Rio 2016 Olympics Opening Ceremony Tonight: Performers, Date, Time, and Where to Watch

The Rio 2016 Olympics officially begins tonight (August 5, 2016) with the opening ceremony at the Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.  Americans can watch the live streaming of the opening ceremony starting at 7:30pm EST on the NBC TV Channel.  You can also watch the event on NBCSports.com/Live Extra app and NBCOlympics.com. 

The three hour ceremony will consist of welcoming speeches, the special lighting of the Olympic cauldron, performances, a parade of the top athletes around the world and more.  Hundreds of local dancers and performers will showcase Brazil's music tradition.  

It's been reported that some of the celebrities to appear at the ceremony include Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Anitta, Elza Soares, MC Soffia, Karol, and Ludmilla.  More than 6000 volunteers have been estimated to have helped prepare and practice for this ceremony over the past three months.