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BLINK Cincinnati 2024

BLINK Cincinnati is the largest light, art and projection mapping event in the nation. The event returns in 2024.

Event Dates

From: Thursday, October 17, 2024 To: Sunday, October 20, 2024

Key Highlights

• Walking Tour
• 3,000 Participants
• Light Spectacular
• Live Entertainment
• Entertainment Areas

Plan Ahead!

Cincinnati hotels fill fast for gay events To get the best deals and save up to 70% Book your hotel well in advance!

BLINK Cincinnati is the largest light, art and projection mapping event in the nation.  Given its size and scale, it is typically held every 2 years in October. Visiting for the event? Most of the city’s gay bars are located close to the BLINK exhibitions in Downtown and towards the North Side . Stay at the  Lytle Park Hotel , rated “Superb” by guests, with a beautiful rooftop bar, modern gym and stylish rooms. The Event BLINK Cincinnati is a four-day event featuring large-scale projection mapping installations, murals, urban artscapes, media light and interactive art in Cincinnati, OH. The event takes place in downtown Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, spanning more than 30 city blocks and crossing the historic John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge over the Ohio River. Attending BLINK is free and open to the public; no tickets are required. Hours run from 7pm-11pm each night. There is no cost to attend Blink itself.  There are $10 Tickets to special art experiences at Washington Park as well as the usual parking, food, drinks and merchandise, etc. VIP tickets are also available. Future City Light Spectacular BLINK officially kicks off with the Future City Spectacular presented by Skyline Chili Parade just after sundown on the opening night of the event. Featuring more than 3,000 participants and groups from across the city and beyond, the parade will step from the corner of 8th and Vine streets in downtown Cincinnati. Stay close to the parade at The 21c Museum Hotel rated “Fabulous” by guests with stunning Art, unique room decoration and excellent location for enjoying the weekend events. The stunning and lighted floats, puppets, musicians, and performers will make their way down Vine Street, ending at West Freedom Way at The Banks. Walking Tour BLINK Is Best Experienced On Foot. Park The Car, Grab Friends And Family, And Use Our Suggested Self-Guided Walking Routes To Explore BLINK’s 30+ Blocks Of Light, Art, And Wonder. All Routes End In Our Hospitality Areas Where You Can Find Seating, Restrooms, Food And Beverage, Entertainment, VIP Tents And More. Stay close to the walking tours, downtown, at the Kinley Cincinnati , rated “Fabulous” by guests featuring chic and elegant rooms and highly-rated breakfasts. Hospitality & Entertainment Areas Hospitality Areas are available in the following BLINK ® Neighborhood Zones: Findlay Market, Downtown, The Banks, and Covington. At each of our Hospitality Areas, visitors can find live entertainment stages, VIP tents, official event merchandise, food/beverage, seating, and public restrooms. Hospitality Areas are open from 5pm-11pm each night. Live entertainment begins at 7pm. Logistics and Getting Around The previous event drew drew a crowd of more than 1 million people and this year’s event is going to be bigger. Blink is simply too large to be seen in one night.  Blink is massive and as a result there is simply too much to see even if you ran between locations to see everything in one night. Park and Ride Ohio – Metro on the Ohio side will have two designated park & ride locations for Blink: The Museum Center at Union Terminal ($4 charge to park) & Cincinnati State (Free to park).  Keep in mind that due to the crowds both of these lots will fill up fast Cincinnati Streetcar – The Cincinnati Streetcar will be free starting at 4pm on the following schedule during Blink.  Keep in mind it will be crowded – Thursday –  4 pm – midnight, Friday – 4 pm – 1:00 am, Saturday –  4 pm – 1:00 am, Sunday – 4 pm – 11:00 pm South-Bank Shuttle – The shuttle will run an alternate route due to the Roebling bridge being closed for the event.  The cost is $1 per ride. OGGO Roebling Bridge Shuttle – The Roebling Bridge connecting Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky will be closed to car traffic during BLINK hours. It will be open to foot traffic and Oggo shuttle rides. Recommended Hotels in Cincinnati The following Cincinnati hotels are all within a short ride to the BLINK exhibitions: Kinley Cincinnati ,  21c Museum Hotel ,  The Lytle Park Hotel ,    XV Beacon Hotel

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Find the best hotel in Cincinnati Book now and Pay on arrival

Where we stay!

Lytle Park Hotel is our editors choice when we are in Cincinnati

Official Website

For further information and advice on BLINK Cincinnati visit The Website

Gay Map of CINCINNATI

210 West Fourteenth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

The rooms at the hotel are fitted with a seating area, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a private bathroom with a hairdryer and a shower. All rooms have a desk. An American breakfast is available each morning at Symphony Hotel & Restaurant.

311 Pike Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

At the hotel, all rooms are fitted with a desk, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom. Continental and American breakfast options are available every morning at The Lytle Park Hotel, Autograph Collection offers air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi and private parking.

37 West 7th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

At the hotel, every room includes a wardrobe. At Kinley Cincinnati Downtown, a rooms are equipped with a desk and a flat-screen TV. With a fitness center, the 4-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, each with a private bathroom. The hotel has family rooms.

609 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Each guest room at 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati features a flat-screen cable TV and a coffee machine. They are decorated with modern furnishings and have an private bathroom with free toiletries. Hotel offers nightly turn down service and has free Wi-Fi throughout & a fitness center

1407 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

This fully Air conditioned apartment is fitted with a living room with a flat-screen TV a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher and a breakfast bar. One bedroom with a queen bed and a bathroom with shower. Free private parking is possible on site

Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

The spacious apartments includes a large kitchen with an island that opens up to a luxurious living area. The bathroom also provides plenty of space with the dual sink vanity and full bathtub. You’re also perfectly located for Cincinnati fun.

50 East Court Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Offers accommodations with a kitchen in Cincinnati. Guests staying at this apartment can use the free WiFi. The apartment comes with a living room with a TV, a fully equipped kitchen a bathroom with shower and one bedroom

116 West Fifteenth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Where all the fun & excitement is just a stone throw away. Kitchen is fully stocked with cookware & utensils. offering high-speed WiFi, SmartTV. 1 Free-Assigned OnSite Parking in a gated lot. Private entry & patio area. Free coffee + tea

643 Bakewell Street, Covington, Kentucky 41011

Rosie's is the perfect place stop off for a drink or two and shoot pool or play on the pinball machine Gay or straight, Rosie's is a solid choice.

