It seems like only last week many of us were wondering, "What in the heck is Blink?" Now we know: Blink was a light and art festival encompassing Downtown and Over-the-Rhine, and with an estimated 1 million people in attendance, it's perhaps the largest event in recent Cincinnati history.
It wasn't just that many of our buildings and murals were transformed by light shows. Cincinnati itself felt different. Crowds of tens of thousands strolled through the streets. These people were of all ages, races, incomes and from all across Greater Cincinnati. It's a fair bet some of those attending hadn't been to Downtown or OTR in years, if not decades. Restaurants and bars were booming. The streetcar was packed. Our art scene quite literally glowed. It was as if, for four nights, we saw Cincinnati as it should be.
As it can be.
I hope that the excitement felt for Cincinnati wasn't limited to Blink, or to other singular events such as Opening Day or Oktoberfest. I hope that people across our region rediscovered how vibrant, exciting and fun our urban core is.
Kevin Necessary is the editorial cartoonist for WCPO. His opinions do not represent those of WCPO.
