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Blink is visual, but this year there’s a big audio component too

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Blink is visual, but this year there’s a big audio component too

Upping the ante for each iteration of Blink, the largest light installation festival in the United States, isn’t easy.

Just ask Blink director Justin Brookhart who has been working this year’s Blink since the last one in 2022.

But. Brookhart is confident he and his team, all from the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. will wow the crowd.

Think twice nightly drone shows, a laser bridge over the Ohio River and dance parties.

This year’s Blink will be more compact, but also expand to Newport in Northern Kentucky.

“Expanding into Newport in particular was important,” Brookhart said. “We imagine that there might be families that are used to going there on Friday and Saturday nights and might want to come check it out. But the rest of the footprint has really kind of consolidated from what we did in 2022. We got some good feedback from folks in 2022 that said, ‘We want a little bit more density, a little more immersion in the artwork.'”

Among the biggest events: The drone show.

From Thursday through Sunday, 500 drones will fly over the Ohio River just west of the Roebling Bridge twice each night. They’ll launch from Covington Plaza and will be visible from both the Covington and Cincinnati sides of the river. Watch from Smale Riverside Park.

The biggest change? The inclusion of more audio.

“Only about 50% of our projection installations in 2022 actually had an audio experience,” Brookhart said. “Most of them were just visuals. This year, all the projection installations have an audio component, which we think is great.”

In the two years since the last Blink, Brookhart and his team visited other Blink-like festivals all over the world, taking away lessons.

“The best ones had both incredible visuals, but also great soundscapes or integrated music and scores to them,” he said. “So that’s something that’s a little new and different.”

Look for music throughout the festival route too.

“We want to keep the street energy up,” Brookhart said. “Think less dedicated music stages like we’ve had in years past and more roaming musicians and opportunities for folks to keep that energy up on the street.”

In 2022, more than two million people attended Blink. Brookhart said more people are expected this year.

This is Brookhart’s second Blink at the helm, but the fourth iteration of the event. The first was in 2017, followed by a bigger, bolder Blink in 2019 and then one in 2022.

Miss last week’s episode? No problem. Listen here. Follow Cincinnati.com editor Beryl Love on X @beryllove and City Hall reporter Sharon Coolidge @SharonCoolidge.

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