Where to watch the Paris Olympics in D.C.

In a parallel timeline, the next few weeks will see Simone Biles and her teammates tumbling and vaulting at the Capital One Arena, Katie Ledecky swimming for glory at the Long Bridge Aquatics Center, and the fastest athletes in the world racing around the track at a rebuilt RFK Stadium.

But because D.C.’s bid for the 2024 Olympics lost to Boston — which later withdrew, clearing the way for Paris to host this summer — we’ll be cheering for Team USA from afar. Olympic viewing parties at bars have not traditionally been as much of a draw as those for the World Cup or other major sporting events, but there are multiple opportunities to gather in coming weeks. (Reminder: Many bars will be showing the usual NBC highlights in the evening, but there’s a six-hour time difference between Paris and D.C.)

Where to watch the Opening Ceremonies

Paris’s plans to have athletes float down the Seine instead of parade into a stadium on July 26 should make the Opening Ceremonies one of the most-watched events of the Games. The D.C. Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture is sponsoring a watch party at Penn Quarter Sports Tavern, which happens to coincide with the sports bar’s 20th anniversary. Doors open at 1 p.m. with live music.

D.C.’s Department of Parks and Recreation is throwing an outdoor viewing party with a giant projection screen at the new Reservoir Park, beginning at 1 p.m.

Central Michel Richard offers free “Parisian snacks,” and happy hour begins at 1:30 p.m. instead of the usual 3:30, with discounts including wines by the glass, cheese boards and Alsatian tarts.

Ireland’s Four Courts in Arlington is showing the Opening Ceremonies twice: live at 1:30 p.m., then a replay at 7:30 p.m.

If you can’t get out of work to watch live, Wunder Garten is showing the Opening Ceremonies with sound at 7 p.m.

Where to watch soccer

No local sports team is better represented at the Games than the Washington Spirit, which is sending six soccer players to Paris, including four with the U.S. women’s national team. As it did during last summer’s World Cup, the Spirit is hosting viewing parties for all U.S. group stage games, starting July 25 at the Bullpen beer garden for the match against Zambia. (This is a good day to work from home, as kickoff is at 3 p.m.) A party for the United States against Germany will be held July 28 at 3 p.m. at the Brighton, followed by one for the game against Australia on July 31 at 1 p.m. at Bluejacket. Admission is free for all events. The American Outlaws, the largest supporters of the U.S. men’s and women’s teams, are hosting their own events at Astro Beer Hall and Metrobar for all matches, beginning with the men’s game against France (July 24 at 3 p.m.).

In Park View, the Midlands beer garden opens early to show all U.S. soccer games and “select events” — follow on Instagram for updates. Both indoor and outdoor areas will be open for the live broadcast of the Opening Ceremonies on July 26, with drink specials throughout the Games.

The Queen Vic is supporting the U.S. teams by opening early for all men’s and women’s matches. (Sadly for the H Street NE pub, Team Great Britain didn’t qualify.)

It’s not all red, white and blue, however: The German Embassy is also hosting a viewing party on July 28 at Wunder Garten in NoMa. Doors open at noon.

Where to watch swimming

Three alumni of the Stone Ridge Gators made the U.S. swim team, and the Bethesda school is celebrating Katie Ledecky, Phoebe Bacon and Erin Gemmell with a pre-Olympics pep rally on July 25 at 4:30 p.m. The event is open to the community, but RSVPs are required.

July 27 and 28 are big days for swimming fans, with finals in numerous events. Peruvian restaurant and bar Inca Social is normally known as a soccer hangout but is switching focus for the day with viewing parties at both its Arlington and Vienna locations.

Where to find specials during the Games

The newest addition to the growing Atlas Brew Works empire is a brewpub in Alexandria’s Carlyle Crossing neighborhood. As at the Navy Yard location, the building is shared with an Andy’s Pizza, and happy hour includes two slices of pizza and a draft beer for $10 between 3 and 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For the duration of the Games, the Alexandria bar is extending happy hour until 9 p.m. to allow customers to watch prime-time Olympic coverage. In the spirit of the Olympics, all three Atlas locations are offering a flight of house beers that have won gold, silver or bronze medals at the Great American Beer Festival and other beer competitions.

Bluejacket is moving happy hours earlier, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with deals including $8 sausages, $9 frozen drinks and $10 liters of house-brewed beers.

Happy hour at Cranes runs from noon to 8 p.m. during the Games, with a menu at the Michelin-starred restaurant including $2 oysters and yakitori, $8 croquetas and curry udon, $8 sake and wines by the glass, and a $9 Olympic-themed cocktail.

Fight Club on Capitol Hill promises to open at 9 a.m. every day with a special menu of breakfast sandwiches.

During the 2016 Games in Rio, athletes from Maryland earned more gold medals than all but five countries. The Greene Turtle sports pub chain, which got its start in Ocean City, says it’s honoring Maryland’s Olympic glories with “gold,” “silver” and “bronze”-level drink specials while watching the Games — think $5 Turtle Crawl IPAs or $3 house margaritas.

Where to find Olympic-themed events

The Library of Congress has created a temporary exhibition in the Thomas Jefferson Building showcasing materials in the library’s collections related to the Olympic Games, which will be on display through Aug. 28. There are two free related events: an outdoor screening of “Rocky” on Aug. 1, as part of the Summer Movies on the Lawn series, and an Aug. 15 concert with Les Zazous performing jazz, chanson, bossa nova and French cabaret tunes.