BLINK has announced plans for possible cancellations and closures for Saturday night as the remnants of Hurricane Isaias move into the region.

While some shows have already been canceled, most of the exhibits will remain open as long the weather doesn’t become severe, and BLINK Executive Director Leslie Mooney is encouraging “everyone to come experience BLINK rain or shine.”

“BLINK is an outdoor festival, and we’ve prepared for changing weather conditions,” said Mooney. “Our teams are monitoring the forecast and have plans in place to respond as conditions develop.”

Check out a list of affected programming below. The numbers correspond to sites on official BLINK maps, which you can see here.

The following programming has been cancelled due to the weather:
• Asha AMA Fashion Show
• Skatepark Popup
• Brett Bolton Drumming Performance at Music Hall (remaining pieces will be active)
• Live performances at Installations 31, 33 & 36

The following installations may also be affected by the weather:
• Drone Show
• Corner Mapping (49)
• Kroger (29)
• Elm Street Plaza UC Lighting (46)
• All inflatable installations (20, 40, 61, 84)

You can sign up for for safety and traffic notifications by texting BLINK2026 to 77295 to connect with Cincy Alert. BLINK will also be releasing updates on its Facebook page.

“If a shower sends you inside for a bit, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy one of the many restaurants and bars in Cincinnati and Covington before heading back out to explore,” said Mooney.

The post BLINK announces weather plans for Saturday appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

The votes are in: CityBeat’s Culture Maker of the Week is Alex Pham.

Pham was nominated by Xavier Henderson because “Alex, better known as AP, consistently brings a unique vibe to the city. He puts on parties at the top bars and clubs and sells them out!

His team of security, DJ, and production are always professional in giving the best experience to his audience. Need a good party with unique themes? Come to an AP party!”

Cincinnati culture doesn’t just happen. It’s built every day by artists, musicians, chefs, organizers, performers, business owners, neighborhood champions and wonderfully weird people who give this city its personality.

That’s why CityBeat has Culture Maker of the Week, a contest celebrating the people who make Greater Cincinnati more vibrant, joyful, thoughtful and alive, whether they’re working center stage or quietly making things happen behind the scenes.

Nominees are submitted by you, and our editors pick the three up for voting. Nominate a Culture Maker here!

The post Meet CityBeat’s Culture Maker of the Week: Alex Pham appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Meet three Cincinnatians making the city more creative, connected and unmistakably itself, and then help choose the Culture Maker of the Week winner.

Cincinnati culture doesn’t just happen. It’s built every day by artists, musicians, chefs, organizers, performers, business owners, neighborhood champions and wonderfully weird people who give this city its personality.

That’s why CityBeat is launching Culture Maker of the Week, a new contest celebrating the people who make Greater Cincinnati more vibrant, joyful, thoughtful and alive, whether they’re working center stage or quietly making things happen behind the scenes.

Nominees are submitted by you (submit nominations here), and our editors pick the three up for voting. Read about this week’s contenders below, then cast your vote for the person you think deserves the title.

You can vote as often as you’d like until noon on Oct. 16. The winner will be announced Friday afternoon.

Emily Jane

Nominated by: Lauren Hughes

Why Hughes nominated Jane:

Emily Jane is a talented local fantasy fiction writer. Her recent books, Mr. Yay, American Werewolves, Here Beside the Rising Tide & on Earth as it is in Television, are all perfect for escaping the stress of life into a new world that expands your imagination beyond what you may expect to see coming.

She has a way of using her words to bring some goofy, carefree, childlike fun right into your adult life, and make it feel like you relate to it too! She is also personally a great friend, mom, gardener & community member. If you see her hosting a book event or attending a theme party, you know she will be dressed for the occasion …with accessories for others too! We appreciate Emily!

Roger Ruffen

Nominated by: Kyle Root

Why Root nominated Ruffen: Roger Ruffen, a former WWE referee from the 80s-90s, is also a former wrestler and current owner of the Northern Wrestling Federation (NWF). For 30 years, he has brought family-friendly professional wrestling to the greater Cincinnati area. Having grown up as a lifelong fan, he went from being a child earning money to pay for tickets to watch wrestling in person at the historic Cincinnati Gardens to eventually cutting his teeth in the business as a teenager and working in the ring there.