901 Washington Avenue, Newport, Kentucky 41071

You will have to pace your self in this gay bar

The bartender places a sugar cube on a slotted spoon. One hand holds the spoon directly over a glass of fragrant absinthe, the other is used to poor ice-cold water over the sugar cube and into the glass, creating a cloudy, sweet-tasting concoction. Newport's own Crazy Fox legally serves up glasses of absinthe this way, and only this way. Absinthe is one of the main attractions

927 Race St, Cincinnati, OH 45202, United States

Fun gay bar offering dragshows

222 West Twelfth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Operating under the "every-person" concept, this gay bar offer a wide range of beer and cocktail options that can satisfy anything your heart desires.

From lemonade infusions and boozy slushies to craft cocktails and various draft options 

1120 Walnut St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Gay Cabaret bar good friendly service make for a fun night out

619 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011

Neighborhood gay cocktail bar in the heart of Covington

4169 Hamilton Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45223

Good Judy's is a queer dive in Northside offering cocktails, mocktails, canned and bottled beverages.

celebrate queer culture through themed musical parties and weekly prformances by Drag and LGBTQIA+ entertainers!

4042 Hamilton Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45223

The gay lounge has state of the art video system and a music parlor with a baby grand piano under the gorgeous chandelier for entertaining the guest.

Tillie’s gem is the partially covered back patio with great floral arrangements

2401 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219

Everyone's favorite Home Base. Great place to make new friends in a relaxed atmosphere.

Pool Table, Giant Jenga, Pong Table ,Patio, new Touch Tunes Jukebox Tues Night Karaoke, plus TVs with the game on

835 Main Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Cocktails & dancing offered in gay nightspot with drag shows & TVs at the bar.

901 Race Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

gay owned and gay staffed neighborhood corner bar.

Offering a happy hour and a TouchTunes jukebox 

927 Race Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

The Birdcage is a LGBTQ upscale bar and lounge.

The premier destination for specialty cocktails, and entertainment!

21+ with valid ID.

Recommended Hotels in Cincinnati By Booking

Book with confidence. Get the best Prices from our partner Booking.com We have chosen hotels in Cincinnati that keep you close to all the shops, restaurants & bars

Kinley Cincinnati 4 Star – Central Location

• 4 Star – Comfortable Family Rooms
• A short taxi ride to the gay bars
• Flat-screen TV, private bathroom
• Central location, family-friendly rooms, free WiFi, & fitness center for a comfortable stay.

21c Museum Hotel 4 Star, Luxury

• 4 Star, Artistic Modern Decor
• Close to the gay district
• Flat-screen TV, coffee machine
• Art-focused experience, modern decor, nightly turn down service, & well-equipped fitness center.

The Lytle Park Hotel 4 Star – Great Amenities

• 4 Star – Elegant Breakfast Options
• A short walk to the gay bars
• Flat-screen TV, American breakfast
• Stay for elegant breakfast options, air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, & private parking.

Symphony Hotel 4 Star – Perfect Location

• 4 Star – American Breakfast
• Satellite TV, private bathroom
• Ideal for its perfect location, American breakfast options, & rooms with satellite TV.

Video Of BLINK Cincinnati

BLINK Illuminated by ArtsWave 2019 Event Sizzle Reel

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With our partner Booking.com you can save up to 70% on regular rates and PAY NOTHING until you arrive!

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EXPERIENCE TOGETHERNESS, ART, LIGHT, & FOOD

WHAT THE WEEKEND HAS TO OFFER

Kick off your weekend with a celebration of Cincinnati-based artists, as well as global artists and community participants, in the BLINK Parade on October 13. 

Try out some local tastes with global inspiration in the festival’s selection of food trucks, and immerse yourself in art and music throughout the entire weekend.

BOOK YOUR TRIP NOW

• Rooms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
• Adults 1 2 3 4
• Kids 0 1 2 3 4 5

DOWNLOAD THE VISITORS GUIDE

© 2022 cincy usa cvb & meetnky • 525 vine street suite 1200, cincinnati, oh 45202.

This is the BLINK experience. Taking Cincinnati and Covington by storm and crossing the Ohio River, this is the only U.S. event of its kind. Explore everything that the Cincy Region has to offer by day, and revel in art, joy, and a celebration of light by night. In a 30-block display of global art and inspiration, witness 39 large-scale projection mappings, 16 new murals, interactive light sculptures, music from over 80 bands,   and diverse entertainment from both local and international artists. Experience all four days and make a weekend of it!

October 13-16

October 13-16, 2022, 7-11pm

Between Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky

Explore the map here .

Festival is FREE for everyone.  Exclusive gallery admission is available for $10.

EXPERIENCE LOCAL

Grab a morning sip from one of Cincy’s local coffee houses, then head out for a little morning zen and exploration at regional parks like The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical garden,  Glenwood Garden, Devou Park or Miami Whitewater Forest. Check out Idlewild Park, home of one of the top disc golf courses in the country. 

Discover Newport on the Levee, then keep walking until you have the perfect view of the city’s gorgeous riverfront skyline.

EXPERIENCE CULTURE

Get your cameras ready and take a self-guided tour of Cincy’s unique public murals and installations across Over-the-Rhine, Downtown, and all the way to Covington, Newport, and so much more. 

While you’re out, head over to the Historic Music Hall to catch an evening show of the Cincinnati Symphony or Orchestra. And if you don’t want the evening to end, check out one of Cincy’s famous haunted houses for a spooky kind of fun!

EXPERIENCE FLAVOR

Whenever you’re ready for a bite, Cincy’s got the treats you’re craving. Make a chili stop at Camp Washington Chili, savor the local flavors at the Oakley Kitchen Food Hall or check out the historic Southern gem, the Tousey House Tavern. 

If you’re looking for locally grown fresh produce and farm products, swing by Findlay Market to see what Meet n’ Three is all about.

Looking for more to do? Check out other exciting Cincy itineraries.

START PLANNING YOUR  BLINK   TRIP TODAY!

You can walk as much, or as little as you'd like. Park in Covington or downtown Cincinnati—there are event zones on both sides of the river and you can easily walk across the pedestrian Roebling Bridge. While there are detailed maps available, we recommend picking out a few zones ahead of time, parking somewhere centrally located, and then wandering with the crowd. This is a freeform event, with surprises around every corner.

PARK YOUR CAR AND HIT  THE STREETS

Your ArtWorks Guide to BLINK®

At ArtWorks, we’re sewing costumes, getting out the ladders and flipping switches for BLINK®, illuminated by ArtsWave, coming to downtown Cincinnati and Covington next week! The art, light and culture event is transforming our region Thursday, Oct. 10 – Sunday, Oct. 13. Read on to get ready for your FUTURE CITY!

Don’t BLINK and Drive

Thursday sparks the blink® future city spectacular parade presented by skyline chili, see our youth apprentices aglow, meet the artist of artworks’ latest mural on saturday, oct. 12, artswave is offering blink® guided tours, go on a free blink photo walking tour.

