Interested in getting tattoos, learning about the art form, or simply wanting to do something different this weekend? Then the D.C. Tattoo Expo, which is going to be held at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel from this Friday afternoon until Sunday evening, is the perfect plan for you! The show has arranged for a shuttle bus to run every 20 minutes from the hotel to and from the Pentagon City Metro Station, to ensure the event is accessible by public transit.
The tickets for the show can be purchased upon entry; a day pass for $30, a full 3-day pass for $60, and a Saturday/Sunday weekend pass for $45! At the show, you can peruse the body art of over 100 unique tattoo artists from around the DMV area and some artists even from traveling in from further away.
What to expect at the D.C. Tattoo Expo
The D.C. Tattoo Expo’s primary events are tattoo competitions, where the top tattoo artists of the region compare the tattoos they’ve produced and judges select the best tattoo across various categories such as Best Black & Gray, Best Color, Best Traditional, Best Portrait, and more. These contests often draw a large audience and are a great way to appreciate the artistry and skill of tattooing.
In addition to being able to get tattoos at the expo, you can also shop at vendors that sell tattoo-related merchandise, like clothing, jewelry and piercings, original artwork, and more.
As added entertainment during the expo, there are also typically live shows for the crowd to enjoy that can range from musical performances to burlesque!
For aspiring tattoo artists or serious enthusiasts, there are also often seminars and workshops held during the expo by industry experts, during these sessions, you can ask questions and learn about a wide range of tattoo-related things like techniques, recommendations, or even general advice.
D.C. Tattoo Expo event schedule
The event kicks off on Friday, February 16th starting at 1 pm and ending day one at 11 pm. The full schedule of the day’s events breaks down as follows:
- 1 pm: Expo floor opens to the public.
- 7-8 pm: Alakazam – Main Stage
- 8:15-9:15 pm: Captain & Maybelle – Main Stage
- 9:30 pm: Cervena Fox – Main Stage
- 10:30 pm: Tattoo of the Day Announcement – Main Stage
On day two of the Expo, Saturday, February 17th, the festivities begin at 12:00 pm and continue until 11:00 pm. You can see a full breakdown of Saturday’s event schedule below:
- 12:00 pm: Expo floor opens to the public
- 2:30-3:30 pm: Alakazam – Main Stage
- 4 pm: Tattoo Contest – Main Stage
- Sleeve, Male / Sleeve, Female / Black & Gray Portrait / Black & Gray Large / Black & Gray Small
- 7 pm-8 pm: Captain & Maybelle – Main Stage
- 8:00 pm: Camille Zamboni – Main Stage
- 8:30 pm: Miss DC Pin Up Contest – Main Stage
- 10:00 pm: Tattoo of the Day Contest – Main Stage
On the third and final day of the Expo, Sunday, February 18th, the show begins at noon and concludes at 7:00 pm. Check the full Sunday event schedule here:
- 12:00 pm: Expo floor opens to the public
- 1:30 pm: Alakazam – Main Stage
- 2:30 pm: Camille Zamboni – Main Stage
- 2:45 pm: Captain & Maybelle
- 3:45 pm: Cervena Fox – Main Stage
- 4:00 pm: Tattoo Contests – Main Stage
- Color Large / Color Small / Back Piece, Male & Female / Color Portrait Traditional (American or Asian) / Neo-Traditional
- Artist Only Art Categories – Shop Style Flash (Black & Gray or Color) / Fine Art / Skate Deck
- 6:30 pm:
- Tattoo of the Day and Best of Show – Main Stage
- Contest Judging and Awards – Main Stage
- 7:00 pm: Closing remarks & end of show
What tattoo artists are going to the D.C. Tattoo Expo?
There are going to be over 100 tattoo artists attending this year’s expo, so there will be a wide range of styles and studios to choose from at the expo if you plan to browse the artists’ stalls during the day. If you want to do some research and potentially reach out to a particular artist that interests you beforehand, you can check out the full list of attending tattoo artists here.