BLINK Cincinnati
October 8–11
Back for its fifth edition, BLINK is a four-day citywide art and installation festival spanning more than 35 blocks from OTR to NKY—the nation’s largest free public art event. There will be many events to accompany BLINK, as well as logistical changes around the event. Click here to go to the official website for more information about the event itself.
Categories Below:
- Official Events
- Additional Events
- Must-See Features
- Tips
- Transit
- Accessibility
- Entertainment
Official Events
Accepting Submissions through September 25, 2026
Turn the Lights On Coloring Contest
Kids 12 and under are invited to get creative and complete a coloring sheet to submit. One grand prize winner will have the opportunity to “Turn the Lights On” and officially kick off BLINK 2026 at the first-ever Ready. Set. BLINK! Opening Ceremony.
Get a coloring sheet from a First Financial Banking Center or download and print here
Tuesday
October 6
BLINK Run the Night
Elm Street Plaza, 7:30
Nighttime run through downtown Cincinnati, complete with an immersive 2.6 mile journey through light, art, music, and creativity. Registration includes early access to select BLINK installations, commemorative finisher medal, opportunity to collaborate on an interactive art display, premium vendors, and more.
Register here
Thursday
October 8
Opening Ceremony
Central Parkway between Liberty Street and W 14th Street (with TQL Stadium as a backdrop), 4–9p
New this year is an immersive opening celebration with interactive installations, live performances, hands-on creative experiences, and opportunities to create and wear your own light art.
Free admission
Mystic Eye Drone Show: First Sight
8:30p over TQL Stadium
Thursday–Sunday
October 8–11
Asianati Night Market
Court Street Plaza
Asian cuisine, entertainment, games, and activities
Friday–Sunday
October 9–11
Mystic Eye Drone Show: Dimensions of Wonder
8p and 10p over the Ohio River
Official Merch
Additional Events
Dates to most official BLINK events and events coinciding with the four-day festival have not yet been announced. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
September 11, 18, 25, and October 2
Glimpse at Elm Street Plaza
Elm Street Plaza, 6–8p
Get excited for BLINK! Control and become part of the art with a celebration of light, music, and public interactive art. Each night they’ll be creating a fully interactive projection mapping display on the fly incorporating live video, sound activation, laser light shows, and music.
Free admission
Friday
October 2
Opening Night Reception: Test Patterns: Living in Technicolor by Jessica Fogle
Pique Gallery (210 W Pike Street, Covington), 6–9:30p
Explore the intersection of human emotion and digital structure.
Open to the public; drinks and light refreshments
Thursday
October 8
Illuminated: A Rooftop Fundraiser
AC Hotel, 6p
Celebrate opening night of BLINK with BEAM Center for Nonprofits’ inaugural rooftop fundraiser featuring an open bar, bites, karaoke, games, dancing, silent auction, and more.
Tickets
Thursday–Sunday
October 8–11
BLINK Cincinnati Sightseeing Cruises
BB Riverboats, 7p (boarding at 6:30) and 9:30p (boarding at 9)
90-minute nightly cruises with live music, drink specials, and a front-row seat to the dazzling BLINK experience.
Tickets starting at $39 ($29 for kids age 4–12)
BLINK Party at the Museum
Cincinnati Fire Museum, 7–11p
Celebrate Cincinnati as the birthplace of firefighting with four nights of a laser light show, artwork by Cedric Michael Cox, dance groups, projection mapping light Show, live music, DJ, and more.
BLINK Skate Bar
Roebling Bridge at Smale Park, 7–11p
Serving up cold drinks and smooth moves each night of BLINK.
Free admission; bring your own skates
BLINK Tasting Tours
Findlay Market
Lunch tour: 12:30–2p
Happy hour tour: 3:30–5p
Take a full historical of tour of Findlay Market and the new and existing BLINK murals in the neighborhood. You will stop at 5 participating businesses along the way to enjoy food and drinks.
Tickets
Guided BLINK Walks with Urban Hikers
Fountain Square Plaza, 6–10p
Departures every 30 minutes all four nights. For just $10, let a local guide walk you straight through the best of the light and art installations, with the stories and context you’d otherwise miss. Accessible routes for all attendees.
Tickets
Friday
October 9
BLINK Neon Party
Bar 901 at the Brittany, 8p–2:30a
Neon party with black lights and music by DJ Castle.
Saturday
October 10
Fall Cov Craft
Sixth Street Promenade in Mainstrasse, 10a–4p
Covington’s Curated Makers Market hosted by Handzy Shop + Studio and sponsored by BLINK, this market is all about creativity, community, and local love. Shop a curated lineup of makers and artists, sip on beer from West Sixth Brewing, and treat yourself to local food.
