This summer, you could stroll along the streets of Covington and Newport, sipping coffee or enjoying a cup of gelato while learning more about the cities’ incredible murals and statues.
Around the Corner mural
Jill Morenz, the director of the NKY Public Arts Network will be leading the tours.
“We have world-class public art in Northern Kentucky, and I love sharing it,” she said.
The guided tours are perfect for visitors and tourists who want to explore the entertainment districts, as well as residents who often discover art they didn’t realize was there.
“Even long-time residents usually learn something new on our tours,” Morenz said.
Newport firefighters tribute
The Public Arts Network, an initiative of the Catalytic Fund, is partnering with meetNKY to present the experiences, many of which involve visits to local restaurants, bars and shops.
For example, the Sweet and Spicy Tour begins at Golden Gelato in Covington and winds through the neighborhood for about ¾ of a mile. Guests will munch on flavored pretzels from Yankee Doodle Deli as they 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 spicy Squad Goals cocktail, which features tequila and chili liqueur.
The Frosty Roebling Tour starts at Roebling Point Books and Coffee in Covington. The 0.8-mile-long walk takes guests to meet John Roebling (his statue, that is), 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 boozy (or non-boozy) slushies.
The Newport Art and Architecture 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, leads from the aquarium mural to the courthouse and World Peace Bell and ends at Moondawg’s Studio for some artsy browsing time.
Other tours include stops at galleries, an in-depth discussion of the Riverside Drive statues and Covington’s beautiful downtown post office building.
To learn more and reserve a spot on one of the free tours, please visit the NKY Art Tours website.
