Colorado Springs will host its inaugural Villain Arts Tattoo Festival this weekend, bringing together 350 tattoo artists from around the globe. The three-day event will take place at the Colorado Springs Event Center and will include tattoo contests, live entertainment, and special guest appearances.
This marks the festival’s debut in Colorado Springs, although it is entering its 27th year on tour. “We took what tattoo conventions were and tried to make them into more of a fun festival,” said organizer Troy Timpel. “We have a lot of entertainment, including different TV stars from ‘Black Ink’ and ‘Ink Master,’ so there’s a lot going on all weekend.”
The festivities kick off on Friday and run through Sunday, featuring a variety of performances. Attendees can expect to see sword swallower Reggie Bügmüncher, Ringling Bros. star James Maltman, and the “America’s Got Talent” sideshow duo Captain and Maybelle. Additionally, late Friday and Saturday nights will include performances by burlesque artist Verona Fink and live human suspension artists, who perform aerial stunts while suspended from body piercings.
“Live human suspension is a really interesting, very visually stunning performance,” Timpel noted.
Throughout the weekend, tattoo contests will take place in nearly two dozen categories, including best portrait, best traditional, most unusual, and best lettering. At the end of each day, judges will award the “Tattoo of the Day” for work completed that day. On Sunday, they will also present the “Best of Show” award.
The festival will feature several special guests, including “Ink Master” competitors Dave Robinowitz, E-MAC, Al Fliction, and Kito Talbert.
“You can get tattooed by fantastic artists from all over the country,” Timpel said. “We have artists specializing in all kinds of unique styles, and we’re all in one room to help fulfill your tattoo dreams.”
This exciting event promises to be a vibrant celebration of tattoo artistry and culture in Colorado Springs.
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