London Olympics Opening Ceremony

The 2012 London Olympics officially got under way on Friday with an extravagant Opening Ceremony at Olympic Stadium. The three-plus hour festival featured musicians, displays that celebrated England’s history, and the parade of nations. Click through the gallery to see more scenes from the event.

Fencer Mariel Zagunis led Team USA into the stadium during the Opening Ceremony.

English soccer star David Beckham delivered the Olympic flame to the stadium by driving a speedboat named ‘Max Power’ under the Tower Bridge. Young soccer standout Jade Bailey carried the torch, then passed it to Sir Steven Redgrave, the five-time rowing gold medalist, who carried the flame into the stadium through an honor guard of 500 construction workers, who built the stadium.

Stems lit by seven young athletes were raised to form the Olympic cauldron near the end of the ceremony.

Paul McCartney sang the famous Beatles song “Hey Jude” at the end of the event.

The cauldron will burn throughout the games. The flame was transported from Greece to London via a torchbearer relay.

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali (seated) was joined by flag bearers who carried the Olympic flag into the stadium.

Torchbearers completed the final legs of the torch relay together prior to the moment the cauldron was lit.

In the final sequence of lighting the cauldron, British Olympic hero Steve Redgrave passed the torch to a young athlete, who was joined by six others in circling the track, passing the torch to one another. When they completed their lap, they were joined by British Olympic legends Lynn Davies, Duncan Goodhew, Dame Kelly Holmes, Dame Mary Peters, Shirley Robertson, Daley Thompson, and Redgrave.

Greece’s Alexandros Nikolaidis carried his nation’s flag to lead the parade of athletes. Greece, as the birthplace of the Olympics, is by tradition always the first nation in the parade.

Actors portraying the Queen and James Bond arrived via parachute after jumping from a helicopter.

Members of Britain’s contingent wore the Union flag painted on their faces as they took part in the athletes’ parade.

Confetti filled the air as athletes gathered at the Olympic Stadium.

The performances included many scenes that celebrated England’s history and customs.

Of course, no Opening Ceremony is complete without fireworks.

Austria’s flag bearer was Markus Rogan, a swimmer.

Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Organizing Committee, spoke during the ceremony.

Thousands of performers took part in the Opening Ceremony.

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II declared the games open, an honor always bestowed upon the head of state in the host country.

The Olympic rings were seen during the Opening Ceremony.

South Africa’s flag bearer was runner Caster Semenya.

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip attended.

US basketball player Kobe Bryant was all smiles as he participated with the US team.

In the early segments, actors re-enacted scenes from England’s rural traditions.

Lights, sights, and thousands of spectators filled the stadium for the extravaganza.

Performers practiced prior to the actual event.

British cyclist Bradley Wiggins, who won the Tour de France this year, greeted spectators.

Sebastian Coe delivered his speech on a hillside filled with flags .

Great distance runner Haile Gebrselassie was among those chosen to carry the Olympic flag. They were then joined at the end of their march by Muhammad Ali.

US presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife Ann attended.

The Royal Air Force Red Arrows flew over Olympic Stadium.

Media members sheltered themselves from the rain during the Opening Ceremony.

British diver Tom Daley (center) paraded alongside his fellow team members.

Sir Cliff Richard, a British pop singer, arrived for the Opening Ceremony.

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and his wife, Marina Wheeler, were among about 80,000 fans who arrived for the Opening Ceremony. The Olympic Games will feature 10,500 athletes competing in 26 sports over 17 days of competition.

Evidence of national pride was everywhere as London welcomed the world’s best athletes for the Olympics.

Frank Turner was one of the musical performers.

Actors performed in the Olympic Stadium before the Opening Ceremony.

A mother and her children made their nationality fairly evident.

Acting Indian Olympic Association President Vijay Kumar Malhotra (center), his wife Krisha Malhotra (right), and guest Gurmit Singh (left), all of India, tried on their glasses as they sat in the VIP box.

A spectator painted her lips for the Opening Ceremony.

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt carried his country’s flag.

Fans waited outside Olympic Park for the Opening Ceremony to get underway.

Flag bearer Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, who competes in equestrian, led the Swedish contingent.

A cloud-shaped structure was part of the early portion of the show that featured pastoral settings emblematic of the English countryside.

The stadium went through many transformations during the event.

Cuba’s flag bearer was Mijain Lopez Nunez, a wrestler.

A performer soared above the arena.

US athletes took time to capture the moments during their entrance to the stadium.

Britain’s flag bearer was bicyclist Chris Hoy. As the host nation, Britain’s team of athletes was last in the parade of nations.