Glass City Center will feature hundreds of artists
TOLEDO – There are several reasons why someone might want a tattoo. Some people use them as a way to pay homage to a family member or a pet, some want to make an ideological statement, and others want to express a facet of their interests. While anyone can go into a tattoo parlor, some people want a broader experience. That’s where the Toledo Tattoo Festival comes in.
From May 1-3, the Glass City Center will host the fourth annual Toledo Tattoo Festival. The event will feature more than 200 tattoo artists from Toledo and around the world. There will be vendors selling merchandise, contests, and opportunities to schedule a tattoo or get one from artists during the festival.
Quinn Hurley, director of operations for Tattoo Fest, is in charge of talking to artists, setting up the room, and communicating with the Lucas County Health Department. He also answers questions about the event when someone reaches out.
He said the idea for the festival started in 2019, and the first one was held in Fort Wayne, Ind. Since then, the event has been held in a variety of cities, but Toledo remains the second-longest-running city. The group Hurley used to manage, Studio 13 Tattoo in Fort Wayne, used to have a location in Toledo, which is why the city was chosen for the Tattoo Festival.
Hurley said there is no one reason why someone might choose to become a tattoo artist, but you have to have an appreciation for art, and it’s a lot of work.
“It is one of the best careers that somebody can go in to do art for a living. There’s not going to be a ton of places out there that are hiring artists for a job, and tattooing kind of provides that,” he said. “It is a lot of work…Talk to any tattooer, and they’ll tell you about all the trials and tribulations, the successes and failures that they had learning to be a great tattoo artist. Everybody’s experience is different, but I think first and foremost, it’s a love of art, and there’s a culture around tattooing that I think is pretty alluring for a lot of people.”
Hurley noted that, in the past, tattoos were considered more taboo, but now that society is more accepting of them, the industry has continued to grow. More people from different walks of life get tattoos instead of just one specific demographic.
“It’s just grown and grown and grown. Which means when you find people that look like you that are tattooing, you’re more likely to get tattooed. It’s not as scary as it once was.”
One of the biggest reasons for having Tattoo Fest is to build a community. Hurley said an event like this brings people from the same industry together to connect with people in a city they otherwise may not have visited.
Hurley said Tattoo Fest is a great way for someone who wants a tattoo, either for the first time or to add another one, because it gives them a chance to walk around, see different styles, and talk to artists at their booths. It is also great for someone who is too intimidated to walk into a tattoo shop.
The event is family-friendly, but you must be 18 or older to get a tattoo. A single-day pass is $25, and a three-day pass is $65.
