PARIS, June 4, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Paris's night-time arts festival kicked off with a sporting theme on Saturday as the French capital limbers up to host the Olympics next summer.

The celebration has brought modern art to the streets and museums of Paris since 2002 and this year the river Seine, the site chosen for the 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony, is taking centre stage.

There will be two hundred artworks and performances in Paris and cities along the river for the so-called 'Cultural Olympiad', including huge sculptures and boats blaring out music.

The fusion of art and sport has spawned an eclectic mix of entertainment -- from a Wild West themed ping-pong tournament to burlesque Mexican wrestling.

Visitors can also expect to see opera singers, whirling dervishes showcasing Sufi dance, and a drone display designed to mimic a starry sky.