• Saturday, October 12 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Led by Lori Zimmer
• Sunday, October 13: 8pm-10pm: Led by  Halopigg
• Thursday, October 10: 9 p.m. – 11 p.m.: Led by  Street Art Nomad  &  Street Art NYC
• Friday, October 11: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Led by  Chop ’em Down Film s

Curious about how BLINK happens?

• Tim Maloney a catalyst for visionary projects like BLINK  (via Movers & Makers)
• The 5 Best Design Destinations to Visit in October  (via Architectural Digest)
• Cincinnati’s Lumineers: Here’s what it will take to make Blink 2019 happen  (via the Cincinnati Business Courier)
• That’s So Cincinnati podcast: The Blink that binds us  (via The Enquirer)
• Time to get crafty, Cincinnati… Blink announces Future City Spectacular Parade details  (via The Enquirer)
• ArtWorks’ first LED mural makes its debut in time for BLINK  (via Fox19)

Don’t Just BLINK, BLINK VIP!

Share your blink® experience, blink® producing partners.

Posted by: Dominique Khoury

BLINK Cincinnati 2022- Our Guide for the Best Experience (including my tips!)

Folks, mark your calendar for this one because BLINK Cincinnati is THE “not to be missed” Cincinnati event for 2022.

BLINK is a four-day Cincinnati event featuring locations with large-scale projection mapping, murals, urban artscape, media light, street art, interactive art and live performers. The largest light, art, projection mapping events in the nation, BLINK is happening October 13-16, 2022 and will stretch across 30 city blocks throughout downtown Cincinnati, surrounding areas, and into Covington, KY.

What is BLINK Cincinnati?

At the simplest level, it’s a fabulous, giant light show !  Our city’s buildings will come alive for BLINK Cincinnati as art meets light meets brick. A number of our existing ArtWorks murals will light up as various creatives project light shows specifically designed for each mural. And we will have the pleasure of enjoying additional/new murals created just for BLINK 2022.

Want to see what a previous BLINK event was like? Take a look at our montage of the first event….

As part of the 30 city blocks of project mappings, we will see more than 100 interactive installations across multiple locations throughout downtown Cincinnati and surrounding areas.

How Do I Know Where to Go at BLINK Cincinnati?

The BLINK Event Map can be found here . Be sure to bookmark the map on your phone so it’s ready and waiting for you when you go out at night. In previous years they’ve handed out printed maps at some of the stops but I haven’t seen any mentions of that yet for 2022.

BLINK Cincinnati has been broken up into five zones (all shown on the map):

• The Findlay Market Zone
• Over the Rhine Zone
• Downtown Zone
• The Banks Zone
• Covington Zone

Use the online map to find all the zones you might want to visit. In addition to the 5 zones, the map shows the transit centers and its stops, the parade path, restrooms, hospitality areas, and much more.

What’s New for BLINK in 2022?

New for 2022 : the first BLINK Drone Show! 300 drones will put on a show over the Ohio River, twice each evening. The show will be visible from both the Ohio and the Kentucky sides of the river. Make some plans to be on the riverfront to see this glowing event that’s happening Thursday through Sunday. The first drone shows will be at 9pm and 10pm on Thursday followed by drone shows Friday through Sunday at 8pm and 10pm.

New for 2022 : ArtsWave is offering a self-guided tour that will lead you through a 10-stop guided tour on your smart phone. Each stop on the tour starts off with a video intro from the artist, in progress videos of the artwork, installation videos, artist bios, and more. Get it here for just $10!

New for 2022 : There will be 90 music artists performing on stages across all the zones, making BLINK the largest music festival in Ohio! Performances are happening all across the city (from Covington to OTR) with over 100 artists playing on 7 stages from 7pm to 11pm (Thursday to Saturday) and from 7pm to 10pm on Sunday.

When is BLINK Cincinnati 2022:

When: October 13-16, 2022 All shows and exhibits begin at sundown – approximately 7pm .

Do I Need Tickets for BLINK?  

BLINK is free and open to the public. You can go all evening without spending a dime if you wish (other than parking).

There are a few “ticketed” opportunities but those are not the norm.

The BLINK Parade

The BLINK parade will light up the streets and kick off the BLINK experience around 7:30pm on Thursday, October 13, 2022. The parade will be on 5th Street this year, going through the Central Business District of downtown. It starts at Broadway and heads west, ending at the parade stage on Elm Street .

What’s New for the Parade in 2022?

• Be on the watch for more details on an upcoming neighborhood “torch passing” activity between Cincinnati & NKY neighborhoods!
• The parade has a theme for 2022: ‘Together: a constellation of shared cultures and unique identities; we illuminate joy through creative expression’.
• The parade will culminate near 5th and Elm for a finale performance and lighting ritual to formally kick off the BLINK weekend.

Our Tips for BLINK Cincinnati (from having been there EVERY night last time!):

Come prepared to walk:.

Wear your most comfortable shoes because you’re going to walk A LOT. In our first year we were fully prepared to take the streetcar from the Findlay Market area (where we parked) down to The Banks and work our way back up. But that was impossible. The streetcar was packed like sardines. Literally. And there were so many people that the streetcar moved at the pace of a snail. We walked as fast as the streetcar moved. Not kidding. I hope there’s a solution to that problem this year but I’m not planning on it and I’ll be fully prepared to walk wherever I need to go.

The streetcar is free and they will have extra cars running during BLINK this year, escorted by Cincinnati Police. They’re reporting that all 18 stations will be open.

Other available modes of transportation include the Bird Scooters and Red Bikes as well. Personally, I would not plan on those as you will need space to ride them. And there’s no space to ride them.

What it boils down to, however = there are lots of people on the sidewalks and the streets … ALL the people! Navigating the streets in anything motorized is going to be tough. Prepare to walk it.

Make Your Plans For What You Want to See Before You Leave the House:

We went for multiple days and broke up the event by area. Thursday we concentrated on The Banks up to about The Aronoff Center. The next night we stayed in the Washington Park area and ventured down to the Garfield section of town. The next day we did the Findlay Market displays. And on our last day we hit a few various spots that we missed and still wanted to see.

The BLINK Event Map can be found here . Use it to find all the zones you might want to visit. In addition to the 5 zones, the map shows the transit centers and its stops, the parade path, as well as the hospitality areas.

You might also like: Daytime Events Happening During BLINK

Get your phone ready:

If they continue to offer it for the 2022 event (haven’t seen it yet), you should download the BLINK Cincinnati app (App Store / Google Play). The app matches your location with nearby installations and experiences. It will show you the hot spots around town.

