Looking for a fun activity that gets you outside and exercises your brain?
How about a scavenger hunt with puzzles to solve, codes to crack and prizes to win?
The Finders Keepers Scavenger Hunts are great for a couple, a group or a family. It's a free, fun way to explore Northern Kentucky's river cities.
Challenge yourself!
The next hunt will be in Covington over the 4-day Thanksgiving weekend.
Sign up below to be notified when tickets are available.
Please scroll down for more info about our hunts.
Be safe and enjoy!!
Frequently asked questions
How do I play?
Each hunt will have a beginning and end time. They always span at least 2 full days. The Thanksgiving Weekend hunt will begin on Thanksgiving and end on that Sunday. The hunts are not timed, so you don't have that extra pressure. If you signed up to receive a reminder, you will receive it via email.
Our shorter hunts can be done on a smartphone. Our longer hunt (over Thanksgiving weekend) has a printed booklet.
The hunts lead you to a number of locations in Northern Kentucky neighborhoods. You will solve puzzles to reveal special photo op locations. You earn additional raffle entries by taking selfies at these locations and posting them on Instagram, using the hash tag #NKYFindersKeepers. (There are alternate instructions if you do not have a public profile on Instagram.) All the puzzle locations can be accessed without going indoors.
You earn one raffle entry for solving all the puzzles and an additional entry each time you post a photo taken at the puzzle's Photo Op locations. Detailed instructions are included in the hunt.
Although the puzzles aren't extremely difficult, they do require some thought. We think you will be challenged in a fun way!
Who can play?
The puzzles are designed for couples, groups of friends or families with children of at least reading age, although younger kids can help spot some of the clues.
How much does it cost?
Our shorter hunts are free and the Thanksgiving hunt is $40 for up to 4 players. We also welcome donations, which are tax deductible and go to support the following initiatives: NKY ArtQuest, a regional calendar of arts-related events and NKY Art Tours, free, self-guided tours of history and public art in NKY.
Where are the scavenger hunts held?
All the clue locations are in specific neighborhoods in NKY's river cities. We design each hunt to be walkable, at least within the neighborhoods. Free and paid parking options are available in all locations.
When can I play?
The hunts all have specific starting and ending dates and times. In between those times, you can visit the clue locations and work on the puzzles whenever you wish. All the locations can be accessed without going indoors. There are no prizes for finishing early, so no rushing is necessary!
What do I need to bring?
You will need a smart phone with a web browser, camera and texting capability--and your brains! You may want to bring a paper and pen or pencil, just to make taking notes a bit easier. For the Thanksgiving hunt, your Code Kit will have your puzzle book, pens, scratch paper and anything else you need.
What do donations support?
Donations made by generous players support the Catalytic Fund’s public art initiatives, including NKY Art Tours and NKY ArtQuest. These initiatives are free for everyone and help to promote the arts in Northern Kentucky. Thank you in advance for your support!
What can I win?
The prizes vary, depending on the hunt's location. They can include free cookies, gift cards, merchandise and art created by local artists.
Winners are chosen by raffle from the players who submit the correct solutions by the deadline. The raffles are held during the week following the hunt, with winners notified via email and posted on our webpage.
What are the safety precautions being taken?
To make it easy to stay safe and healthy during the hunt, we are taking the following precautions:
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All clue locations and photo challenges can be accessed without going indoors.
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Each puzzle will not take a long time to solve, so if there are too many people at a certain location, you should be able to wait until those folks have moved on.
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We are grateful to all participants for following current recommended safety guidelines about masks, groups sizes and social distancing.
If you'd like to donate to help support our public art initiatives in NKY, please click the Donate button below. It's tax deductible and very appreciated!!!