For over 40 years, he’s been involved with professional wrestling, and he’s still going strong, hosting weekly affordable live wrestling events while training the next generation of young talent at his training facility, BoneKrushers, hoping to make it big as he did! He’s trained notable international names including Abyss, Karl Anderson, Jillian Hall, Lord Crewe, current WWE superstar Lexx King FKA Brian Pillman Jr, and his wife and current NWA superstar, Big Mama. To this day, his goal is to spread the same joy he felt as a small kid to the children of Cincinnati through the action and drama of professional wrestling. In 2019, a documentary was released about his life in wrestling titled “I’m The Man: The Story of Roger Ruffen and the Northern Wrestling Federation”. He is an avid, lifelong Pete Rose fan and enjoys the taste of Cincinnati chili more than anything.

Ana Log Stix

Nominated by: Sydney Napier

Why Napier nominated Stix: Ana Log Stix is a local drag performer who has been incredibly active in Cincinnati’s LGBTQIA+ community for years.

Ana strives to bring the community together by way of outreach, hosting events that celebrate the community, ensuring we have a safe space to gather, and using her voice to educate people about the queer community and the very real struggles faced daily. Not only does Ana bring joy, but she also gives us a sense of hope that one day, we may attain true harmony without judgment.

Cast Your Vote

Vote once. Vote twice. Vote every time you reopen the tab. Then send this story to the group chat, neighborhood Facebook page, Discord server or overly competitive family member of your choice.

Know Cincinnati’s Next Culture Maker?

Nominations are always open. Tell us about an artist, DJ, chef, bartender, muralist, musician, organizer, educator, performer, community builder or other local human making Cincinnati a more interesting place. Nominate a Culture Maker here.

The post Vote for the CityBeat Culture Maker of the Week appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

At Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, one of Halloween’s most iconic stories has once again been injected with fresh blood.

Following a sold-out run last season, “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” returns to the stage with a comedic take on Bram Stoker’s classic tale from Oct. 9 through Halloween.

“This was one of our most successful productions of all time, and we loved welcoming so many new faces to the theater during the Halloween season,” said the organization’s Producing Artistic Director and CEO Brian Isaac Phillips, who returns to direct the production for a second time. “We knew we had to bring it back for another year!”

Filled with “outrageous twists, playful innuendo, and more laughs than you can count,” the play promises to show a side of the Prince of Darkness that you’ve never seen before.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” premiered Off-Broadway at New World Stages on September 4, 2023, where it quickly gained popularity with critics and audiences for its fast-paced farce and campy spin on Bram Stoker’s classic. The production became a viral sensation and went on to enjoy strong success across the globe.

Every performance of “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” at Cincy Shakes will feature Blood Bag Cocktails, Halloween candy, spooky surprises and killer music before the show. But because it’s Halloween season, the acting company couldn’t stop there. Most nights are packed with costumes, prizes, themed treats and even more frighteningly fun surprises. Below is a list of each night’s special promotions:

BLINKULA
Thursday, October 8 & Friday, October 9
Dracula is getting the BLINK treatment! Both performances start early at 6:30 PM, so you can see the show first and then head out to experience BLINK throughout the city. Grab a free BLINKULA Goodie Bag filled with glow-in-the-dark vampire teeth, bat rings, temporary tattoos, candy and more. Plus, pre-paid parking is available nearby so you can park before the BLINK crowds arrive. It’s the perfect spooky start to your BLINK night! 

Insights: Behind the Bite
Thursday, October 15
Sink your teeth a little deeper into “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors!” Before the performance, join John Getz, Professor Emeritus of English at Xavier University, for a special Insights discussion exploring Dracula, comedy and what happens when one of literature’s most famous monsters gets played for laughs. 

Costume Nights:

Friday, October 16 – Villains After Dark
Tonight, the villains take over! Dress as your favorite Halloween villain, from classic monsters and movie baddies to your own devilish creation. We’ll crown our favorite villain of the night and award a themed prize. Evil has never looked so good! 

Friday, October 23 – Bard Bash 
Huzzah! It’s time to get fantastical. Come dressed in your best Renaissance, Shakespeare-inspired or fantasy look. Think kings, queens, fairies, knights, witches, woodland creatures and more. Our favorite look of the night will take home a themed prize! 

Friday, October 30 – Double, Double, Toil & Trouble Night
Calling all witches, wizards and magical mischief-makers! Dress in your best witch or wizard-inspired costume for a chance to win a themed prize. We’ll also have exclusive spooky cocktails and drinks on the menu for the evening. Consider it your Halloween Eve warm-up! 

Saturday, October 31 – Ultimate Halloween Costume Double Header
It’s Halloween, and which means the cast is going all in with two performances at 2 and 7:30 PM! Come in costume for the ultimate Halloween celebration at CSC, with themed prizes, candy in the lobby and plenty of spooky fun. Everyone who comes dressed up can stick around after the performance for a special group photo with the cast.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” runs October 9 through 31, 2026 at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in Over-the-Rhine. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday matinees take place on October 10, 17, 24, and 31, with a Sunday matinee on October 18 and 25 at 2:00 p.m. For more information, visit the Cincy Shakes website.