Be sure you’re fully charged before you head out. You’re not going to want to miss a single shot!

You might also want to practice some night-time photography. Here are a few free options: iPhone Night Photos and Google Pixel’s Night Sight .

What’s the Best Time to Go to BLINK? 

Any time! All projection mapping shows are between 3-10 mins in length and are on a continuous loop so you can arrive at any time.  Each night will feature the same projection shows and art installations. The only exception is the parade which will take place on Thursday (see parade info above).

Where Should I Park?

There will be many city streets that are closed to vehicular traffic during BLINK. The City of Cincinnati put together a map to show all the street closures – find the road closure map here .

We made our plans, split up the areas we wanted to see, and parked accordingly (see paragraph above). My advice would be to park in the outskirts and walk in to the areas you want to see. That being said, we walked all the way from 14th down the The Banks and back on the first night and we lived to tell the tale.  🙂

If you park at a meter be sure to check the hours and days that you have to pay to park. Most (all?) of the downtown metered parking areas require payment every day, including Sunday. And I believe they all require payment until 9pm.

Don’t Leave Home Without It:

Take a water bottle and a snack. There are lots of spots with food trucks and drinks and beer but we walked A LOT and a water bottle was a welcomed addition. Snacks would be a fine idea too. Restaurants were slammed last time and while they do have lots of food options, it’s nice to have something ready in case the lines are too long.

8 thoughts on “BLINK Cincinnati 2022- Our Guide for the Best Experience (including my tips!)”

I have 8 and 10 yr olds that have no patience, so I have to plan well. Which areas are good to see during the day and which areas are far better at night? I’m thinking of starting late afternoon and staying for an hour or two of darkness. I don’t want to miss the best stuff. Any advice is appreciated.

The light shows don’t start until 7pm so keep that in mind (not sure what time you’re thinking of starting). Washington Park has the Architects of Air attraction that’s open until 7 so you could start there. Be aware that it’s the only thing that is NOT free; it’s $5. It is super cool though. Washington Park has a number of things to see and do. But there’s a lot to see around the Freedom Center (at The Banks) including the teeter totters which your kids will LOVE. We did not run into terrible crowds last night (except for the parade and that’s over now). If you can buy streetcar passes for everyone ($1 for two hours or $2 for all day), you could get on and off depending on the crowds at different areas. One tip: take a bag with waters and snacks. I wish I’d done that!

Event sounds very interesting, but wish that there was a way to print out the map of the Event Guide and Map. All my attempts including doing a Print Screen and then cropping to fit WORD result in details and wording that are too small to read. Maybe next year you could make the Map and Legend into a couple of sections that would print easier.

Please have your event where there aren’t any other major events going on. This was the opening weekend for the Cincinnati Pops, and it was more than challenging to find parking. It was very frustrating for those who attended the concert.

Any help for elderly handicapped couple?

Check out Last Call Trivia’s Mobile Blink Experience at BlinkTrivia.com

This is amazing. Who are the organizers behind Blink events? Are they going to other cities? I would love this in our region, DC area.

Does anyone know where the fiberglass pigs, pots, etc. were purchased from when ArtWorks did their program years ago??? They don’t have any record of what company made and supplied them for the artist. Any help would be appreciated!

Comments are closed.

BLINK Cincinnati: Here are 9 things you need to know

CINCINNATI -- Blink is nearly here.

The first four-day art and light festival has been in the works for more than a year. Thousands of artists -- professionals and amateurs -- have created work for Blink, and it’s already earning positive attention for Greater Cincinnati.

And you're invited. Everyone is invited. All you have to do is get Downtown.

"We want everybody in Cincinnati to feel like they have a creative spark," said Steve McGowan, co-founder of Brave Berlin, one of the agencies that organized Blink. "We want people to discover the city through art. When the sun goes down, that's when the lights go on and the show begins."

Here are nine things to know about Blink.

Blink runs Oct. 12-15. The free event covers the 20 blocks between the Banks and Findlay Market, essentially surrounding the route of the Cincinnati Bell Connector Streetcar.

There are things to see during daylight hours (more on that below), but light projections will start around dusk each evening - about 7 p.m. - and run through midnight. Blink comprises more than 60 art projects, including 21 light projections, 27 lighted art installations and nine new murals on Pleasant Street.

RELATED:  9 bands you won't want to miss at the inaugural BLINK festival MAP: Tour Blink's 21 light projection locations

All of this was organized by Brave Berlin, ArtWorks and AGAR Agency, and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber handled logistics.

Blink cost $3.6 million to put together, but thanks to donations from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, Procter & Gamble, Western & Southern, Rhinegeist, Fifth/Third Bank, PNC Bank, Duke Energy and many other philanthropies and businesses, it's totally free to the public.

"At its core, Blink is for the city," said Dan Reynolds, Brave Berlin co-founder. "It's for everyone."

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

So, what is light projection?

Did you go to Lumenocity? Remember the light displays projected on Music Hall, the way they highlighted the building’s unique architecture? That's called projection mapping , and it can make buildings come alive with animations and optical illusions.

Blink will give you 21 light projections to "ooh" and "ah" over. Eleven agencies are producing the displays, and every one of them is local.

"The design community here is over the top," said Reynolds.

No plan, no problem

Even if you knew nothing about Blink, if you just happened to be Downtown one evening that weekend, you could enjoy the event.

It's free. (It's worth reiterating.) There's no specific place to begin or end, and installations are scattered throughout Downtown and Over-the-Rhine like breadcrumbs, each leading you to the next.

"Just park your car Downtown and start walking," Reynolds said. "It's designed to lead people on a journey of self-discovery."

The Cincinnati Bell Connector.

Rest your feet and ride

One easy way to maximize your Blink experience is to hop on the Cincinnati Bell Connector .  Organizers purposely plotted light projections and installations so they could be seen from the streetcar. Park anywhere along the 3.6-mile route, get your ticket (a full-day pass costs $2) and ride the loop to get an overview of everything happening during Blink.

Then, you will have a better idea of where you want to get off the streetcar and spend more time exploring by foot.

Architects of Air (Photo provided by Loewen Photographie)

Daylight visits

Lights in the dark might be the headline attraction, but Blink offers several things to enjoy in the sunshine.

First, there's Summerfair , a collection of artists and craftspeople from all over the country. It will be open Friday through Sunday in Piatt Park, at 30 Garfield Place, beginning in the afternoon.

Then, in Washington Park, there's Architects of Air , the only ticketed attraction at Blink. A $5 ticket allows you to wander through the inflatable luminarium, which is open to visitors from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. everyday. (Adults must accompany kids under 16.) Light filters in through the walls of the labyrinth and makes you feel like you're inside a kaleidoscope.

