The Cincinnati-favorite BLINK festival returns this weekend, offering four days of colorful displays, light projections and live music.
From Oct. 13-16, there will be a parade, local eats, live entertainment and countless illuminated art installations spread across downtown Cincinnati and Covington.
Along with the excitement and popularity of the event, there will also be numerous road closures that could impact access to BLINK — and to the rest of the city.
The following roads will be closed to vehicular traffic in Cincinnati from 6:30-11:30 p.m. each night of the fest:
Over-the-Rhine:
- Elm Street between 12th Street and McMicken Avenue
- Race Street between 12th Street and McMicken Avenue
- Pleasant Street between Liberty Street and 14th Street
- Dunlap Street between Findlay Street and McMicken Avenue
- Elder and Findlay streets between Central Parkway and Vine Street
- Green Street between Vine Street and Logan Street
- Wade, Odeon and Magnolia streets between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- 15th Street between Walnut Street and Central Parkway
- 14th Street between Central Parkway and Sycamore Street
- 13th Street between Vine Street and Sycamore Street
- 12th Street between Vine Street and Main Street
- Central Business District between the Kroger Store and The Banks
- Main Street between Third Street and Liberty Street
- Walnut Street between Second Street and Liberty Street
- Vine Street between Sixth Street and Central Parkway
- Eighth Street and Garfield Place between Elm Street and Sycamore Street
- Seventh Street between Race Street and Sycamore Street
- Fourth Street between Sycamore Street and Vine Street
- Logan Street between Findlay Street and Elder Street
- Eton Alley between Elm Street and Race Street
- Jackson Street between Central Parkway and 12th Street
- Roebling Suspension Bridge
Central Business District:
- Court Street between Race Street and Walnut Street
- Walnut Street between Ninth Street and Central Parkway
- W. Eighth Street between Vine Street and Elm Street
The Banks:
- Freedom Way between Rosa Parks Street and Joe Nuxhall Way
- Marian Spencer Way between Second Street and Ted Berry Way at Roebling Bridge
Starting at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, Fifth Street between Broadway and Central Avenue will close to vehicular traffic for the BLINK Parade.
Additionally, for parade setup, the following streets will be closed from 4-10 p.m. on Oct. 13:
- Sentinel Street between Fifth Street and Eggleston Avenue
- Reedy Street between Broadway and Eggleston Avenue
- Seventh Street between Broadway and Culvert Street
- New Street between Broadway and Culvert Street
- Culvert Street between Reedy Street and E. Fifth Street
Covington:
From 9 a.m. on Oct. 11 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 17:
- Court Street between Third and Fourth streets
- Park Place between Scott and Greenup streets
From 7-11 p.m. Oct 13-16:
- West Pike Street between Madison and Washington
- Washington Street between West Pike and Sixth Street
- Sixth Street between Madison and Main streets
- Roebling Suspension Bridge
From 5:30-11:30 p.m. Oct. 13-16:
- Seventh Street “Alcove” between Madison and Washington
Beginning at 6 p.m. each night of the festival, Cincinnati Metro and the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK) will be offering free rides and direct access to BLINK locations. These are the free rides being offered during BLINK, per a press release Game Day Communications:
Metro Park & Ride locations (all drop off at the Riverfront Transit Center):
· Cincinnati State (3520 Central Parkway)
· CPS Board of Education (2651 Burnet Ave.)
· UC Digital Futures Building (3044 Reading Rd.)
Park & Ride at Northern Kentucky University (Lots K, L, M):
· TANK will have promotional giveaways, drawings, refreshments, and fun at NKU as people wait for their bus to leave.
· Service begins each night at NKU at 6 p.m. Last trip from NKU to Covington is at 9 p.m.
· Bus makes no stops in between and goes straight to the Covington Transit Center.
· Beginning at 9 p.m. each night, buses will ONLY travel from the Covington Transit Center and drop off at NKU (no pick-ups).
· Buses will operate from the Covington Transit Center back to the park and ride for drop offs until 11 p.m. each night.
For more information about traffic changes related to BLINK, visit covingtonky.gov and cincinnati-oh.gov.
Stay connected with CityBeat. Subscribe to our newsletters, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google News, Apple News and Reddit.
Send CityBeat a news or story tip or submit a calendar event.
