CINCINNATI — The return of BLINK is almost here! The nation's largest art and projection mapping festival is back in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky from Thursday, Oct. 8 through Sunday, Oct. 11.
The free, four-day festival, which began in 2017, will feature more than 80 large-scale projection mappings, murals, installations and more by renowned local, national and international artists. BLINK's 2024 festival was its first to cross into Northern Kentucky, and it was experienced by more than 2 million people.
So whether you plan to come down for one of the four nights, or you're spending the entire weekend enjoying BLINK, here's everything you need to know about the 2026 festival.
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Festival map
The festival is split into five different zones: the Findlay Market Zone, the OTR Zone, the Fountain Zone, the Banks Zone and the Covington Zone.
Each zone has its own variety of projections, light installations, murals and other unique attractions. There are also set "Oasis Stations" across the map, which feature indoor restrooms for festivalgoers to use.
Here's the full BLINK 2026 map:
Ready. Set. Blink!
To kick off the festival this year, BLINK is hosting an opening ceremony, "Ready. Set. Blink!"
The opening ceremony will take place Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. on Central Parkway between Liberty Street and W. 14th Street in front of TQL Stadium.
Ready. Set. Blink! will include interactive installations, live performances, hands-on creative experiences and an opportunity for festivalgoers to create and wear their own light art. There will also be multiple bars and food trucks lined along Central Parkway, as well.
Multiple DJs will perform for the ceremony, and lovelytheband, a rock band with hits like "these are my friends" and "make you feel pretty," will also perform a free concert.
There will also be a "First Sight" drone show over TQL Stadium.
You can click here to find the full main stage schedule, performance stage schedule and the map for Ready. Set. Blink!.
Unique attractions
Other than the new opening ceremony, there are several other "unique attractions" throughout the weekend outside of the various installations and art.
A "Dimensions of Wonder" drone show will take place over the Ohio River on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The Asianati Night Market is also returning for this year's festival on Court Street Plaza. The night market includes various Asian cuisine, games, activities and live performances, such as the Au Lac Lion Dance and River Lotus Lion Dance.
Another attraction from the 2024 festival, the Cincinnati Skatepark, will return to the corner of Elm Street and Liberty Street. There will be several hours of open skate, as well as DJ performances from popular Cincinnati DJs, including DJ Boywife, DJ Speedboat and others.
For a full list of all of the unique attractions, where they take place and at what time, click here.
Road closures
There are several road closures in both Cincinnati and Kentucky during the festival.
Road closures for Ready. Set. Blink!
Closed on Thursday, Oct. 8 from 4 to 9:30 p.m.
- Central Parkway — closed between Liberty Street and Ezzard Charles Drive (closes at 6 a.m. for block party construction)
- Central Parkway — closed between Liberty Street and Elm Street
- 14th Street — closed west of Elm Street
- Magnolia Street — closed west of Elm Street (local access maintained but no access to Central Parkway)
- 15th Street — closed west of Elm Street (local access maintained but no access to Central Parkway)
- Odeon Street — closed west of Elm Street (local access maintained but no access to Central Parkway)
- Wade Street — closed west of Elm Street (local access maintained but no access to Central Parkway)
BLINK festival closures
From Friday, Oct. 9 through Sunday, Oct. 11, streets will close at 7 p.m. each night and reopen at 11 p.m., the end of the festival each night.
North-South Streets
- Elm Street — closed between Central Parkway and Findlay Street (Liberty Street remains open to east-west traffic)
- Race Street — closed between Central Parkway and Findlay Street (Liberty Street remains open to east-west traffic)
- Vine Street — closed between Third Street and Central Parkway (Third Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Ninth Street remain open for east-west traffic)
- Walnut Street — closed between Third Street and Central Parkway (Third Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Ninth Street remain open for east-west traffic)
- Main Street — closed between Second Street and 12th Street (Second Street, Third Street, Fifth Street, Sixth Street, Ninth Street and Central Parkway remain open for east-west traffic) (Main Street will close to maintain the streetcar)
- Jackson Street — closed between 12th Street and Central Parkway
East-West Streets
- Fourth Street — restricted between Main Street and Race Street (the street will remain open as long as possible but may close due to crowd congestion)
- Seventh Street — restricted between Main Street and Race Street (the street will remain open as long as possible but may close due to crowd congestion)
- Charles Street — closed between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- 12th Street — closed to through traffic between Main Street and Central Parkway
- 14th Street — closed between Central Parkway and Vine Street
- Grant Street — closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- Magnolia Street — closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- Odeon Street — closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- Wade Street — closed to through traffic between Central Parkway and Elm Street
- Green Street — closed to through traffic between Vine Street and Elm Street
- Elder Street — closed between Vine Street and Central Parkway
In addition to closures during festival hours, the following blocks will close and remain closed for the entire week:
- Freedom Way — closed between Race Street and Marian Spencer Way (Rosa Parks Street will remain open during non-event hours)
- Plum Street — closed between Ninth Street and Eighth Street
- Court Street — closed between Race Street and Walnut Street (Vine Street will remain open during non-event hours)
- Jackson Street — closed between 12th Street and 13th Street
- Elder Street — closed between Campbell Street and Elm Street
Other closures:
- Roebling A. Suspension Bridge — closed 7 to 11 p.m. nightly
Kentucky road closures
These closures began Saturday, Oct. 3 and will run through 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12
- Park Place from Scott Street to Greenup Street
- Court Street
These closures began Monday, Oct. 5 and will run through 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12
- Tobacco Alley from Madison Avenue to Scott Street
Beginning Thursday, Oct. 8, these roads will be closed from 6:45 to 11 p.m.
- Roebling Way and the Roebling A. Suspension Bridge
- E. Third Street from Scott Street to Greenup Street
- Electric Alley from E. Fourth Street to E. Fifth Street
- W. Pike Street from Washington Street to Madison Avenue
The city is also closing the following streets to vehicle traffic:
- E. Fourth Street from Madison Avenue to Greenup Street
- Scott Street from E. Third Street to E. Fifth Street
- Madison Avenue from E. Fourth Street to E. Eighth Street
- W. Seventh Street from Washington Street to Madison Avenue
W. Fifth Street and Greenup Street will remain open to vehicle traffic.
Parking and transportation
Each night of the festival, all parking garages outside of the BLINK footprint will be open at event pricing.
The festival also said it's partnering with LAZ Parking, which is offering reserved parking spaces at select locations. You can click here to reserve a spot. Once you do so, there will be a button on the confirmation that will show you your pass, which is location-specific.
For getting around the Cincinnati side of the festival, the Cincinnati Connector will also be running during BLINK. The free streetcar runs on a loop from the Findlay Market area down to The Banks.
Organizers also encourage festivalgoers to use rides from Metro and TANK to get around during BLINK.
The BLINK map also suggests certain walking paths to get around the festival this year.
For more information about BLINK 2026, click here.
