BLINK is almost here! The massive international event will come to both sides of the river starting this Thursday evening from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and will continue every subsequent night through Sunday, Oct. 11.
If you’re attending the event on the Covington side, you’ll need to plan ahead to get into town as some typical entryways into the city will be closed.
From Cincinnati
The Roebling will be closed to vehicle traffic every night of the event, but it will remain open to pedestrians. If you’re driving from Cincinnati, you’ll need to arrive using either the Brent Spence Bridge or the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge.
From Newport
If you’re coming from Newport, the city recommends using the 12th Street Bridge, also known as the Girl Scout Bridge, to traverse the Licking River into the city. TANK’s Licking River Link shuttle service, established in the wake of the 4th Street Bridge demolition to help travelers go back and forth between Covington and Newport, will also be running during the event. Pedestrians and bike riders will be able to access the Licking River Link for free.
What if you’re not using your own car
TANK’s regular routes, which you can learn about here, will be running normally throughout the event. The bus service will also provide a park and ride service from NKU’s campus on Friday and Saturday. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft will be active, but keep in mind that pedestrian traffic will be heavy.
GEST carts will also be active throughout the event. GEST’s NKY Connector will run regularly between Newport and Covington. Rides are free, but tips are appreciated.
Parking
There are several public parking garages near the festival, including the River Center Parking Garage, Kenton County Parking Garage, Midtown Parking Garage, and City Center/Hotel Covington Parking Garage. You can reserve a spot in the Midtown and River Center garages using the ParkWhiz app.
Meters within the city’s entertainment destination centers (see below) will be shut down from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. every night of the event. Find out more about parking in Covington at the Covington Motor Vehicle Parking Authority’s website.
Entertainment destination centers
Finally, several areas, dubbed “entertainment destination centers” or EDCs, will be set off as public consumption areas. Attendees will be able to carry open containers of alcohol purchased from participating businesses in those areas in specially marked cups. More than a dozen Covington businesses have agreed to participate. You can find a full list of the participating businesses as well as a list of which roads will be closed in the EDC by reading the city’s announcement.
