Inked Circus Tattoo Expo – Barrie #4 (2026)
The Inked Circus Tattoo Expo returns to Barrie for its fourth edition on May 22-24, 2026. The event is at Eastview Arena, a community sports facility in the east end of the city that converts into a convention space for the weekend. Barrie sits on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, about an hour north of Toronto. The city has a growing tattoo scene with shops along Dunlop Street and Bayfield Street, serving both local residents and visitors from the Greater Toronto Area. This expo brings artists from across Ontario and Quebec to work in a setting that is smaller than Toronto conventions but has space for serious tattooing. The three-day event runs Friday through Sunday. Attendees can watch live tattooing at artist booths, browse vendor tables selling machines, ink, and aftercare products, and enter competitions judged by working tattooers. The floor plan at Eastview Arena keeps the main stage and competition area visible from most booths, which makes it easy to see the work being judged. This is the fourth time Inked Circus has held this specific Barrie event. The promoter runs several conventions across Ontario, and this edition follows the same format as previous years. Artists book appointments in advance but often have time for walk-ups on slower periods of the weekend. Tickets are sold as day passes or weekend passes through the official website. Eastview Arena has parking lots on site, though spaces fill quickly on Saturday. Hotels are available on Bayfield Street near Highway 400 or along the waterfront. The venue is accessible by Barrie Transit buses that stop on nearby streets. If you plan to get tattooed, bring reference images and cash for deposits. The concrete floors at Eastview mean you should wear comfortable shoes if you are walking the floor for hours. Food vendors are usually set up in the lobby area, though the arena is close to restaurants on Essa Road. The Barrie tattoo community includes shops that have been open for decades alongside newer studios. This convention draws collectors who want to book time with artists from Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal without traveling to those cities.