Free admission
Must-See Features
Opening Ceremony
Central Parkway between Liberty Street and W 14th Street (with TQL Stadium as a backdrop), 4–9p
New this year, and replacing the Thursday night parade, is the Opening Ceremony, an immersive opening celebration with interactive installations, live performances, hands-on creative experiences, and opportunities to create and wear your own light art.
Free admission
Asianati Night Market
Court Street Plaza
Asian cuisine, entertainment, games, and activities
The Elison
Music Hall
Projection-mapped spectacle created by Lightborne that imagines what Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall would look like if music itself became a physical force moving through its architecture. Using original samples from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. This light projection is such a throwback to Lumenocity (IYKYK) and a must see!
Harper Alive
Mercantile Immersive
Bringing alive the iconic Cincinnati artists’ work to life through animation, music, and immersive storytelling. Created by Lightborne and DelightMore in partnership with the Charley and Edie Harper Foundation.
Reserve your spot for free here
Mystic Eye Drone Show: Dimensions of Wonder
Friday–Sunday 8p and 10p over the Ohio River (will be at TQL Stadium at 8:30p during the Opening Ceremony on Thursday)
More TBA
Tips
It is so difficult to see everything in one evening. It is my recommendation to go more than once and as many times as you are able.
- There are five zones at the festival: Findlay Market, OTR, Fountain District, Riverfront, and Covington Zones. Break your trip into parts according to zones at the event to not overwhelm yourself and to expect to see it all in one evening.
- Park on the outskirts of the BLINK festival footprint and walk, bus, Redbike, e-scoot, or take the streetcar to get to your destination(s).
- Download the Transit app to help you navigate the bus and streetcar. You can also pay for bus fare in the app.
- Stay in the know about road closures for the event. A link will be provided [here] as soon as information is available.
Transit Information
The most preferred mode of transportation to get to BLINK would be to find a park and ride and take the fare free Metro (free from 6p–midnight each night of the event). And, while it is encouraged for all visitors to use public transportation to get to the event, there are many different parking options and all parking garages outside of the BLINK footprint will be open at event pricing. This year you are also able to reserve parking. For all things parking and accessible transit, click here.
Tip: Park on the outskirts of the BLINK festival footprint and walk, bus, Redbike, e-scoot, or take the streetcar to get to your destination.
Accessible Parking
Each night of BLINK, a limited number of accessible parking spots will be available at the 5th and Plum surface lot located at 250 W 5th Street.
Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA)
CincyLink, an express bus from Butler County to Cincinnati, will shuttle attendees from Park and Rides to the Riverfront Transit Center from 5:30–11p each night of BLINK. The last shuttle will depart from the RTC at 11:30p to return to the Butler County Park and Rides.
Cincinnati Metro
Routes will be disrupted during BLINK weekend (October 17–20) and all service from Government Square will be moved to the Riverfront Transit Center. All Metro service will be fare free from 6p–midnight each night of BLINK.
Cincinnati Red Bike
Nonprofit station-based bike share system with dozens of stations around downtown and NKY. Download the Red Bike app to ride.
The Connector
Fare FREE streetcar providing ADA accessible transport from north of Over-the-Rhine south to The Banks.
Electric Scooters
Bird and Lime scooters available for rent seven days a week from 6a to 11p. Download one of their respective apps to ride.
Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK)
Including the Southbank Shuttle, a public trolley system that serves the cities of Bellevue, Newport, and Covington in Northern Kentucky; traveling to and from downtown Cincinnati in Ohio. The cost to ride the shuttle is $1 each trip. All TANK service will be fare free from 6p–midnight each night of BLINK.
Note: The Southbank Shuttle will be on a detour for all four nights of BLINK after 6p. It will connect BLINK goers with one stop in Newport, one stop in Covington, and a stop at the Riverfront Transit Center.
Tip: You can download the Transit app while you are in town to help you navigate the bus and streetcar. You can also pay for bus fare in the app.
Accessibility
BLINK festival planners, led by Accessibility Director, Holly Maniatty, have partnered with All In Events to ensure inclusivity and to provide access for patrons with disabilities, including accessible:
- Viewing areas
- Drop-off and pick-up points throughout the festival
- ASL interpreting for events and music
- and so much more
Click here for complete information regarding accessibility at BLINK.
Entertainment
There is a full lineup of entertainment all four days of the festival, featuring dozens of musicians AND performances, at several different venues. Click here for complete information.
Note: Information about several aspects of the event, including installations, has not yet been published. What is written above is subject to change and will be edited as needed. More events will be added to this post as they are announced. This post was last updated on 9/9/2026.
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