The Nation’s largest immersive art event, BLINK, lights up the Cincy Region for 4 days every other year. This engaging celebration of art and light is family friendly, free, and welcomes everyone to bask in its glow.
BLINK’s Director Justin Brookhart also hinted at a “first-of-its-kind” installation that will be making its debut this year. Brookhart described it as a “bridge of light” connecting the two sides of the river with an 100-foot-long array of laser lights stretching from Covington Landing to Sawyer Point on Cincinnati’s riverfront.
BLINK kicks off with an opening night parade at 7:30 pm Thursday, Oct. 17. This year’s theme is “Let it Shine.” The parade begins at 8 p.m. at West Mehring Way by Paycor Stadium and continues along the Riverfront to Barry Larkin Way at Great American Ballpark.
BLINK® spans 30+ city blocks from Findlay Market in Cincinnati to Covington and Newport in Northern Kentucky. Each map outlines the neighborhood zones, providing an overview of the streets, alleys, buildings and landmarks set to be transformed from October 17th-20th. The BLINK experience is designed as a walking event and an opportunity for visitors to explore the city in a new light.
The full BLINK map with all 80+ installations, experiences hospitality and accessibility sites and can be viewed online.
Meet the Artists That Fuel Blink
With more than 80 murals, projections, light installations, stages and unique attractions spanning more than 30 city blocks, there’s plenty to see.
THE FINDLAY MARKET ZONE
The four-day festival will feature more than 80 installations divided into six “zones” including the Findlay Market Zone, Over-the-Rhine Zone, Downtown Zone, Banks Zone, Covington Zone and for the first time, the Newport Zone.
The Findlay Market Zone will feature 15 new permanent murals and a fan-favorite installation “String Theory” which combines hundreds of glowing strings tied together to create a colorful web.
THE OTR ZONE
A couple streets away is the Over-the-Rhine Zone which will once again light up the iconic Music Gall with projection-mapping displays presented by AVextended, Chaske Haverkos, Susan Kosti, and Lightborne.
THE DOWNTOWN ZONE
The downtown zone will cover Cincinnati’s business district, illuminating murals like the Cincinnatus and Toy Heritage mural.
Also returning is the Asianati Night Market.
THE BANKS ZONE
Down at The Banks zone, there will be a stage featuring musicians each day along with the return of BLINK Cincinnati’s nightly drone show at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. and a first-of-its-kind installation creating a multi-color bridge of light spanning the Ohio River.
THE COVINGTON AND NEWPORT ZONES
Across the river will be the Covington and Newport Zones where installations will light up Hotel Covington along with new sites including the Southgate/Thompson House and Newport on the Levee.
Don’t BLINK® & DRIVE
Metro & TANK & Butler Co. Regional Transit Authority (BRCTA) Offering Free Rides to BLINK
Metro, TANK, Butler Co. Regional Transit Authority (BRCTA) and BLINK® are making it easier to experience with fare-free rides and direct access from Park and Ride locations to this year’s immersive art experience.
Metro and TANK will offer fare-free rides beginning at 6 p.m., October 17-20. All rides on both transportation networks, including direct routes to BLINK, will be free. Direct routes to BLINK will be available via three Park and Ride locations. These Park and Ride locations will drop attendees off at the Riverfront Transit Center for both Metro and TANK.
BCRTA’s CincyLink will shuttle attendees from Park and rides to the Riverfront Transit Station, from 5:30-11pm each night of BLINK.
The Park and Rides will be located at:
- Cincinnati State, 3658 Central Pkwy, Cincinnati, OH 45220
- Crossroads Oakley, 3500 Madison Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45209
- Northern Kentucky University, 1 Louie B. Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY, 41099 (Fri. & Sat. only)
- Meijer, 3651 Towne Blvd., Middletown, OH 45005
- Meijer, 7390 Tylersville Rd., West Chester. OH 45069
