Overview
It has been a big few weeks in the sporting world, thanks to everything from Wimbledon to the European Football Championships. Australia's own football codes have been ticking along despite COVID-19 outbreaks, too. But, this week, the biggest event in global sport will commence for the first time in five years.
That'd be the Olympics, obviously. After being postponed for a year due to the pandemic, the 2020 Tokyo games will finally take place from Friday, July 23–Sunday, August 8. There won't be any spectators onsite due to the pandemic, with neither overseas travellers nor local residents permitted to attend; however, Queenslanders can still watch along locally — including when they're out of the house.
Pubs will be screening the Olympics, of course, and so will a heap of pop-up sites around the state. As part of an event called Olympics Live, screens will be set up at a number of locations, including at South Bank's Riverside Green from Wednesday, July 21.
Also getting into the spirit: Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast, Kings Beach Amphitheatre on the Sunshine Coast and The Esplanade in Cairns, which'll also celebrate the games for the same period. The event will pop up at Tulmur Place in Ipswich's Nicholas Street Precinct and Walton Stores in Toowoomba from Friday, July 23–Sunday, August 8, and in the Bloomfield Street Park in Cleveland from Saturday, July 24–Sunday, August 8 as well.
Attendees will be able to hit up the outdoor hubs to get their Olympics fix — and, if you've noticed that some of the sites will start screening before the opening ceremony, that's because they're setting up early to hopefully celebrate Brisbane's bid for the 2032 games.
The 2020 games do actually begin some events on Wednesday, July 21; however, that's also the date that the International Olympic Committee is expected to announce who'll be hosting the 2032 event. The Queensland capital looks poised to land the games, with Brisbane named the preferred host for the Games of the XXXV Olympiad back in February. It also received an endorsement from the International Olympic Committee Executive Board in June, so now the IOC itself just has to vote to make it all official tomorrow.
If Brisbane does indeed get the nod as widely anticipated, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced that the city will be celebrating instantly. Fireworks will be set off from river barges and CBD buildings when the news comes through. Brisbane's buildings, bridges and City Hall will also be lit up in green and gold hues as well.
It's expected that the news will be announced between 6–7pm Brisbane time, if you're wondering when Brissie might start partying.
Olympics Live will pop up at South Bank's Riverside Green from Wednesday, July 21–Sunday, August 8 — and at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast, Kings Beach Amphitheatre on the Sunshine Coast and The Esplanade in Cairns for the same period. It'll also pop up at Tulmur Place in Ipswich's Nicholas Street Precinct and Walton Stores in Toowoomba from Friday, July 23–Sunday, August 8, and in the Bloomfield Street Park in Cleveland from Saturday, July 24–Sunday, August 8.