Tattoofest
Body art has reached new levels in recent years and Tampa Bay, Florida’s Tattoofest is a celebration of the incredible wealth of talent in the industry. An annual gathering of artists and those who love ink, this festival has become entrenched in its more than a decade on the scene as one of the top tattoo-art celebrations anywhere.
Events at Tattoofest
This four-day convention actually starts a day early with a pre-convention party on the Wednesday before the actual festival begins. Tattoofest is a great opportunity to meet and greet your favorite tattoo artists, and the best day to do that is on the first day of the convention. Five dollar Thursday is a newly minted event to kick off the convention and allows early arrivals to get in and have a chance to talk to the artists before the weekend crowds. A skateboard demonstration takes place in the evening. Attend the after party at a nearby tiki bar to hang out in a casual environment with other tattoo lovers.On each day of the convention, there will be a Tattoo of the Day contest with first, second and third places chosen in two categories – black and white and color. An additional Tattoo Contest is held on Saturday; and, on Sunday, all of the Tattoo of the Day winners can compete to be named the Best Tattoo of the Show .
Tattoofest Exhibits
Although much of the art to be admired at the festival is found on people, there are also other art exhibits to take in throughout the weekend. Art on canvas and other media, including cars and motorcycles add a new dimension to the festival and provide plenty for everyone to see. This art show is a new addition to the convention and is sure to draw even larger crowds that ever before.The convention features exhibits of their work from the best tattoo artists around, on both paper and, of course, on the people who have been decorated with ink. All styles of tattoo from classic to modern can be viewed in the exhibit halls at the festival. You can even watch others get new ink right at the convention, and you can make an appointment for your own new ink.
Tattoofest Tickets and Information
Tickets for the event can be purchased either on a day-by-day basis or as a full weekend pass. If you plan to attend more than one day, you can save money by grabbing a weekend pass, so that you can be sure to see everything you want to see. The pre-convention party is limited to only 100 tickets and walk-ins are not permitted, so buy tickets early.The variety of Tampa Bay vacation rentals in the vicinity of the convention makes it easy to find a great place to stay. Avoid the crowded hotels and book a spacious rental perfect for sharing with other attendees or a place to relax after the noise of the convention.
Tattoofest for 2012 will take place from March 29th to April 1st at the 35,000 square-foot new venue, the Manatee Civic Center .