In its inaugural 2017 run, BLINK Cincinnati was one of the largest and most innovative light and art events in the nation, transforming city blocks all the way from The Banks to the edges of Over-the-Rhine into a glowing, pulsing wonderscape. Cincinnatians could feast their eyes on large-scale projection mapping, light-based sculptures and installations, a parade, murals and performances.
BLINK is back for a second fest Oct. 10-13, 2019 — this time stretching across the Roebling Bridge and into Covington, Kentucky. This year’s BLINK will span 30 blocks, feature those same beloved large-scale light and art events, and also include a live performance from AltRock act Grouplove (plus more than 80 other musical acts). To mark the expansion across the Ohio River, BLINK also plans to illuminate the Roebling, bathing it in “beautiful color, light and sound.”
But before BLINK takes over two cities for four days, it will kick off with the Future City Light Spectacular: a 3,200-participant led parade down Cincinnati’s Vine Street, grand marshaled by chef Jean-Robert de Cavel.
Stepping off from the corner of Eighth and Vine streets downtown, the menagerie of illuminated floats, puppets, musicians, marching bands and costumed performers will march its way down to West Freedom Way at The Banks.
Led by Jesse-Mooney Bullock, six ArtWorks Youth Apprentices will transform themselves via Galactic Light Beast puppets, which were designed to affix to the wearer’s backpack. Ten more Youth Apprentices, led by local artist Kenton Brett, will take BLINK’s “future city” motto literally as GlowBots: LED-lit, rainbow robot costumes.
The parade steps off at dusk (roughly 7:30 p.m.) Oct. 10. And while you can’t necessarily jump in the glowing fray, you can watch from the sidelines and cheer on the luminescent throng.
This article appears in Oct 2-15, 2019.