Orlando Tattoo Show
- Dates
- Expected September
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Osceola Heritage Park (Exhibition Building)
- Price
- $25 to $50
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Sep 4, 2026
Orlando Tattoo Show's next dates haven't been announced yet. The last festival was 11 to 13 September 2026 in Kissimmee, FL. Froligo tracks current ticket prices, attendee feedback and travel details.
Age, licensing and hygiene
Attendees must be at least 18 years old to get tattooed. Minors are admitted but must be accompanied by an adult, and children under 8 enter free. There is no published minimum age to enter. No ID requirement is stated, and the show does not mention Florida's own provisions on tattooing minors at all, so do not infer a parental-consent route from the fact that minors may attend
This is the strongest licensing record we have seen, because Florida requires a state permit and the show acts as the licensed establishment for visiting artists. The organizer publishes the full process: an artist without a current Florida permit must pay $35.00 for a temporary permit, hold a bloodborne pathogens certificate from an approved source, supply a colour copy of their driver's licence or passport, and submit a completed Application for Tattoo Artist License read in the name of the licensed establishment, which is the Orlando Tattoo Show itself, plus a card verification authorization form. The paperwork goes to a named senior clerk at the Florida Department of Health in Osceola County, 1 Courthouse Square Suite 1200, Kissimmee, with a published phone number, and the completed licence is then returned to the show
The ticketing terms state that all attendees must comply with the biosafety protocols established by the promoters of the event. Beyond that phrase and the mandatory bloodborne pathogens certificate in the licensing process, the organizer publishes no sterilisation, autoclave, single-use needle, sharps or glove policy. The licensing route is the substance here; the hygiene procedure itself is not described
A convention consent form exists and is branded to both the promoter's studio and the show, hosted on a third-party forms platform
Published venue and entry rules: the entry of weapons is prohibited; the entry of drinks and food is prohibited; a person with a disability condition can enter with a companion with their respective ticket
The organiser publishes nothing on sterilisation or autoclave procedure, single-use or disposable needle policy, sharps disposal, glove handling, aftercare guidance, client consent form contents, minimum age to ENTER, ID requirement and Florida's statutory provisions on tattooing minors. Ask the artist you are booking with, and expect a licensed booth to answer without hesitating.
Checked 2026-09-04The experience
What's special
Orlando Tattoo Show is a large, international convention built around three layers: live tattooing by a global artist roster, competitions and seminars for the tattoo community, and a visitor-facing market with entertainment and activity areas. A newcomer can attend to watch and browse, but anyone wanting a tattoo should contact an artist ahead of time. The event's FAQ also covers parking and concessions for visitors
What happens on the floor
The core format: artists take a booth for the weekend and work on the open floor, with the public walking through.
Piercers work alongside the tattoo booths. The same questions apply: age, ID, sterilisation and aftercare.
Finished and same-day work is judged on stage in named categories, usually late in the day.
Machines, inks, aftercare, art and clothing. Aimed at artists, but open to anyone through the door.
Teaching sessions aimed at working artists. Usually ticketed separately from admission.
Getting tattooed here
Admission gets you through the door, not into a chair. Tattoo work is arranged with the artist, not with the show.
The organizer's only booking guidance is that many talented artists will be available to provide tattoos and that booking an appointment in advance is recommended. With no roster published, there is no way for a visitor to identify or contact a specific artist in advance through official channels
Who is tattooing
No artist roster has been published for this edition, so there is no way to pick an artist in advance from the official pages.
Zero named artists published seven days out, against an organizer claim of 250 plus artists from 15 plus countries. The official lineup page carries the heading Lineup de Artistas 2026 and an apply button, and no names. A live floorplan and booth application exists with an artist directory searchable by number, name or studio, but it loads from a backend at runtime and serves nothing in the page source, so no name is enumerable. That app is where the roster will appear
Contests and judging
67 categories are judged across the weekend. Judging pulls the whole floor to the stage, so it is the best hour of the day to watch even if you are not entering.
Healed work, judged by styleopen
- TribalMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Bold black lines. Shading accepted. Emphasis on flow and body contour.
- Bioorganic / Biomech / BiotechMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Organic, biological, mechanical, bionic elements in composition. Emphasis on flow and body contour.
- Ornamental / GeometricMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Must feature decorative, sacred geometry, or symmetrical elements. Mandalas, dotwork, filigree, lace, or line based pattern work. Balance and repetition in body flow. Non-figurative: no realism or illustrative content.
- FinelineMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Must be done with a single-needle or fine liner grouping. Focus on delicate, clean, precise linework. Can include florals, script, microillustration. Minimal shading no bold lines or heavy shaded areas.
- WatercolorMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Must mimic the look of watercolor paint, soft edges, splashes and gradients.
- Etching / EngravingMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Must use line based technique. Depth, texture, and volume are created through hatching (parallel lines) and cross-hatching.
- Floral ColorMust feature botanical elements. Must maintain classic art approach in the application of color with minimal use of black.
- Floral MonochromaticMust feature botanical elements. Must be done in a single color scheme (all shades and tones of the same single color).
