by Briana Dunn, Staff Writer

If you think I’m writing about Family Weekend coming and going in the BLINK of an eye, you clearly have never fallen off the mechanical rodeo pumpkin we have on the yard for a one-day special. I’m here to recap BLINK, Cincinnati’s biennial light festival that just happened to bring magic to Xavier families.

The magic of BLINK lingers around Cincinnati in the murals that stay up year-round, but the many installations set up for the four-night-only special leaves the levee buzzing. Let’s talk about the top sights one can no longer see.

1: When Pigs Fly

By far, my favorite installation was When Pigs Fly in the Fountain Square Zone. These adorable pigs were little angels that encapsulate the life BLINK brings to Cincinnati. Arguably, this should have been hosted at Washington Pork. However, my eyes were chugging from this glass of swine.

2: Washington Park

Music Hall had a projection for the ages, which oddly enough reminded me of Orwell’s “1984” for a solid minute in the middle and had a spooky vibe perfect for Halloween. It really felt like someone was watching me but was a great starting place for anyone new to BLINK.

3: Findlay Market

Findlay Market stunned with a Skate Spot for Cincinnati’s shredders-of-the-gnar to show off their skills. It also featured a silent disco and sets from DJ Boywife, Departure Lounge, Anthony Jasper, Stallitix and more. 

The light shows illuminated murals created by ArtWorks. It was a new lens through which viewers could experience USA Today’s top-ranked American street art city. I thought it was kind of a rip-off though. I didn’t see even one of the faces on the mural blink. Either this is a high-stakes staring contest I didn’t know about or blatant false advertising.

4: Smale Riverfront Park.

The glass-like bubble frog was cool. There were even tadpoles! Parking around here was ridiculous, though. My car got toad.

5: Covington and Newport Areas

I’ve been told people moved to Cincinnati so they could look across at the 8th wonder of the world: the Newport Hooter’s. While that establishment was not lit up, there was a plethora of drone shows and DJs. Mitch McConnell also donned a glow-in-the-dark morph suit as visitors walked over the Brent Spence Bridge to see the front porch of the Bluegrass State.

6: BLONK.

BLONK, the app dedicated to all things BLINK, had its fair share of amusing notifications and updates to send any viewer FOMO. Every turn was a surprise, even with a map that I could not figure out. This is my official plea to bring back paper maps, which might be worse but at least they don’t zoom every time you try to scroll.

Honorable Mention: My Personal BLINK where the light is flickering because my roommate forgot to pay our electric bill. Roll ‘Skies!

In all seriousness, BLINK is a one-of-a-kind event that I highly recommend to every person at Xavier and beyond. But start making your plans now so you don’t BLINK and miss it.