The NKY Public Arts Network will be hosting tours along the streets of Covington and Newport this summer, giving Northern Kentuckians the opportunity to learn more about both cities’ murals and statues.
“We have world-class public art in Northern Kentucky, and I love sharing it,” said Director Jill Morenz, who is leading the tours.
The first of the tours is the Ice Cream & Art Walk on Friday, May 27 starting at 7 p.m. in Covington. The tour is free of charge, although tourists will have to pay for their own ice cream. It will take place rain or shine.
The tour will allow people to grab an ice cream cone and stroll through Covington’s historic MainStrasse Village. Tourists will be able to see the historic art, restaurants and shops in MainStrasse. The tour will end at Goebel Park, where tourists will be given a history lesson and see some behind-the-scenes photos of the Glockenspiel which is currently under construction.
Another Ice Cream & Art Walk is scheduled later in the summer on Friday, August 19 at 7 p.m.
Then on Saturday, May 28 is the Lincoln, Lattes and Paisley Art Walk scheduled for 1 p.m. The tour is free, although tourists will have to pay for their own coffee. The tour will begin at the Abraham Lincoln statue outside of the Kenton County Library in Covington. The walk will be ¾ of a mile, and tourists will get to see murals and historic homes. Tourists will then stop for a cup of coffee at the Left Bank Coffee House. The walk will finish at Purple Paisley Local Artisan Shop to browse more art from local creators.
The Lincoln, Lattes and Paisley Art Walk is scheduled for Saturday, July 30 at 1 p.m.
On Thursday, June 9 at 6 p.m. is the Sweet and Spicy Tour. The tour begins at Golden Gelato in Covington and winds through the neighborhood for about ¾ of a mile. Guests will get to eat flavored pretzels from Yankee Doodle Deli and get an up-close look at the murals and art-related businesses in the area. The tour ends at Rich’s Proper Food and Drink for their Squad Goals cocktail, which features tequila and chili liqueur.
There is another Sweet and Spicy Tour scheduled later in the summer on Thursday, September 22 at 6 p.m.
On Sunday, June 26 at 4 p.m., the Frosty Roebling Tour starts at Roebling Point Books and Coffee in Covington. The 0.8-mile-long walk takes guests to see the statue of John Roebling, crossing under his namesake bridge and past the floodwall murals. The tour proceeds down Madison Ave. and back into the Roebling Point neighborhood, concluding at Frosthaus for slushies.
There is another Frosty Roebling Tour scheduled for later in the summer on Saturday, August 20 at 4 p.m.
On Saturday, July 16 at 9 a.m. is the Newport Art and Architecture Tour. The tour includes the murals, statues and buildings of historic Monmouth Street, Newport on the Levee and the approach to the Purple People Bridge.
The other Newport tour, called Sharks, Cannons & Bell, is scheduled for Thursday, June 30 at 5:30 p.m. The tour meets in front of the Newport Aquarium. It leads from the aquarium mural, past the Campbell County Courthouse and World Peace Bell and ends at Moondawg’s Studio for some artsy browsing time.
On Saturday, July 23 at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. is the NKY Bourbon Barrel Walk. In the spring, more than 100 local businesses and organizations sponsored a bourbon barrel. The sponsors were matched with local artists to create and paint a custom design on each barrel. These barrels were then placed along a path which winds through the entertainment and business districts of NKY’s urban river cities. The tours are free.
