Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky’s urban cores will soon be bathed in light and art as BLINK is set to return this October, and we’re now getting a good look at the paths of all the murals, installations, projections and more with the release of the official festival footprint.
BLINK, the nation’s largest immersive light and art festival, will take over Over-the-Rhine, downtown Cincinnati, The Banks, Covington and now Newport Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 17-20. On Wednesday, organizers shared a map of the perimeters of the event and an overview of the streets, alleys, buildings and landmarks across more than 30 city blocks that will be part of the festival’s footprint.
“With less than two months until BLINK lights up this year’s footprint, we are working tirelessly to finalize all the details that make this a can’t-miss event, and this map is just a peek into what that world will look like," Justin Brookhart, executive director of BLINK, said in a press release. "Since it spans so much of our urban core, the zones function to help break the experience into more manageable pieces. We invite people to come to each, stay for a while and return the next day to see even more of what makes this event so special.”
The festival includes six “zones” where visitors can be immersed in the art, as well as live music, activations and performances. Organizers say breaking up the footprint into these smaller zones will help make the experience more manageable and help visitors explore the art in each area more thoroughly.
“With less than two months until BLINK lights up this year’s footprint, we are working tirelessly to finalize all the details that make this a can’t-miss event, and this map is just a peek into what that world will look like," Justin Brookhart, executive director of BLINK, said in a press release. "We invite people to come to each, stay for a while and return the next day to see even more of what makes this event so special.”
Here’s a little of what festivalgoers can expect from each zone:
Findlay Market Zone
The starting point of BLINK’s footprint and the canvas for 15 new permanent murals. Daniel Shields’ popular String Theory installation will also return to this space for the 2024 festival.
Over-the-Rhine Zone
Washington Park is the perfect focal point for this zone as, for the first time since 2016, Music Hall will be lit up with projection-mapping displays.
Downtown Zone
Head to the heart of the Cincinnati Business District where you can see light projection on the Cincinnatus and Toy Heritage murals, plus the activation of Asianati’s Night Market at Court Street Plaza.
Banks Zone
Deemed the “front porch” of BLINK, The Banks will offer new experiences at the Freedom Center, alongside a fully programmed stage featuring musicians each day. This is also where you’ll want to catch the nightly drone show and witness the first-of-its-kind installation that will create a multicolor bridge of light spanning the Ohio River.
Covington Zone
Get ready for the Gateway Center on Scott Street and the Hannaford building and Hotel Covington on Madison Avenue to light up Covington.
Newport Zone
BLINK’s newest activation site will feature projects at the Southgate/Thompson House and Newport on the Levee. MegaCorp Pavilion will also host the first-ever official BLINK afterparty, "afterglow."
The full map of all 80+ BLINK installations will be released closer to the festival.
BLINK is meant to be a walking experience, so the roads in the footprint will be shut down to vehicle traffic throughout the festival. To help you leave the car behind, BLINK is partnering with Metro and TANK to help guests experience BLINK more easily and sustainably.
Both Metro and TANK will offer free rides from three Park and Ride locations starting at 6 p.m. each night of BLINK. These Park and Ride locations will drop festivalgoers off at the Riverfront Transit Center for both Metro and TANK. TANK will also offer service to the Covington Transit Center.
“BLINK is a one-of-a-kind event that highlights the incredible offerings of the Cincinnati region, and Metro is proud to be a part of it,” Brandy Jones, Metro’s chief communications and marketing officer, said in the release. “Through all of the improvements made by the Reinventing Metro plan, connecting to BLINK by Park and Ride or other Metro services is efficient, reliable, and safe.”
Organizers say more information about transportation will also be released closer to the event. For more information, visit blinkcincinnati.com.
