BLINK

In its inaugural year, Blink brought Cincinnati together under the vision of what a "future city" could be. Filled with light displays and art, the event stretched from The Banks across downtown to the edges of Over-the-Rhine. The free, four-day event was produced by local creative agency Brave Berlin, which built on the foundation of their Lumenocity events held in Washington Park from 2013–2015. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

The festival spanned 20 blocks, divided into four zones roughly following the streetcar route — The Banks, the Central Business District around Fountain Square, Over-the-Rhine near Washington Park, and Findlay Market — and featured 21 light projection mappings, a parade, multiple building murals, 27 art installations, and six stages of live entertainment. The event far surpassed expectations both in execution and attendance, drawing more than 1 million visitors — the largest gathering of people ever in downtown Cincinnati and Over-the-Rhine. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

“Cincinnati is experiencing a boom…Spotlighting the city’s fine arts, Blink Cincinnati, a display of light installations projected across 20 blocks, will run Oct. 12 to 15.” (braveberlin.com (opens in a new tab))

When it began in 2017, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, along with BLINK's founding partners AGAR, ArtWorks, Brave Berlin, and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, set out to create something bold: a massive, open-air art gallery that would invite people to see Cincinnati in a new light. (cincinnatichamber.com (opens in a new tab))

BLINK's second iteration promised to be bigger and bolder than the original event. The festival grew from 20 to 30 blocks and made its way across the Ohio River with its first venture into Covington, Kentucky. The event now included more than 40 interactive art installations and 11 new permanent murals on building facades throughout the route. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

The centerpiece of BLINK 2019 was the illumination of the historic Roebling Suspension Bridge — producers at Brave Berlin described their vision as bringing "the singing bridge" to life through light, color, and sound focused on the bridge's anchorage, gateway towers, arches, and spires. The event estimated to have brought in between 1.25 and 1.5 million people. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

CINCINNATI – Several traffic restrictions will be in place during evenings from Oct. 10 through Oct. 13 so Downtown Cincinnati streets can come alive for the return of BLINK®, an internationally celebrated art and light spectacular. (cincinnati-oh.gov (opens in a new tab))

BLINK was always intended to be a biennial event, taking place every other year, but due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the event’s return in 2021 was put on hold. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, BLINK returned, this time with a shift in leadership as the event transitioned from founder Brave Berlin to the Cincinnati Regional Chamber. The year's biggest debut was BLINK’s first-ever drone show, produced in partnership with Sky Elements Drone Shows. Presented twice nightly, the show featured 300 drones hovering over the Ohio River, creating unique visuals for attendees to enjoy. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

The event also introduced the Asianati Night Market as a new attraction within the Findlay Market zone. Reports showed that, for the first time, the event surpassed 2 million attendees, generating a significant economic impact for the region. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

Organizers announced today that BLINK® Cincinnati, illuminated by ArtsWave, the region’s engine for the arts, will return from October 13-16, 2022 under the leadership of a new executive director. (cincinnatichamber.com (opens in a new tab))

Additionally, the event held a parade in which more than 85 arts and community groups and over 2,500 participants illuminated themselves and traveled along Fifth Street in Downtown Cincinnati. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

Fifth Street will be closed between Central Avenue and Broadway starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, for the parade. (cincinnati-oh.gov (opens in a new tab))

In October 2022, the nowhere-else BLINK experience attracted over 2 million attendees across the 4-day event, resulting in a direct economic impact of $126 million dollars. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

BLINK ‘Let it Shine’ Parade – Batavia High School Marching Band (cincinnatichamber.com (opens in a new tab))

BLINK 2024 expanded into Newport, Kentucky, for the first time, extending the festival’s reach across all three riverfront cities and creating seven total event zones—the largest footprint in the festival’s history. This expansion further reinforced BLINK’s role as a regional event, connecting communities on both sides of the Ohio River through immersive art, light, and technology. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

The festival’s signature new spectacle was the “Supernova” laser light bridge, a 100-foot-wide array of laser light stretching across the Ohio River between Covington Landing and Sawyer Point. Running parallel to the iconic Roebling Suspension Bridge, the installation served as both a visual centerpiece and a symbolic connection between the cities, creating one of the festival’s most memorable experiences. Another first for BLINK was the introduction of “Afterglow,” a late-night concert series that extended the festival experience beyond its traditional programming. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

With the highly anticipated return of the public art spectacle slated for October 17-20, 2024, BLINK, Illuminated by ArtsWave is calling for artists to make the queen city shine. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

In 2024, the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, AGAR, ish!, and Cincy Nice forged a partnership with an extraordinary coalition of artists, sponsors, local governments, civic institutions, and creative leaders to deliver this experience. (cincinnatichamber.com (opens in a new tab))

Finally, we offer our thanks to BLINK’s first executive director, Justin Brookhart, who led BLINK in 2022 and 2024. (cincinnatichamber.com (opens in a new tab))

The leadership team behind BLINK®, the nation's largest immersive light and art event, is proud to announce Leslie Mooney as the festival’s new Vice President and Executive Director. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

The leadership team behind BLINK®, the internationally celebrated immersive light and art event, today announced that BLINK will return to Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky from October 8-11, 2026. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

The London reception took place Tuesday, March 24, at Somerset House, followed by a reception in Paris on Thursday, March 26, at Galerie Joseph. (linknky.com (opens in a new tab))

New for 2026, the Ready. Set. BLINK! Opening Ceremony will offer a more immersive opening celebration that brings the community together. (blinkcincinnati.com (opens in a new tab))

BLINK, illuminated by ArtsWave, the country’s largest celebration of public art and light, is excited to announce the 90+ artists participating in its fifth edition, which will be free and open to the public across Cincinnati and the Northern Kentucky area from October 8–11, 2026. (cincinnatichamber.com (opens in a new tab))

Local arts nonprofit organization ArtsWave is once again the festival’s chief sponsor and will also simultaneously be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026—which ArtsWave is celebrating during BLINK with a giant art installation at the Aronoff Center. (citybeat.com (opens in a new tab))