Here’s What Will Go Down During The Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony

From Nathan Chen’s record-smashing comeback to Maame Biney’s strides toward greater representation in speed skating (and having fun while doing it), this has been another thrilling Winter Olympics. It’s also been a controversial one, with Kamila Valieva’s doping drama and President Biden’s diplomatic boycott of the games. But all the fun, scandal, and Leslie Jones commentary must come to an end sometime, though. Feb. 20 will mark the official end of the 2022 Winter Olympics, and the closing ceremony will serve as the sendoff. It gives athletes one last chance to relish in their achievements, all while providing a symbolic look at the next winter outing.

Ahead, here’s everything you need to know about when the Olympics closing ceremony takes place, how to watch them, and what actually happens at the final event.

When Is The 2022 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony?

According to the official NBC schedule, the 2022 Winter Olympics closing ceremony will take place in the Bird’s Nest (aka, Beijing’s National Stadium) at 7 a.m. ET on Feb. 20. If you don’t want to roll out of bed by dawn on a Sunday morning (understandable!), you don’t have to: NBC will play the event again at 8 p.m. ET.

How To Watch The Olympics Closing Ceremony

In addition to watching the ceremony on NBC, you can stream it on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com. Those aren’t your only options for coverage, though. For the Tokyo games last summer, the official Olympics YouTube channel also posted same-day highlights of the closing ceremony online; you might be able to catch all of the most important 2022 moments there, too.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on the Olympic athletes’ TikTok accounts for a behind-the-scenes look at the closing ceremony — and every other insider moment you might have missed along the way.

What Happens At The Olympics Closing Ceremony?

In addition to presenting the last few medals from the games, the Olympics closing ceremony will feature a final parade of athletes — not country by country, like they did during the opening ceremony, but “en masse” as all competitors walk away with the shared Olympic experience. You’ll be able to spot Team USA in specially designed uniforms by Ralph Lauren, who’s been outfitting the athletes since 2008.

Another important aspect of the Winter Olympics closing ceremony? Passing the Olympic flag over to Italy, who will host the 2026 Winter Olympics in the cities of Milan and Cortina-D’Ampezzo — the first time two cities will be co-hosting the winter event. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach will then give a speech before the Olympic flame is extinguished, fireworks ensue, and the countdown starts all over again.