The post Cincy Shakes brings back comedic take on ‘Dracula’ this spooky season appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Cincinnati’s biggest show is happening now!

BLINK, the exclusive Cincinnati light and art festival, lit up the night sky Thursday for its first of four nights. More than two dozen streets shut down to vehicular traffic, letting people walk all over the city without fear. Expect to see art from Findlay Market all the way down to Covington. Just pick a spot on the map and go.

Special highlights for this year include a skatepark set up on the corner of Liberty and Elm, Asianati’s “Night Market” featuring all sorts of Asian food and culture at Court Street Plaza, a light-based fashion show at the Black Music Walk of Fame and a polka dot-themed block party at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.

The post PHOTOS: Cincinnati comes alive as BLINK takes over the streets appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

The start of Cincinnati’s biggest event is just hours away. Roughly 30 blocks will soon be shut down for BLINK, the nation’s largest display of light and art, but unless you’re good at reading a map, getting around can be confusing. There’s no official app yet for BLINK. But that’s where BLOOP comes in.

BLOOP, a brand-new app from local developer Nathan Bolender, provides an interactive map of BLINK installations and attractions along with event and music information, search and filtering tools and walking directions. In addition, the app works offline when cell reception is poor, allowing users to navigate through the festival regardless of how busy it gets.

But BLINK is only the beginning. Unlike other apps created for the festival, BLOOP is designed to remain useful long after BLINK ends. The app already includes a guide featuring more than 180 public murals from 1001 Colors, allowing users to discover Cincinnati’s murals year-round. More guides to public art and cultural attractions are planned for the app in the future, and users can submit their own art installations to be displayed on the app, as well.

“BLOOP is about making it easier to explore Cincinnati,” Bolender said. “BLINK is an incredible place to start because there’s so much to see and experience, but Cincinnati has an amazing public art scene year-round. We wanted to build something that could help people discover both the festival and the art that’s here every day.”

The app’s guide-based design allows visitors to switch between different collections of places and experiences while keeping the map focused on what they’re currently exploring.

Key features of the app include:

• An interactive map of BLINK 2026 installations and attractions
• Up-to-date event and music information
• The ability to favorite attractions and keep track of places you’ve visited
• Search and filters to quickly find specific types of art and attractions
• Walking directions and navigation between locations
• An offline-first experience, allowing users to continue exploring even when cellular service is limited or unavailable
• Regularly updated information as festival details and events change
• Guides covering past BLINK editions, public murals from 1001 Colors, and future topics such as local architecture and history.

The app is completely free to download now on BLOOP’s official website.

The post Wanna get around BLINK easier? Try BLOOP appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

BLINK is almost here! The massive international event will come to both sides of the river starting this Thursday evening from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and will continue every subsequent night through Sunday, Oct. 11.

If you’re attending the event on the Covington side, you’ll need to plan ahead to get into town as some typical entryways into the city will be closed.

From Cincinnati

The Roebling will be closed to vehicle traffic every night of the event, but it will remain open to pedestrians. If you’re driving from Cincinnati, you’ll need to arrive using either the Brent Spence Bridge or the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge.

From Newport

If you’re coming from Newport, the city recommends using the 12th Street Bridge, also known as the Girl Scout Bridge, to traverse the Licking River into the city. TANK’s Licking River Link shuttle service, established in the wake of the 4th Street Bridge demolition to help travelers go back and forth between Covington and Newport, will also be running during the event. Pedestrians and bike riders will be able to access the Licking River Link for free.

What if you’re not using your own car

TANK’s regular routes, which you can learn about here, will be running normally throughout the event. The bus service will also provide a park and ride service from NKU’s campus on Friday and Saturday. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft will be active, but keep in mind that pedestrian traffic will be heavy.

GEST carts will also be active throughout the event. GEST’s NKY Connector will run regularly between Newport and Covington. Rides are free, but tips are appreciated.

Parking

There are several public parking garages near the festival, including the River Center Parking Garage, Kenton County Parking Garage, Midtown Parking Garage, and City Center/Hotel Covington Parking Garage. You can reserve a spot in the Midtown and River Center garages using the ParkWhiz app.

Meters within the city’s entertainment destination centers (see below) will be shut down from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. every night of the event. Find out more about parking in Covington at the Covington Motor Vehicle Parking Authority’s website.