Finally, stop by Pleasant Street to see the murals that will live on after Blink. Curated by AGAR Agency, this open-air gallery will include pieces from internationally known artists, as well as the local artists of the Xylene Project.

Plan on multiple visits

If you think it sounds like Blink has too much to see in a single night, you're right.

"We designed the show so that you really can't see it in one day," said Reynolds of Brave Berlin.

Each light projection lasts about the length of a pop song, which isn't long. But 21 projections at three minutes each still will take more than an hour to see. Some are longer, and you still will want to get from one location to the next, stop for a bite to eat or a cocktail, and enjoy other art installations or murals.

Play with the giant Lite-Brite or take a ride on the giant lighted teeter-totters on Freedom Way. Check out the massive glowing bunnies on Court Street and the immersive light display the residents of Pleasant Street created. Enter the pages of storybooks at the main library.

Basically, give yourself time to wander and wonder.

Food, drinks and other necessities

A handful of hospitality areas will offer food, drinks, portable restrooms and extra trash receptacles. These hospitality areas, organized by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, will close at 11 p.m. each night. You can find them marked in green on the Blink event map. That map, by the way, is a great resource: It shows the location of each light projection and art installation and gives a summary of each.

Downtown and OTR are full of restaurants and bars , and many will offer Blink discounts or specials. If you stop in for a bite or a cocktail, be sure to ask your server.

Storybook at Blink

The parade, music and more

Blink will start at about 7 p.m. Thursday with a community light parade . Thousands of people have created things to illuminate the night as they stroll down Vine Street from Findlay Market to Washington Park. Heather Storer, for example, one of the designers from BHDP Architecture who created the Storybook installation at the main library, will march as a bedazzled Cinderella.

Throughout Blink, more than 30 artists will perform at six stages : Freedom Center, Fountain Square, St. Xavier backlot on Sycamore Street, Charley Harper Homecoming Mural, Findlay Market West on Elder Street and Huetopia on Central Parkway.

Keep your eyes open during Blink for your favorite Cincinnati arts organizations to make an appearance -- especially during the parade.

"Mashing things up: that's where creative things come from," McGowan said. "All the arts organizations are participating. They're all working together, for each other."

Maybe don’t miss this

When we asked Blink artists what they most were looking forward to, trying to determine the absolute can't-miss display, pretty much everyone said they just wanted to see everything all lit up.

But one project came up several times: Huetopia. Two massive black-and-white murals created by the Xylene Project on twin five-story buildings at 1674 Central Parkway. Brave Berlin will animate the murals with projection mapping, hitting on the themes of Blink -- unity, hope, the spirit of the future city.

"It's just really inspirational," said Xylene Project artist Matthew Dayler.

And there'll be a DJ blasting music from between the buildings.

"It's going to feel like a party," McGowan said.

If the Storymap below doesn't appear properly on your device,  click here to open it in a new window.

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Guided BLINK® Tours

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Please Note: This event has expired.

Presented by ArtsWave at Online/Virtual Space

Go behind-the-scenes right from your smartphone at Cincinnati’s largest public event while supporting ArtsWave, and in turn, thousands of local arts like BLINK, festivals, performances and more!

Click here for a map of BLINK, including the ten stops on ArtsWave’s Guided Tour!

This 10-stop guided tour features video intros from the artists themselves, immersive tours of the artists’ studios, in-progress photos and videos of the artwork, installation videos, artist bios and so much more that you can ONLY FIND HERE! Get your ticket at any time before or during BLINK and begin the tour when you’re ready right from your smartphone. You’ll receive an email immediately after your donation containing a confirmation and instructions about how you’ll receive your tour link.

Your ticket not only gives you a one-of-a-kind experience at the largest event in Cincinnati, but all proceeds go to ArtsWave to support thousands of local arts like BLINK, festivals, performances and more.

Please note: If you’ve already given to ArtsWave this year and qualified for the Team Cincinnati benefit , then your tour is free! You will be sent an email outlining how to obtain your tour link.

Have questions? Email [email protected].

BLINK is a trademark of the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr.,/U.S. Bank Foundation exclusively licensed by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.

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Get your guided BLINK tour here for a $10 donation to ArtsWave. Thank you for your support of our regions arts!

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Blink is back!

October 17 – 20, 2024 Cincinnati, Ohio

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The BLINK parade is an art-and-light filled community celebration that serves as the official opening ceremony of BLINK. To learn more and to apply, click below.

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• Economic Impact Report

In October 2022, the nowhere-else BLINK experience attracted over 2 million resulting in a direct economic impact of $126 million dollars.

Relive Blink 2022

Immerse yourself in the vibrant visuals and captivating sounds that transformed over 30 city blocks into a spectacle experienced nowhere else.

Event Updates

September 19, 2023

BLINK®, Illuminated by ArtsWave, Calls for Artists to Illuminate Cincinnati Once Again in 2024

[image:1]Cincinnati, OH (September 19, 2023) - With the highly anticipated return of the public art spectacle slated for October 17-20, 2024, BLINK, I...

July 10, 2023

BLINK®, Illuminated by ArtsWave, Returns in 2024 to Light Up Cincinnati For Its Fourth Edition

After Unprecedented Success in 2022, Nation’s Largest Light, Art, and Projection Mapping Experience Returns With New Dates To Immerse Cincy Stre...

February 28, 2023

BLINK® Delivers $126M Direct Economic Impact for the Region

Cincinnati - February 28, 2023 - Earlier today, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, in partnership with AGAR, the Haile Foundation, Artworks, Cincy N...

November 16, 2022

Iconic Muralist Tristan Eaton Completes Largest Mural in Ohio for BLINK

Cincinnati, OH (November 16, 2022) - Multidisciplinary artist Tristan Eaton does not shy away from a big undertaking. The prolific artist has created ...

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2.5K+ parade participants illuminated the streets of downtown Cincinnati in the BLINK 2022 parade 👁 Ready to shine your light? Learn how at the li...

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We love art. We love community. We love to celebrate. And for 4 days this October, we get to show all that love through the largest public art party...

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The BLINK parade returns on Thursday, October 17th at sundown 👁️ This cherished tradition showcases the best of who we are - all of our creativit...

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Review: BLINK Cincinnati

What’s even better than taking in the sights of beautiful visual displays, installations, and local music, is taking in the sights of hundreds of thousands of Cincinnatians doing the exact same thing.

BLINK Cincinnati was expected to be one of the nation’s largest light, art and projection mapping events, with more than half a million visitors. It recently had its four-day-long festival spanning 20 blocks from The Banks and Central Business District, north to Over-the-Rhine, and it far surpassed expectations, both in execution and attendance.

