News

Nation’s largest public light and art event will light up Newport, Ky. for the first time

NEWPORT, Ky. (October 14, 2024) – BLINK^®, the nation’s largest public light and art display, is making its way to Ovation, an urban, mixed-used development that sits along the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers in Northern Kentucky.

BLINK attendees who visit Ovation will be able to experience the installation “The Tunnel,” located on The Boardwalk spanning across the riverfront of the development, with a vibrant Cincinnati skyline as the backdrop. Thanks to a partnership with the Northern Kentucky’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, meetNKY, 2024 will be the first year that BLINK includes installations in Newport, Ky.

“Expanding the BLINK experience with a Newport Zone, anchored by Ovation as the welcome mat, is truly exciting,” remarked Bill Butler, Chairman and Founder of Corporex. “This has been a great undertaking with many of our partners including the Cincinnati Chamber, BLINK organizers, meetNKY and the City of Newport. We are excited to see our urban resort come to life as our new murals and Boardwalk are activated and the community gathers to enjoy this world-renowned event.”

In addition to “The Tunnel,” BLINK attendees can see several new murals illuminated throughout the property, including “Spring/Water” by local artist Christian Dallas and “I Wrap Myself in Starlight” by Emily Howard/ArtWorks. Ovation will also have a Hospitality Zone featuring food trucks from Texas Joe, CincySmash, Marty’s Waffles and West Sixth Brewing. The Hospitality Zone at Ovation will also include public restrooms as well as parking, which can be reserved and pre-paid in advance.

To keep the party going, MegaCorp Pavilion at Ovation will host BLINK Afterglow, BLINK’s very first afterparty event, on Saturday, October 19 from 10 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. The ticketed event features musical guests Austin Millz, DJ Prymtime and DJ Boywife, and special art installations only event attendees can see. “Portal,” a mural on the outside of the venue, will be activated only on Saturday to celebrate the new event. Tickets for BLINK Afterglow are available for purchase at promowestlive.com.

“We are thrilled to be part of BLINK this year as this is the first time many will have a chance to see the progress at Ovation,” said Suzanne Deatherage, Vice President of Marketing for Corporex. “We’re perfectly situated between Covington and Newport on the Levee, where there will be plenty of other great installations and activations to enjoy. We look forward to showing off our urban, riverfront development and sharing the best view available of the Cincinnati skyline as we welcome residents from across the Tri-State and visitors to the area.”

Ovation is a nearly 25-acre, five-city block equivalent urban, mixed-use development along the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers in Northern Kentucky. The community is host to a world-class music venue, state-of-the-art office buildings, residential options, hotels and open spaces. Once complete, Ovation will be an iconic regional destination, offering unique public artworks, restaurants, bars, and experiences to visitors, connecting residents and the community directly to the rivers with an unbeatable view of the Cincinnati skyline. To learn more visit ovationontheriver.com.

For more information on BLINK, visit blinkcincinnati.com. For more information on Corporex and the organization’s current projects across the United States, visit corporex.com.

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About Corporex:

Corporex Companies is a national, privately held investment and development firm based in Covington, Kentucky. Corporex has a nearly 60-year history of developing world-class hotels, Class A offices, luxury residential and mixed-use developments in over 22+ states across the U.S. The company has more than $1B in assets under management, has built over 25M square feet, and generously invested in communities with nearly $2.9M in corporate and foundation giving in 2023. Today, the company remains one of the leading privately held, vertically integrated owner/operators of commercial real estate in the country. Learn more at Corporex.com.

About Ovation:

Ovation is a 25-acre, urban, mixed-use development that sits along the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers in Northern Kentucky. The development offers accessibility, convenience, and connectivity to a world-class music venue, state-of-the-art office buildings, residential options, hotels, open green spaces, and unique restaurants, bars, and experiences. Once complete, Ovation will bridge cities in the region, connect residents and the community directly to the rivers, and offer incredible river views combined with a boardwalk that transcends time and activates all your senses. To learn more visit ovationontheriver.com.

About BLINK^®

BLINK, Illuminated by ArtsWave, is an unforgettable four-day, 30-city block, outdoor art experience that unites street art, mural works, projection mapping, and light-based installations. A biennial event, BLINK attracts over 2 million people to the Cincinnati region as it showcases works from hundreds of prominent local, national and international artists.

Not only does the event speak to the dynamic evolution of the Cincinnati art community, it calls upon the city’s deep roots in supporting the arts. BLINK is illuminated by ArtsWave, the first and largest community campaign in the nation and the primary way that Cincinnati funds its arts. When tens of thousands of people and hundreds of companies give to ArtsWave, they support 150 cultural organizations and projects each year like BLINK that make our region vibrant. Donations to BLINK and other arts projects and organizations can be made at artswave.org/give.

BLINK’s Executive Partners include the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, AGAR, and the Haile Foundation, and the event is curated and produced in conjunction with partners Cincy Nice and Ish to provide opportunities for regional artists and inspire our region with global creators, all in the pursuit of our Region’s future.