Entertainment destination centers

Finally, several areas, dubbed “entertainment destination centers” or EDCs, will be set off as public consumption areas. Attendees will be able to carry open containers of alcohol purchased from participating businesses in those areas in specially marked cups. More than a dozen Covington businesses have agreed to participate. You can find a full list of the participating businesses as well as a list of which roads will be closed in the EDC by reading the city’s announcement.

The post How to get into Covington for BLINK this year appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

The votes are in: CityBeat’s Culture Maker of the Week is Deej Ragusa.

Deej was nominated by Holly Brians Ragusa because “Deej is a talented local and soulful singer-songwriter who pours herself into her music. She’s intentional about working with and amplifying human talent and continually builds musical and meditative community. She’s a credit to the region, with exemplified authenticity and wide musical scope and vision.

She’s been performing at Arnold’s for six years every third Thursday and plays solo, duo, or full band gigs all over town at venues such as MOTR, Sundry & Vice, and Symphony Hotel. As a certified sound healer, she soothes souls with her resonant singing bowls and guided meditations. Deej is the future of music and a cultural icon of this region.”

Cincinnati culture doesn’t just happen. It’s built every day by artists, musicians, chefs, organizers, performers, business owners, neighborhood champions and wonderfully weird people who give this city its personality.

That’s why CityBeat has Culture Maker of the Week, a contest celebrating the people who make Greater Cincinnati more vibrant, joyful, thoughtful and alive, whether they’re working center stage or quietly making things happen behind the scenes.

Nominees are submitted by you, and our editors pick the three up for voting. Nominate a Culture Maker here!

The post Meet CityBeat’s Culture Maker of the Week: Deej Ragusa appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Meet three Cincinnatians making the city more creative, connected and unmistakably itself, and then help choose the Culture Maker of the Week winner.

Cincinnati culture doesn’t just happen. It’s built every day by artists, musicians, chefs, organizers, performers, business owners, neighborhood champions and wonderfully weird people who give this city its personality.

That’s why CityBeat is launching Culture Maker of the Week, a new contest celebrating the people who make Greater Cincinnati more vibrant, joyful, thoughtful and alive, whether they’re working center stage or quietly making things happen behind the scenes.

Nominees are submitted by you (submit nominations here), and our editors pick the three up for voting. Read about this week’s contenders below, then cast your vote for the person you think deserves the title.

You can vote as often as you’d like until noon on Oct. 9. The winner will be announced Friday afternoon.

Alex Pham

Nominated by: Xavier Henderson

Why Henderson nominated Pham:

Alex, better known as AP, consistently brings a unique vibe to the city. He puts on parties at the top bars and clubs and sells them out!

His team of security, DJ, and production are always professional in giving the best experience to his audience. Need a good party with unique themes? Come to an AP party!

Jake Hicks

Nominated by: Justin Rue

Why Rue nominated Hicks: Jake has spent the better part of the last decade helping shape Cincinnati’s creative and music culture from the ground up.

Starting as a photographer, he documented the city’s artists, venues, musicians, athletes, and cultural moments, creating a visual record of Cincinnati’s evolution while working with hundreds of local and national talent. He later founded IWDWD Studios, which grew into one of Cincinnati’s most influential creative hubs, providing a home for photographers, filmmakers, musicians, brands, and entrepreneurs to collaborate, create, and launch new ideas.

He also founded Project Sonar, an independent underground events platform that helped redefine Cincinnati’s electronic music scene by producing large scale experiences in unconventional spaces and creating opportunities for a new generation of DJs, artists, and creatives. Through Sonar, thousands of attendees discovered local talent while helping establish Cincinnati as a growing destination for underground dance music.

Jess Lamb

Nominated by: Lauren Hughes

Why Hughes nominated Lamb: Jess Lamb is a Cincinnati staple. Between her majestic voice and powerful messages, she is also just a genuine person who connects deeply with everyone she comes in contact with.

Jess inspires us all with her own words and talents, and as a professional, she teaches the local kids / adults to find their own powers in writing and performing too! She and the other half of the creating friendship duo, Warren Harrison, have single-handedly changed countless lives in Cincinnati & beyond, and it all connects back to music.

Cast Your Vote

Vote once. Vote twice. Vote every time you reopen the tab. Then send this story to the group chat, neighborhood Facebook page, Discord server or overly competitive family member of your choice.

Know Cincinnati’s Next Culture Maker?

Nominations are always open. Tell us about an artist, DJ, chef, bartender, muralist, musician, organizer, educator, performer, community builder or other local human making Cincinnati a more interesting place. Nominate a Culture Maker here.

The post Vote for the CityBeat Culture Maker of the Week appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

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