2010 Winter Olympics: The Opening Ceremony in Pictures

With the eyes of the world firmly focused on Vancouver, the Canadians put on a colorful show in front of 60,000 people at BC Place.

While it may not have lived up to Beijing—which it was never expected to do—the Opening Ceremony was a bright display of culture and history, beamed to billions of eyes across the globe.

Here are the images of Friday's start to the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Bursting into View

Unlike in Torino, the organizers of the Vancouver Winter Olympics honored the previous hosts of the Games by announcing each nation in order as snowboarder Johnny Lyall flew down a video-taped mountain run.

By the time they had reach 2010, Lyall was waiting at the top of a ski ramp inside the stadium where he started to gliding down before leaping through the giant Olympic rings in the stadium.

Meet the Tribes

The early nations of Canada, the aboriginal tribes, the inuits, and the first nation of the praries, dressed in elaborate costumes and headgear, entertained the crowd prior to the Parade of Nations.

Greetings From the People of Canada

There were four statues in the center of the arena, each with Canada's original nations performing at the bottom and welcoming spectators to the Games.

Mounties: A Symbol of Canada

A group of eight mounties, in their instantly-recognizable black pants, red jackets, and brown hats, paraded the Canadian flag into BC Place at the start of the ceremony.

Raising the Flag

Mounties hoisted the red-and-white Mapleleaf flag as spectators applauded.

In Memory of a Fallen Competitor

Georgia received a standing ovation from the tens of thousands inside the arena as they marched into the arena. The team, with memorial black armbands, decided to join in the parade following the death of 21-year-old luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili earlier in the day. The team was led by flagbearer Iason Abramashvili.

A Sea of Color

German athletes enter the parade in a sea of baby blues, yellows, and reds.

Team USA

Led by five-time Olympian Mark Grimmette, the 216 members of Team USA enter the arena, dressed in Ralph Lauren white pants, blue and red jackets, and gray knitted hats.

Meet Your Hosts

The Canadian team, entering last as is customary for the host nation, enters BC Place to cheers and applause as camera flashes around the stadium flood the darkness.

Musical Guests

Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado entertains fans with Bryan Adams. The 32-year-old who grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, was decked out in a single-shouldered form-fitting gown and black heels with ankle straps.

The Big Bear

A view of the North Sky represented in Ursa Major, the Big Bear, the third largest of the major constellations.

Past Presidents Look On

Former President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch makes his way into the arena for the opening ceremony festivities.

Canada in the Fall

One of the best visuals of the evening featured maple leaves of reds, yellows, and oranges decorating the giant floor, as dancers performed all around.

Meet Your Hosts

The Canadian team, entering last as is customary for the host nation, enters BC Place to cheers and applause as camera flashes around the stadium flood the darkness.

Man Versus Moon

A fiddler in a bewitched canoe competes with his shadow high above the arena floor.

Dancing To the Music

Tap dancers, acrobats, and ice skaters entertained the athletes in the second half of the opening ceremony in Vancouver.

Lights, Camera, Action

The opening ceremony was a glorious mixture of light and dark, snow and ice, joy and sorrow.

Falling From the Heavens

Skiiers and snowboarders dressed all in red dropped from the rafters, gliding down a three-dimensional cloth mountain.

Adding to the spectacle, videos of past Olympians were projected onto the mountain.

The Coverboy of US Snowboarding

Defending gold medalist Shaun White soaks in the atmosphere and enjoys the occassion at the opening ceremony.

Let There Be Light

Canadian sporting legend Wayne Gretzky, along with three other Olympians—Catriona Le May Doan, Steve Nash, and Rick Hansen—helps light the caldron inside BC Place. Although one of the four prongs failed to rise from the floor, the idea was still novel and it looked fantastic.

Gretzky later went outside and lit the public Olympic flame in downtown Vancouver.