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The Closing Ceremony: Montréal 1976
Opening Ceremonies | Closing Ceremonies
The Games of the XXI Olympiad ended on the evening of August 1, 1976, in the presence of the President of the IOC and Jules Léger, Governor General of Canada.
To the sound of much fanfare, 500 white-cloaked schoolgirls formed a huge rectangle on the central lawn and performed a choreographed routine before turning their cloaks inside out to form the colours and rings of the Olympic Flag.
To the strains of the March of the Athletes, played in a style that evoked the chants of Canada's First People, a group of 75 Aboriginal people in full dress entered the stadium in arrowhead formation.
To underscore the brotherly unity of Olympic sport, the athletes entered without being grouped separately by nationality. They were accompanied by over 500 Aboriginal people in festive costumes, and entered the five rings formed by the young women; they then erected tents in the colours of the Olympic rings.
The President of the IOC then declared the closing of the Games. The Olympic Flag was lowered as the farewell song was sung. Eight athletes, led by four others, carried the flag out of the stadium.
The Olympic Flame went out, signalling the end of the Montréal Games. The announcer revealed the location of the next Games—Moscow. And, on giant screens, live from Moscow, dancers and singers performed a short number and presented a gigantic candle on the screen.
The crowd in the Olympic Stadium then waved lit candles or light sticks as a gesture of friendship. The XXI edition of the Olympic Summer Games came to an end.
