Photo: Shae Combs Huth, Game Day Communications
Nearly 3,500 participants for the first-ever event
Cincinnati knows how to put on a show. It also knows how to put on a great run. On Tuesday night, October 6, those two traditions came together for the first-ever BLINK: Run the Night, a unique event that brought runners and walkers into the heart of the city to get a sneak peek at BLINK—the region’s spectacular projection mapping and light festival—from a whole new perspective.
Organized by Pig Works, Blink: Run the Night was more than an addition to Cincinnati’s running calendar. It was a 2.6 mile celebration of the city itself and a perfect example of what can happen when two community-minded organizations join forces to create something different.
For four days, BLINK transforms Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky into an outdoor gallery, using massive projections, light installations and interactive experiences to turn familiar buildings and public spaces into works of art. Tuesday night, Pig Works invited the running community to become part of the artwork.
The result was an event unlike anything Cincinnati runners have experienced before.
Instead of simply running and walking past the city’s landmarks, some 3,500 participants experienced them illuminated, animated and transformed by BLINK. The route became part race, part festival and part moving celebration, giving participants the opportunity to see downtown Cincinnati and the riverfront in an entirely new light.
That spirit of collaboration is at the heart of the partnership between Pig Works and BLINK, according to Doug Olberding, CEO of Pig Works. “The Flying Pig Marathon, Queen Bee Half Marathon and other Pig Works events have become much more than races,” he said. “They bring people together, showcase Cincinnati and create opportunities for participants to experience the city in a different way. Partnering with Blink is one more way that a new event like Run the Night energizes our community.”
Run the Night also demonstrated the power of creating an event that isn’t simply about competition. Whether participants came to chase a personal goal, enjoy a night out with friends or family, or simply experience BLINK in a new way, the emphasis was on being part of something special.
And that’s perhaps the biggest success of the inaugural event.
For one night, Cincinnati’s running community and BLINK’s audience became one. Runners became part of the spectacle, while the spectacle became part of the run.