BLINK projected lights on multiple facades and spread about in a city where the architecture is so dynamic, and where fences (whether literal or otherwise) weren’t inhibiting their consumption; an all-encompassing (architecturally, socioeconomically, demographically) visual art installation spanning much of the urban core.

A parade kicked off the event at dusk on Thursday evening, as an abundance of lights and music made its way from Findlay Market to Washington Park. Twinkling bicycles, high school bands toting light-adorned instruments, illuminated jump ropes, hundreds of lanterns, glowing costumes, and the Wonders on Wheels  made their way down Vine Street in OTR as tens of thousands of people lined the streets.

The nights that followed saw more than one million visitors who were treated to our lively city — aglow with murals, installations, light projections, live music, local beer and food, plus visitors of all ages, races, and abilities.

Not only was BLINK a vast display of visual arts, it was the best display of our civic pride. It was everyone coming together — organizers and community members — for one of the greatest events our city has ever seen.

I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say this needs to be a repeat affair.

I know there are a lot of the same photos from BLINK floating around, but here are some of my favorites that I took this weekend:

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I got a history tour of the Cincinnati Observatory before the great solar eclipse of 2024

T he total solar eclipse coming April 8 is drawing everyone’s attention to the sky with renewed interest in astronomy. Count me among them.

A recent visit to the Cincinnati Observatory in Mount Lookout reminded me why it is one of the city’s most precious treasures. The observatory, designed by renowned Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford in 1873, is described as “a picturesque jewel-box of a building capped by a silver dome.” But it’s the historic telescopes, once among the largest in the country, that are the true gems.

John Ventre, the observatory historian, led my family on a tour of the facility and a peek through the extraordinary telescopes to view the universe. It was an awesome experience, a lesson in history and the marvel of ideas.

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Ventre told us the history of the observatory as we went along. He is the co-author, along with Stella Cottam, of a new book, “Cincinnati Observatory: Its Critical Role in the Birth and Evolution of Astronomy in America.” It is presented as a textbook, but it’s an engaging read about some fascinating Cincinnati history.

Our History: 1800s Cincinnati comes to life in this collection of rare photos

Cincinnati built America’s first major observatory

In the 1840s, there were about 130 operating observatories in Europe, but only a dozen or so in America, all of them small, private or associated with a school rather than being professional, said Ventre.

Everything changed due to the efforts of one man: Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel.

Mitchel was born about 1809 in Union County, Kentucky, and was raised in Lebanon, Ohio. Educated at West Point, he returned to the area and in 1836 was offered a position at Cincinnati College to teach mathematics, civil engineering and mechanics. With a keen interest in astronomy, he added lectures on that as well. They were so popular that students started bringing their families along to hear him.

“He was a dynamic lecturer, not common for the day,” Ventre said.

Mitchel also used some clever visual aids. A woman in the audience recalled: “Mr. Mitchel used to prepare his own illustrations by picking out the constellation in thin paper with a large pin; he would nail the paper to a frame and put a candle behind it, and then explain the heavens to us.”

In 1842, Mitchel gave a lecture on the solar system. The overflowing crowds led to it moving to Wesley Chapel on Fifth Street, then the largest venue in the West, seating 1,200.

At the lecture, Mitchel proposed the construction of an observatory in Cincinnati. He hoped to raise $7,500 ( about $240,000 today ) by selling shares in the Cincinnati Astronomical Society for $25 each ( $800 now ).

The 300 stockholders included a cross-section of Cincinnatians: attorneys, doctors, carpenters, teachers, blacksmiths, clerks and a steamboat captain.

John Quincy Adams laid the cornerstone in 1843

The Cincinnati Astronomical Society, with Judge Jacob Burnet as president, sent Mitchel to Europe with $1,000 ( $32,000 now ) to purchase a telescope.

He found an 11-inch Merz and Mahler lens in Munich, Bavaria, that had been ground but not installed. Mitchel had it fitted into a brass and mahogany telescope, then shipped it back to Cincinnati. Wealthy landowner Nicholas Longworth donated 4 acres on Mount Ida (now known as Mount Adams) to place the observatory on a high spot.

Mitchel invited former President John Quincy Adams, who had advocated for a national observatory, to come to Cincinnati to lay the cornerstone . The 76-year-old took a 1,000-mile journey by canal boat and carriage to Cincinnati for the occasion.

On Nov. 9, 1843, a parade marched up the hill in a torrential downpour to place the cornerstone, but it was too wet for Adams’ speech. He gave it the next day at Wesley Chapel. Ventre and Cottam’s book reprints the entire text of what was the former president’s last public speech, filling up 36 pages. In gratitude to Adams’ visit, the citizens renamed Mount Ida in his honor – Mount Adams .

“The telescope (Mitchel) acquired matched or surpassed all the other telescopes in Europe except one,” Ventre said.

On April 14, 1845, when the Merz and Mahler telescope saw “first light,” an astronomy term for its first view, it was the largest telescope in the Western Hemisphere.

Cincinnati Observatory is the oldest operating professional observatory in the U.S.

Relocating the observatory to Mount Lookout

Within a few decades, the Cincinnati air was foul with soot and smoke from the growing city. So plans were made to move the observatory. First the then-new University of Cincinnati, which was organized in 1871 , acquired it. With UC taking ownership of the observatory, telescope and records, the Cincinnati Astronomical Society ceased to exist.

John Kilgour, a banker whose father was a charter member of the society, donated 4 acres of land near Hyde Park for the observatory. The area was then dubbed Mount Lookout. He also gave $10,000 ( $259,000 today ) to build a new observatory, a Greek Revival design by Hannaford.

Construction of the new observatory began in 1873 and it opened in 1875. The original cornerstone laid by Adams was set into the corner of the new building, where it is today.

A second, larger telescope with a 16-inch Alvan Clark and Son refractor, was bought in 1904 and installed in the observatory. A second building, named after Mitchel, was built for the original microscope.

Travel back in time: What was it like to live in Cincinnati in the 1870s?

Saving the historic observatory for the future

In the 1990s, the Cincinnati Observatory was nearly history.

The observatory buildings were in deplorable shape, Ventre said. There were rumors UC wanted to close the observatory, sell the land and put up condos. Concerned neighbors and citizens, including Ventre, formed a Save the Observatory group. UC decided to keep the observatory and offered to pony up money for waterproofing, the costliest part of the $2.5 million restoration.

“The general goal was to make it a working, functional late-1800 astronomical observatory and restore everything as close as practicable to its working condition,” Ventre said.

Today you can learn about the history of the observatory at a small museum and go up to look through the eyepiece of the telescopes for yourself.

