Winter Olympics closing ceremony highlights : NPR

VERONA, Italy — The Winter Olympics are formally over. We had been among the many hundreds of people that helped bid them goodbye in a Roman amphitheater in Verona, Italy, on Sunday, with a ceremony that was principally sentimental however punctuated by rousing bursts of lights, confetti and electropop music.

The closing ceremony echoed a number of the pomp and circumstance of its opening counterpart 16 days earlier: the athletes’ Parade of Nations, the elevating of flags, the respective lighting and extinguishing of the 2 Olympic cauldrons (in Milan and Cortina).

But after two-and-a-half weeks of fierce competitors, storied traditions and emotional ups and downs, this celebration had a noticeably extra relaxed really feel — at the least amongst athletes and spectators.

For one, the Verona Arena — which was constructed round 30 AD for gladiator battles — holds a significantly smaller crowd than Milan’s San Siro stadium (some 15,000 vs. 75,000 individuals). It’s an open-air venue with stone seats, which made for a good bit of shuffling round (and occasional telephone calls) amongst spectators. Each seat held a tote bag with a slim seat cushion in it, to make the two-and-a-half hour occasion a little bit cozier.

The closing ceremony’s Parade of Nations was primarily only a parade of flag-bearers, however not like the opening ceremony, it went with out an announcer. This time, the snow queens in puffer-coat-gowns from the opening ceremony had been changed with volunteers carrying loose-fitting tunics, the ceremony equal of placing on sweatpants after a tough day’s work.

Even the athletes had been dressed extra for consolation this time round. Team USA, outfitted by Ralph Lauren for the tenth straight Games, traded their opening ceremony pleated trousers and wool coats for streetwear-inspired dishevelled pants and puffer jackets.

The occasion was a little bit shorter than the opening, however there was nonetheless a ton to soak up. There had been the requisite speeches from International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry and the pinnacle of the Italian organizing committee, with many, many thanks given to the regional hosts and the 80,000 volunteers who staffed the Games (a few of whom had been watching subsequent to us within the stands).

There was additionally the customary passing of the metaphorical torch to the following Winter Olympics host: France, whose Alps would be the web site of the 2030 Games. And there was a shoutout to the Paralympics, which kick off — on the identical Verona venue — on March 6.

At occasions, individuals within the crowd stood as much as clap for medalists — and obtained rapidly shouted down by the journalists wielding telephoto lenses behind them.

And there have been so many candelabras, a recurring motif on this “night at the opera”-themed occasion. At one level, there have been performers dressed as candelabras, shifting candelabra flooring lamps, whereas connected to a big dangling candelabra chandelier.

Speaking as spectators within the media nosebleed seats, this ceremony was extra enjoyable to observe than the opening, which was nonetheless a complete blast. But this one got here with a tangible sense of reduction and much more crowd participation: beams of sunshine shone throughout us, confetti floated down on high of us and Diplo (the legendary DJ) commanded us all to bop.

You learn that proper. The sober dousing of the Olympic flame was instantly adopted by a seat-shaking DJ set from digital music supergroup Major Lazer, which obtained a lot of the world on their frozen toes.

The rave — and the ceremony — ended a couple of minutes later. But like all good events, there was nonetheless enjoyable available on the best way out.

Afterward, as we navigated the crowds and road closures, we stopped to let a world stream of athletes cross the highway.

Some of the uniform-clad Olympians hopped on buses that took them again to Milan; others had the identical concept as us and ducked into McDonald’s. Inside we noticed Union Jack sweaters, Team Latvia coats and the Winter Olympic GOAT, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, along with his fellow Norwegian cross-country medalists, placing in a number of orders of hen wings.