LAS VEGAS - Nearly 400 competitors representing 42 countries have arrived at the South Point Bowling Plaza for the 2017 World Bowling Championships, and the event officially got underway Friday night with an entertaining opening ceremony.

The festivities opened with the traditional parade of athletes and encouraging words from World Bowling President Sheikh Talal Mohammad Al Sabah and United States Bowling Congress Executive Director Chad Murphy. The evening ended with the reciting of the athlete and official oaths.

In-between, bowlers, supporters and guests got a first-hand look at why Las Vegas is known as the Entertainment Capital of the World.

The cast of Jersey Boys Meet Mamma Mia, a creative combination of two of the most popular Broadway shows, performed their favorite numbers with all the flair one would expect from a Las Vegas show.

World Championships competition starts Saturday at noon Eastern with the first of two women's singles squads. All competitors will bowl six games, before field is cut to the top four for the semifinals.

The men will follow the same schedule Sunday, and both sets of semifinals will take place early Monday.

The 2017 World Championships will run until Dec. 4. The final two days of competition will be broadcast live on the Olympic Channel to a worldwide audience.

This year's tournament is a combined men's and women's event, which happens every four years. The 2013 World Championships at nearby Sunset Station in Henderson, Nevada, also was a combined event.

Countries scheduled to participate this year in Las Vegas include: Aruba, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States, Ukraine, Venezuela and Wales.

For more information on the 2017 World Championships, visit 2017wc.worldbowling.org.

Here's a look at Friday's opening ceremony: