CINCINNATI, OH – The City of Cincinnati is excited and proud to once again bring the nation’s largest immersive event, BLINK, illuminated by ArtsWave, back to our city.  The festivities begin on Tuesday, October 6 with the first ever BLINK Run the Night nighttime run.  The Ready. Set. BLINK! Opening Ceremony will be held on Thursday, October 8 and BLINK Festival runs Thursday through Sunday, October 8-11.  In order to accommodate these events, the following street closures will go into effect at the times listed:

 

BLINK Run the Night

Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 630PM Streets Close, 900PM Streets Reopened

 

• Elm Street- closed between Fourth Street and Fifth Street (Closes at 430PM for Start/ Finish Line Construction)
• Elm Street- closed between Fifth Street and Mehring Way
• Fifth Street- closed between Central Avenue and Race Street
• Fourth Street- closed between Race Street and Plum Street
• Third Street- westbound closed between Race Street and Plum Street
• Second Street- closed between the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge and Race Street
• Central Avenue- southbound closed between Seventh Street and Fifth Street
• Central Avenue- northbound closed between Third Street and Fifth Street
• Freedom Way- closed between Elm Street and Race Street
• Mehring Way- closed between Central Avenue and E Pete Rose Way
• Johnny Bench Way- closed
• E Pete Rose Way- closed west of Broadway

 

Ready. Set. BLINK! Opening Ceremony

Thursday, October 8, 2026, 400PM- 930PM

 

• Central Parkway- closed between Liberty Street and Ezzard Charles Drive (Closes at 6AM for block party construction)
• Central Parkway- closed between Liberty Street and Elm Street
• Fourteenth Street- closed west of Elm Street
• Magnolia Street- closed west of Elm Street (Local access maintained but no access the Central Parkway)
• Fifteenth Street- closed west of Elm Street (Local access maintained but no access the Central Parkway)
• Odeon Street- closed west of Elm Street (Local access maintained but no access the Central Parkway)
• Wade Street- closed west of Elm Street (Local access maintained but no access the Central Parkway)

 

 

BLINK Festival

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, October 9-11, 2026

Streets close:  700PM

Streets Reopen (End of Festival) 1100PM

 

 

 The following streets will close nightly from 7PM until 11PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 9-11, 2026:

 

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 Streets (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 Twelfth 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 Twelfth 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
• Twelfth Street- closed to through traffic between Main Street and Central Parkway
• Fourteenth 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 these street closures during BLINK 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 Twelfth Street and Thirteenth Street
• Elder Street- closed between Campbell Street and Elm Street

 

MISC. Closures

• Suspension Bridge- closed 7PM to 11PM nightly

 

           

Additional reminders: Local residential access will be maintained with the assistance of Cincinnati Police Department officers on site.  Additional streets may close as needed for traffic volumes.  Streetcar service will be maintained.

 

For more information this event, please visit:

BLINK | A Festival of Light & Art | Cincinnati, Ohio | October 8-11, 2026