What’s remarkable is both telescopes are virtually the same as they were originally. There is no electricity needed. The aluminum shudders of the dome are opened for viewing by pulling a rope. Everything is carefully balanced and turns on gears.

Ventre explained one feature of the large Alvin Clark telescope that much impressed me for its ingenuity.

“There’s about a 400-pound weight in the pier of the telescope,” he said. “By cranking up the weight and letting gravity pull down or drop the weight, that’s kinetic energy. That energy, via various series of chains and gears, moves the telescope at the rate of one revolution per day in the opposite direction that the Earth rotates. Therefore, the byproduct of that, as you point the telescope at a celestial object, the telescope will mechanically track and stay on that target as the Earth turns on its axis in rotation.”

“Even today, it’s a precision machine,” Ventre added. “It’s awesome.”

When my family and I had the opportunity to observe the universe through the telescopes – the same way Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel did more than 175 years ago – we saw the moon, crystal clear, with perfect circles cratering the surface. We saw caramel-colored Jupiter and four of its moons, approximately 400 million miles away.

Looking through the past to see the future.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: I got a history tour of the Cincinnati Observatory before the great solar eclipse of 2024

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Blink cincinnati: everything you need to know about the lights and art festival.

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BLINK is back in Cincinnati, bringing 101 installations spanning 30 city blocks.

The art, light and culture festival is returning from Oct. 13-16 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Before you head to the festival, we have everything you need to know.

What is Blink exactly?

It's an outdoor art phenomenon with 100 installations, including large-scale projection mappings, murals and interactive light sculptures and art. The city will literally be glowing — from luminous facades to twinkling alleyways. This year's event will return under new leadership. Justin Brookhart has been named the executive director of Blink Cincinnati. Brookhart has more than 15 years of working in the private sector and nonprofit group leadership experience in the arts and culture space and will lead the collaborative of producing partners, including AGAR, ArtWorks, Brave Berlin, the Haile Foundation and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.

Are tickets needed?

No. Blink is free to the public all weekend long.

Where can I find all the installations?

Want to know where to go during the Blink light festival? Look no further.

Organizers of the glowing lights adventure released the official installation map for 2022.

There will be 101 installations that span over 30 city blocks from Cincinnati into Covington.

The map categorizes the installations by mural, lighted installations, lighting effects, music and more.

Several Cincinnati landmarks will be featured, including Fountain Square, TQL Stadium, the Freedom Center and more.

What's new this year?

The festival will partner with Sky Elements Drone Shows to put on its first-ever drone show at Smale Riverfront Park.

The drone show, put on by altafiber, will happen twice each night of the festival.

Blink will take place Oct. 13-16.

The drone show will be 10 minutes long and feature 300 drones.

The first show will take place on Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Nominated torchbearers

For the first time, feature local torchbearers walking in the parade. The torchbearers will carry Blink artist-designed torches.

The Blink Arts and Lights Festival is taking nominations for torchbearers.

The special nomination hopes to highlight individuals who are making a difference within their community.

Guided tours

This year's light show will feature a guided walking tour featuring a unique behind-the-scenes look at the event.

The tour will feature 10 stops on a 1.5-mile loop that individuals can do at their own pace anytime during the festival.

Each stop offers an immersive experience, curated exclusively by the artist, including video introductions showcasing the use of different materials per art piece, as well as tours of the artists' studios, in-progress sketches and biographies.

The tour can be obtained through a $10 donation and accessed at any point during Blink. Donors will receive download instructions immediately after their purchase.

The guided tour can be played on any Apple or Android smartphone.

All proceeds from the tours will fund thousands of local arts like Blink, festivals, performances and more.

What food vendors will be there?

There will also be vendors participating, including Asianati, which will open an Asian Night Market during the lights festival, bringing the sights and sounds of a traditional night market experience to Blink.

Asian Night Markets are seen throughout the world, known for their glowing lights, smells and Asian street-style food.

The market will include items from more than 10 Asian restaurants around Cincinnati.

The market will include lit-up lanterns, Asian street food stalls with "night market" menu items, Asian-inspired art installations and family-friendly glow-in-the-dark activities and games.

The night market will be open from 6 to 11 p.m. Oct. 13-17 at Court Street Plaza.

For more information, visit https://www.asianati.com/articles/anm

Where should I park?

All garages outside the Blink footprint are open at event pricing.

Cincinnati Metro and TANK in northern Kentucky are also offering free rides to and from Blink.

Metro and Tank will offer fare-free rides beginning at 6 p.m. on Oct. 13 through 16.

All rides on both transportation networks, including direct routes to Blink, will be free. Direct routes to Blink will be available via four Park and Ride locations. These Park and Ride locations will drop attendees off at the Riverfront Transit Center for both Metro and TANK. TANK will also offer service to the Covington Transit Center.

The four park and rides will be located at:

Cincinnati State

Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education

UC Digital Futures Building

Northern Kentucky University

What roads will be closed?

City streets within the Blink footprint will be closed during the event.

Are pets allowed?

Those attending the event are encouraged to leave their furry friends at home due to large crowds.

Jennifer Lopez cancels 2024 tour This Is Me: 'Completely heartsick and devastated'

Jennifer Lopez has canceled her summer North American tour , which was to be her first in five years, weeks before she was scheduled to go on the road.

The pop star made the announcement Friday in her On The JLo fan newsletter.

"Representatives for Live Nation announced today that the Jennifer Lopez US Summer 2024 Tour 'THIS IS ME...LIVE' is canceled, citing ... 'Jennifer is taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends,'" the newsletter reads.

The statement was followed by a personal note , "A Special Message to My JLovers OnTheJLo."

"I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again," Lopez wrote. "I love you all so much. Until next time..."

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USA TODAY has reached out to Live Nation for comment.

Lopez's first show of the tour had been slated for June 26 in Orlando, Florida.

This Is Me... Live announcement comes after seven tour dates were canceled

The announcement comes weeks after several shows on the tour were canceled without explanation. According to Ticketmaster, Lopez's scheduled performances in Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans; Raleigh, North Carolina; Atlanta; Houston; Cleveland and Tampa, Florida would no longer take place.

"Unfortunately, the event organizer has had to cancel your event," the message for those pages reads.

This is Me...Live was a 30-date arena tour that was going to feature Lopez's chart-breakers and classic hits from her discography, like songs "On The Floor," "Let's Get Loud" and "Jenny from the Block." Her most recent tour in 2019, the It's My Party tour, sold out venues across the country.

The tour was in support of her new album, “This is Me … Now,” which released in February. The record was accompanied by an Amazon Prime musical movie, “ This is Me … Now: A Love Story ."

Speaking to USA TODAY earlier this year about "This is Me ... Now" possibly being her swan song, Lopez said, "This was going to be the quintessential thing I have been searching for and wanted to say about love."

