Lessons for Event Planners from the Paris Olympics: Take Risks, But Have a Plan B

Paris held the first-ever Olympics opening ceremony outside a stadium. Athletes paraded not by foot but by boat, waving flags from pontoons on the Seine.

The four-hour event, which included more than 3,000 musical artists, dancers, actors, and circus performers, was marred by persistent rain, ranging from light showers to intense downpours. The unrelenting weather caused several logistical problems.

Technical difficulties plagued some floats, leading to temporary power outages and interruptions, while elaborate costumes became drenched.

Evan Babins, event manager for global financial technology platform Intuit, noted that a protective structure along the river could have mitigated the impact of the rain on attendees.

“When they decided the opening ceremony would be on the river, they should have planned for weather issues. Tents, a temporary structure, coverage for the cameras so viewers didn’t see raindrops on the lens would have helped,” said Babins.

He adds that more thought should have been put into the fact that this was a hybrid event. “They didn’t connect the in-person audience with those watching virtually,” said Babins.

Several Missteps

The rain was not the only challenge.

In a notable blunder, South Korean athletes were mistakenly announced as representing the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – or North Korea – rather than the Republic of Korea.

International Olympic Committee spokesperson Mark Adams acknowledged the error, stating, “An operational mistake was made. We can only apologize, in an evening of so many moving parts, that this mistake was made.”

In another opening ceremony glitch, the Olympic flag featuring the five rings was hoisted upside down toward the end of the ceremony.

There are some who feel the Olympic opening ceremony drifted away from its “why.” “Was this ceremony designed to honor the athletes? If you ask me, no, not at all,” said Aleksandra Panyukhina, an events marketing executive. “The whole thing was designed for the TV viewers, not the crowds in the streets, so no surprise people didn’t stick around for long.”

Emotional Impact and Olympics Controversy

The ceremony, curated by artistic director Thomas Jolly, stirred emotion, not all positive. 

A tableau depicting the Greek god Dionysus and an ancient festival honoring him was criticized for being a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Drag artists and dancers were featured in the scene.

Jolly defended the tableau. “The Last Supper wasn’t the inspiration behind the scene. Dionysus arrives at the table because he is the Greek God of celebration and that sequence is called “festivity.”

Paris Olympic organizers issued an apology to those who were offended but that wasn’t enough for some.

The French Bishops’ Conference, which represents the country’s Catholic bishops, said in a statement that the scene was a “mockery and derision of Christianity.”

Telecommunications provider C Spire said it was pulling all its advertising from the Olympics as a result of the scene.

Never Easy to Take a Chance

“In today’s polarized world, people are more hypercritical than ever. Planning something on this scale was no easy task. I applaud the event planners for taking a chance,” said Nicola Kastner, founder of The Event Strategist and the CEO of Event Leaders Exchange (ELX).

The evening ended with a performance by Celine Dion from the Eiffel Tower. Her first public appearance since being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in 2022.

Even with the snafus, Babins thought the ceremony was a success. “I loved that it wasn’t in an arena and the way it paid tribute to Paris. I thought taking the risk to do it differently was a great move,” he said.

Trish Knox, owner of TK Events, praises the ceremony’s creativity. “They threw out the playbook to do something different. It wasn’t perfect but that’s what happens when you are the first at something,” said Knox.

Many event planners will be watching the closing ceremony on August 11. Unlike the opening ceremony held in the heart of Paris, this show will be confined to the Stade de France. Over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers, and circus artists will be featured.