In keeping with a cherished local tradition dating back to London 2012, the Vancouver Olympic Cauldron from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games will once again be relit to honour the next Olympiad, Paris 2024.
The landmark Olympic Cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza next to the Vancouver Convention Centre’s West Building will be rekindled at 3 pm PDT on Friday, July 26, 2024. This public relighting event is organized by the convention centre, Pavco, and the Consulate General of France for Vancouver.
The legacy Cauldron from the Vancouver Games is being relit to celebrate global athleticism, especially Canadian athletes, and ignite the local spirit of the Paris Games.
Over 300 Canadian athletes will compete at Paris. One recent projection puts Canada at a likely 12th place finish in terms of the total number of medals won.
Big turnout tonight at Jack Poole Plaza.
For the first time since #Vancouver2010‘s 10-year anniversary in February 2020, the Vancouver Olympic Cauldron has been relit, marking the start of #Tokyo2020 and celebrating Canadian athletes. #Olympics #TeamCanada pic.twitter.com/MkAhb5iPpu
— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) July 24, 2021
The Vancouver Olympic Cauldron relighting event is being held on the same day the Paris Games will officially kick off.
The highly unconventional Olympic Opening Ceremony — staged outside of a traditional stadium venue — will be held on a six-km-long stretch of the Seine River in central Paris, showcasing the French capital’s most prominent landmarks including the Eiffel Tower.
About 300,000 spectators will witness the pageantry along the riverfront, featuring thousands of performers and a flotilla of about 100 boats for the Parade of Nations (Parade of Athletes).
The Opening Ceremony will be broadcast live on CBC starting at 10:30 am PDT/1:30 am EDT on Friday, July 26. The ceremony is expected to conclude at 2:15 pm PDT/5:15 pm EDT, just before the relighting of the Vancouver Olympic Cauldron, which is expected to remain lit for only a few hours.