"I’ve been on this search for so long, since people first met me and my first record came out and even before that in my first movie role, where I’ve been on this journey trying to figure this thing out for myself. This (album) kind of closed the loop in a way,” she said. “It captures this moment to really say the things I want to say about love, and that is that true love does exist and some things are forever. Please don’t give up on that because that’s all that matters in life … love.”'

Bennifer timeline: Their love story spans two decades, two engagements

Separate outings have fueled speculation about marriage with Ben Affleck

Lopez's announcement also comes amid widespread speculation about her marriage of nearly two years to Ben Affleck.

After various media reports suggested Lopez and Affleck may no longer be living together, the Hollywood A-List couple has been increasingly under the microscope, with media prying over their whereabouts and whether both are still wearing their rings.

On May 16, Lopez and Affleck were photographed together for the first time in over a month, with each spotted wearing their respective wedding rings.

The two were engaged to each other twice: first in 2002 then again in 2021. The couple got married in a late-night ceremony in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022, which Lopez called "the best possible wedding we could have imagined."

This is the second marriage for Affleck and the fourth for Lopez.

Tour refunds for JLo tickets

Tickets will automatically be refunded, according to the newsletter.

Fans who purchased from third-party sites such as SeatGeek, StubHub and VividSeats should reach out to those websites for refunds.

Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri and Taijuan Moorman

Cyndi Lauper bringing 2024 farewell tour to Phoenix. How to get tickets to her concert

Cyndi Lauper is bringing her farewell tour to Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.

Produced by Live Nation, the 23-city Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour is Lauper’s first major headlining tour in a decade.

The tour begins on Oct. 18 in Montreal, Quebec, with stops across North America from Lauper’s hometown, New York City, where she’s scheduled to play a show at the iconic Madison Square Garden, to Boston, Nashville, Los Angeles and more before wrapping in Chicago on Dec. 5.

Throughout the tour, Lauper will be joined by special guests to be revealed at a later date.

How to get tickets to Cyndi Lauper's 2024 Farewell Tour in Phoenix

Tickets will be available starting with an artist presale beginning Tuesday, June 4. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, June 7, at LiveNation.com .

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Fans can also purchase VIP Packages, which may include premium tickets, a guided backstage tour, a pre-show VIP Lounge, an exclusive tour poster and more. For more information, visit vipnation.com .

Cyndi Lauper 2024 Farewell Tour news arrives alongside documentary

The announcement of Lauper’s farewell tour arrives alongside “Let the Canary Sing,” a feature-length documentary exploring her extraordinary life and career.

The documentary will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday, June 4.

Cyndi Lauper to be honored at TCL Chinese Theatre Hollywood

In celebration of the tour and film, Lauper will be honored with an imprint ceremony at the prestigious TCL Chinese Theatre Hollywood on Tuesday, June 4, in Los Angeles.

A special private screening of the film at the TCL Chinese Theatre will follow that evening, along with a Q&A.

Lauper will also be a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this Wednesday, June 5 (ABC, 11:35 p.m. ET/8:35 p.m. PT), to talk about her farewell tour and “Let the Canary Sing.”

Cyndi Lauper documentary 'Let the Canary Sing' premiered at Tribeca

Directed by Emmy-winning documentarian Alison Ellwood, “Let the Canary Sing” premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Festival. 

Produced by Fine Point Films and Sony Music Entertainment in association with Concord Originals, the film chronicles Lauper’s meteoric ascent to stardom and her profound impact on generations through her music, ever-evolving style, unwavering feminism and tireless advocacy.

The documentary takes the audience on an engaging exploration of a renowned and pioneering artist who has left a remarkable legacy with her art.

Cyndi Lauper's hit songs include 'Time After Time' and 'True Colors'

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, has released a companion product to the documentary of the same name. The “Let the Canary Sing” album is a career-spanning collection that follows Lauper’s career, available now on vinyl and as a digital expanded edition.

Lauper rose to fame in 1983 with "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," the breakthrough single from her iconic debut, "She's So Unusual." Other hits include "Time After Time," "She Bop," "All Through the Night," "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough," "True Colors," "Change of Heart," "What's Going On" and "I Drove All Night."

Lauper is 70 years old. She turns 71 on June 22.

Lauper’s Farewell Tour is directed by Brian Burke and produced and designed in partnership with BrianBurkeCreative and DX7 Design.

Reach the reporter at  [email protected]  or 602-444-4495. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter)  @EdMasley .

Support local journalism.   Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

Jennifer Lopez cancels 2024 tour, including Phoenix date. What to do if you have tickets

Jennifer Lopez has canceled her entire summer tour , which was supposed to have played Footprint Center in Phoenix on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

Live Nation announced that the This Is Me…Now The Tour has been canceled because J.Lo is "taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends."

Lopez broke the news to fans at OntheJLo.com .

"I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down,” she wrote.

“Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…"

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How to get a Jennifer Lopez ticket refund

The Live Nation announcement included refund information.

“For those who purchased through Ticketmaster, tickets will automatically be refunded – there is nothing further fans need to do,” it read.

“For those who purchased via third-party resale sites such as SeatGeek, StubHub, VividSeats, etc. – please reach out to your point purchase for more details.”

This would have been J.Lo's first tour since her 2019 tour grossed $50M

This would have been Lopez's first tour since her 2019 tour grossed more than $50 million and sold out venues across the country.

The tour was supposed to have featured Lopez performing her catalog of hits as well as songs from her new album, “This Is Me...Now.”

The tour was scheduled to kick off on June 26 in Orlando, Florida, making stops in Miami, Los Angeles, Toronto, her hometown of New York City and more before wrapping in Houston.

'This Is Me...Now' is 1st J.Lo album in nearly a decade

"This Is Me...Now" is Lopez's first studio album in nearly a decade. It’s her story in her words, blending elements of pop, R&B and hip hop. Her lyrics delve into the highs and lows of life, love and relationships as she unveils a story of growth, resilience, hard work and the transformative power of self love.

Writing and recording at her Los Angeles home in 2022 and 2023, Lopez collaborated with Rogét Chahayed, Angel Lopez and Jeff "Gitty" Gitelman. Additional songwriter-producers were HitBoy, Tay Keith, Yeti Beats, Carter Lang, Kim "Kaydence" Krysiuk, Jason Derulo and Brandon Riester.

The album was accompanied by an Amazon original documentary, “This Is Me...Now: A Love Story,”  which showcases her journey with fantastical costumes, breathtaking choreography and star-studded cameos.

Reach the reporter at  [email protected]  or 602-444-4495. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter)  @EdMasley .

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