Twin Cities Tattoo Festival #4 (2026)

The Twin Cities Tattoo Festival is a three-day convention that takes place July 24 through July 26, 2026, at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is the fourth edition of the event, which brings tattoo artists and collectors together in the upper Midwest. The festival occupies the convention center floor with rows of vendor booths where artists set up stations for live tattooing. Attendees can walk the floor to watch work in progress, book appointments with visiting artists, or browse flash sheets available for walk-ups. The event includes tattoo competitions across multiple categories, including black and grey, color, and traditional work. Seminars run throughout the weekend for artists looking to develop specific technical skills. Minneapolis has a tattoo history that stretches back over a century, with shops operating in the city since the early 1900s. The local scene mixes traditional American tattooing with Nordic influences, reflecting Minnesota's Scandinavian heritage. The Twin Cities area has dozens of established shops, and this convention draws from that local base while bringing in artists from Chicago, Milwaukee, and the coasts. The Minneapolis Convention Center sits at 1301 2nd Avenue South, connected to downtown hotels via skyway. Parking is available in adjacent ramps and surface lots, though public transit via Metro Transit light rail is an option for those staying outside the immediate area. Ticket options typically include single-day passes and full-weekend badges. The venue is ADA accessible and allows re-entry with hand stamps. First-time attendees should bring cash for merchandise and food vendors, though most artists accept cards for deposits and payment. The convention floor can get warm with the number of people and equipment running, so light layers are practical. Afterparties happen at nearby bars in the Warehouse District, though these are not officially affiliated with the event.