COVINGTON, KY – Throngs are expected to descend into Greater Cincinnati in three weeks for the nation's largest public art and light show.
The biennial Blink festival will feature large-scale projections on buildings and interactive light installations. It will also bring 20 new murals to Cincinnati's urban core and Covington.
A map and other details about the event are still under wraps.
But Leslie Mooney, vice president and executive director of Blink, unveiled some exclusive updates at the Covington Business Council lunch Sept. 17.
Here's what we learned about the Blink festival:
Blink is returning to Mutter Gottes church
The historic Mother of God Roman Catholic Church in Covington has been part of the festival in the past, but not in 2024.
"The one year we didn't do it, we heard about
it," Mooney said.
This year, three French artists will each have a piece of work projected onto the church.
Goodbye to Venus flytrap monster
Covington's "Feed Me" mural, by Joshua Stout,has been painted over to make room for a new mural.
The mural was painted about five years ago on a building that was home to Garden Grove Organics, a plant store.
It was located at the corner of Scott and East Fourth streets.
White brick wall? No more
A white brick wall near a parking lot, adjacent to the former "Feed Me" mural, will be one of the spots with a new mural soon.
Mooney said prep work for several murals has already started with artists priming and sketching their work.
Painting is slated to begin Oct. 1, and most murals will be done by the time Blink starts.
Fun run, opening ceremony, and no Newport
Other changes are also slated for the Blink festival.
For instance, the festival will feature a 2.6-mile fun run Sept. 29, a night eventthat offers participants a sneak peek at some of the Blink installations.
In lieu of a parade, Blink will have an opening ceremony Oct. 8, with a drone show over TQL Stadium.
And Newport won't be part of the festival this year because of the closure of the Fourth Street Bridge, which connects Covington to its riverside sister city.
The official Blink map will be released next week, along with other details, Mooney said.
For the most up-to-date information, Mooney said people can download the ArtsWave app, which will be updated before the start of the festival.
Have a news tip? Comment? You can reach Northern Kentucky reporter Jolene Almendarez at jolenea@usatodayco.com or follow her on social media. Keep up with Northern Kentucky news at NKY.com or by downloading our NKY news app.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Exclusive: Blink returns to Covington church, but will skip Newport
