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The closing ceremony was held on August 29, 2004 at the Olympic Stadium. "These were unforgettable, dream Games," said IOC president Jacques Rogge in his speech, addressing the 70,000 people present in the ceremony.
"Let's Party!" was the theme of the closing ceremony. Numerous Aussie personalities paraded in floats and various artists performed, including Kylie Minogue and INXS. Sydney Harbour was lit up with fireworks at the end of the ceremony.
The theme of the closing ceremony was "An American Day of Inspiration." Around 600 children sang Celine Dion's 'The Power of the Dream.' Boyz II Men performed the US national anthem and many other artists performed in the ceremony, including Stevie Wonder.
The Brits put on a three-hour show for the closing ceremony. The Spice Girls were among the many artists who performed during the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. Other artists also featured in the ceremony, including The Who, Rihanna, Take That, Jessie J, George Michael, and many others.
Maracanã Stadium was the stage for the closing ceremony, where a number of samba anthems could be heard. The show also featured a carnival grand finale in typical Rio de Janeiro style with samba schools.
Representatives of 172 countries paraded around the stadium. Fireworks also marked the end of the XXV Olympiad on August 9, 1992 in Barcelona, Spain.
Flag bearers of 159 countries paraded during the closing ceremony of the Games on October 1, 1988 at the Seoul Olympic Stadium in Seoul, South Korea.
Who better than Lionel Richie to close the Olympics? The singer performed his song 'All Night Long' during the closing ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on August 12, 1984.
The closing ceremony was supposed to have 500 First Nations people leading the athletes, but the organizers only managed to find 250. As the Montreal Gazette describes it, "in a ploy that reeked of Hollywood insensitivity and 19th-century minstrel shows, the ranks were filled with white people made up to look like aboriginals."
A Bavarian traditional band can be seen parading during the closing ceremony of the Munich Olympics on September 11, 1972.
The US (the host nation of the following Olympics) were then boycotting the Soviets, and this reflected in the closing ceremony. The flag of Los Angeles was raised instead of the flag of the US, and the Olympic Hymn was played instead of the US national anthem.
Mexico 1968 were the first Olympic Games broadcast in color, including the closing ceremony. A sign of "Munich 72" can be seen, which refers to the following Games, held in Munich, Germany, in 1972.
The closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games was marked by an unprecedented event. In October 24, 1964, the independence of Zambia was declared, making it the only nation to enter the competition as one country (Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland) and leave as another (Republic of Zambia).
The closing ceremony of the 1952 Olympic Games took place at Helsinki Stadium on August 5. This was the year the Soviet Union made its Olympic debut.
The Hungarian team can be seen parading during the closing ceremony for the 1956 Summer Olympics, at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, in December 8, 1956.
Spectators can be seen holding torches during the closing ceremony of the Olympics on September 12, 1960 in Rome, Italy.
IOC President Siegfried Edstroem waves the Olympic flag, as a group of fanfare trumpeters can be seen in the foreground. The closing ceremony took place in August 14, 1948 at London's Wembley Stadium.
A dome of light can be seen above the Olympiastadion during the closing ceremony of the Olympics in Berlin, Germany, on August 16, 1936.
Athletes receive their awards during the closing ceremony of the London Olympics, on July 25, 1908.
President of the IOC, Count Henri de Baillet- Latour, center, hands out the Olympic flag to John Clinton Porter, right, Mayor of Los Angeles on August 24, 1932 in Los Angeles, California. Both the opening and closing ceremonies took place at the Olympic Stadium.
Directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, the closing ceremony featured impressive fireworks. The ceremony included performances by Chinese artists, as well as former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, and singers Leona Lewis and Placido Domingo.
The closing ceremony was held in Lysgårdsbakken in Lillehammer, Norway on February 27, 1994. Spectators held flashlights with the inscription "Remember Sarajevo." The Bosnian War was underway and the host of the 1984 Winter Olympics was at the heart of it.
The highlight of the closing ceremony was a perfomance by the rock band Kiss, who played their hit song 'Rock and Roll All Nite.'
The closing ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France, on February 23, 1992.
Numerous performers, such as this acrobat on a snowboard, put on a show at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. Singer Ricky Martin performed at the end of the ceremony in Turin.
The closing ceremony of the Sarajevo Games was held indoors, in the Zetra Ice Hall (a figure skating venue) on February 19, 1984 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Pictured is Howdy, the official mascot of the Games. It would not be until 2010 that another closing ceremony would be held indoors (in Vancouver, Canada).
Following a traditional lion dance to the beat of hundreds of drums, fireworks illuminated the sky while Japanese pop group Agharta performed.
The closing ceremony celebrated several aspects of Canadian culture, including a parade with performers dressed as Royal Canadian Mounted Police pulling inflatable "Mounties." Canadian artists, including Michael Bublé and Neil Young, also performed during the closing ceremony.
The 2014 Winter Olympics closing ceremony was held at Fisht Olympic Stadium on February 23, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. The Sochi closing ceremony featured a tribute to Russian ballet, art, and literature.
"The Next Wave" was the theme of the closing ceremony, which celebrated the "human spirit of perseverance." It included a number of performances by South Korean artists, as well as Dutch DJ Martin Garrix.
Olympic opening ceremonies are indeed some of the most iconic moments of the Games, but closing ceremonies can be equally spectacular. The ceremony usually includes the handover of the Olympic flag to the next host nation, and, of course, a parade of flag bearers representing each participating nation. To top it all off, we have amazing performances, fireworks, and a huge party. However, the most recent Tokyo Olympics had to skip the party due to covid-19 restrictions... It was certainly one of the strangest Olympic games we've ever seen.
Browse through the following gallery and learn more about the Olympic closing ceremonies throughout history.
The closing ceremony of the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics included incredible light shows, musical performances, and fireworks. However, it was one of the stranger ceremonies in history as the stadium was practically empty and there were fewer athletes than ever. Many had already returned home shortly after their events due to the pandemic-related regulations. The torch was handed over to the representatives of Paris, the next city to host the games.
Sources: (Olympics) (Montreal Gazette)
See also: Olympic uniforms through the years
Memorable Olympic closing ceremonies
From iconic performances to spectacular fireworks
LIFESTYLE Olympic games
Olympic opening ceremonies are indeed some of the most iconic moments of the Games, but closing ceremonies can be equally spectacular. The ceremony usually includes the handover of the Olympic flag to the next host nation, and, of course, a parade of flag bearers representing each participating nation. To top it all off, we have amazing performances, fireworks, and a huge party. However, the most recent Tokyo Olympics had to skip the party due to covid-19 restrictions... It was certainly one of the strangest Olympic games we've ever seen.
Browse through the following gallery and learn more about the Olympic closing ceremonies throughout history.