Olympic Opening Ceremony 2012 Start Time: Local Time to Watch London Event

As is tradition with every Olympics, the opening ceremony leads off the festivities. On July 27, athletes will represent their countries as a way to formally kick off the Games.

If you can't wait to get your fix of the opening ceremony, you can catch the whole thing at 9 p.m. London time. It is expected to be an epic ceremony and is not going to be a never-ending saga that leaves you staring at your watch. 

According to USA Today, Danny Boyle, who is directing the ceremony, has taken measures to ensure it ends at a relatively respectable hour for the local people, though you should not expect to feel cheated with the spectacle and grandeur. 

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London organizers said Boyle was "tightening" the ceremony by up to 30 minutes to ensure the show, scheduled for three hours, concludes between midnight and 12:30 a.m.

"This is like any other piece of film you would make — things end up on the cutting room floor," London organizing committee spokeswoman Jackie Brock-Doyle said.

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For Olympic fans in America, the opening ceremony will be televised on NBC starting at 7:30 p.m. ET., and is scheduled to end at midnight. 

This year's opening ceremony will have a lot to live up to. Beijing offered a spectacular show four years ago that set the stage for what turned out to be one of the most memorable Olympic Games in a long time.

Given the hype surrounding this year's festivities, and the talent involved, it should not be hard for London to at least approach what Beijing was able to give the world in 2008. 

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