind to take place outside a stadium, as boats containing thousands of athletes (including U.S. flag bearers LeBron James and Coco Gauff) will embark on a parade down the Seine River in a celebration of the Olympic spirit.

The six-kilometer parade route will begin at the Pont d'Austerlitz and conclude with the Olympic torch being lit at the Trocadero, which is known for having some of the most spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower. The parade will pass by many of the venues that will be used in competition and will be open to all spectators, which will undoubtedly produce a record-setting attendance figure. How can viewers at home enjoy the festivities, though? For that, we've got you covered with our handy viewing guide.

How to watch the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

As in years past, NBC has the U.S. television rights for the Olympic Games, which means that viewers can find the Opening Ceremony and subsequent events on NBC and its affiliated platforms, including the Peacock streaming app, NBC.com, NBCOlympics.com, the NBC app, and the NBC Olympics app.

What time does the Olympics Opening Ceremony start?

NBC's coverage of this spectacular event will begin with a pre-show at 12 p.m. ET on Friday. Many NBC personalities will be on hand to broadcast the proceedings, including Mike Tirico, Peyton Manning, Kelly Clarkson, Maria Taylor, Savannah Guthrie, and Hoda Kotb.

The Opening Ceremony itself will then begin at 1:30 p.m. and is estimated to last roughly three hours. In addition to the parade itself, French President Emmanuel Macron will make an address welcoming the world to the Games. Celine Dion and Lady Gaga are also expected to perform during the event.

Olympic fans that aren't able to catch the broadcast live during the day will have another chance later that night, as NBC will be re-airing the Opening Ceremony with additional content at 7:30 p.m.