- LetteringMust focus on typography, script, calligraphy, graffiti, stylized fonts, etc. Can include embellishmentsflourishes: , shading, filigree, etc.R.
- Trash PolkaBlack and red as core palette. Mix of realism and abstract. Chaotic yet balanced composition. Graphic typography.
- Color Movie / GameFull color saturation. Can be a movie or game character or scene.
- B&G Movie / GameBlack ink and gradients or opaques. Can be a movie or game character or scene.
- Color AnimeFull color saturation. Anime in subject matter.
- B&G AnimeBlack ink and gradients or opaques. Anime in subject matter.
- American TraditionalMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Consistent lineweight in black ink. Color palette limited to black, red, yellow, green, blue, brown. 2D flat appearance. Minimal shading, heavy use of solid fill color. Simple imagery. Clean bold and readable from a distance.
- BlackworkMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Tattoo must be done entirely in black ink. No smooth gradient.
- Japanese TraditionalMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Bold outlines. Flat color: black, red, green, white, blue, purple. Black & Grey. Iconic background elements (wind bars, waves, clouds, fire). No realism.
- NeotraditionalMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Multiple line weights. Color or black & grey.
- New School / CartoonMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Exaggerated proportions. Multiple line weights. Bold saturated colors.
- ColorMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Must have full color saturation.
- B&GMust be fully healed prior to the competition. Must be black and diluted black only. No opaques or use of white to dilute. Use of white as highlight points accepted. No use of white as gradient.
- OpaquesMust be fully healed prior to the competition. May have areas of color. Opaques or use of white to dilute allowed. Gradients of white allowed.
Healed work, judged by sizeopen
- Small B&G (<4x4)Any Black & Grey or opaques that fits within a bounding box of 4in x 4in (10cm x 10cm).
- Medium B&G (<8x8)Any Black & Grey or opaques that fits within a bounding box of 8in x 8in (20cm x 20cm).
- Large B&G (>8x8)Any Black & Grey or opaques that fits outside a bounding box of 8in x 8in (20cm x 20cm).
- Small Color (<4x4)Any color tattoo that fits within a bounding box of 4in x 4in (10cm x 10cm).
- Medium Color (<8x8)Any color tattoo that fits within a bounding box of 8in x 8in (20cm x 20cm).
- Large Color (>8x8)Any color tattoo that fits outside a bounding box of 8in x 8in (20cm x 20cm).
Placement and collector categoriesopen
- Male / Female CollectorMultiple collections of work throughout the body.
- Front or Back PanelMust use the torso or back as the primary focus point of the composition and may include adjacent areas of the body.
- Head / Face / NeckMust use the head, face or neck as the primary focus point of the composition and may include adjacent areas of the body.
- Hand / FootMust use the hand or foot as the primary focus point of the composition and may include adjacent areas of the body.
Cover-upsopen
- Opaques CoverupMust provide a clear "before" picture of the coverup. Multiple sessions allowed. May have areas of color. Opaques or use of white to dilute allowed. Gradients of white allowed.
- Color CoverupMust provide a clear "before" picture of the coverup. Multiple sessions allowed. Full color saturation.
- B&G CoverupMust provide a clear "before" picture of the coverup. Multiple sessions allowed. Must be black and diluted black only. No opaques or use of white to dilute. Use of white as highlight points accepted. No use of white as gradient.
- Fresh CoverupMust be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo. Tattoo must only be done by one artist. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. Must present "before" picture of the tattoo during judging.
Tattooed at the show, judged that dayopen
- Color FridayMust verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk (10 AM). Must be done during the convention on Friday. Prohibited to start composition before the convention (outlining, stencil transfer, marker lines). All subject matter and sizes accepted. Must be full color saturation. Tattoo must only be done by one artist.
- B&G FridayMust verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk (10 AM). Must be done during the convention on Friday. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. All subject matter and sizes accepted. Must be black and diluted black only. No opaques or use of white to dilute. Use of white as highlight points accepted. No use of white as gradient. Tattoo must only be done by one artist.
- Fusion and Opaques FridayMust verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk. Must be done during the convention on Friday. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. All subject matter and sizes accepted. May have areas of color. Opaques or color or use of white to dilute allowed. Gradients of white allowed. Tattoo must only be done by one artist.
- Color SaturdayMust verify at the Artist Services desk BEFORE starting. Must be done during the convention on Saturday. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. All subject matter and sizes accepted. Must be full color saturation. Tattoo must only be done by one artist.
- B&G SaturdayMust verify at the Artist Services desk BEFORE starting. Must be done during the convention on Saturday. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. All subject matter and sizes accepted. Must be black and diluted black only. No opaques or use of white to dilute. Use of white as highlight points accepted. No use of white as gradient. Tattoo must only be done by one artist.
- Fusion and Opaques SaturdayMust verify at the Artist Services desk BEFORE starting. Must be done during the convention on Saturday. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. All subject matter and sizes accepted. May have areas of color. Opaques or use of white to dilute allowed. Gradients of white allowed. Tattoo must only be done by one artist.
- Color SundayMust verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk. Must be done during the convention on Sunday. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. All subject matter and sizes accepted. Must be full color saturation. Tattoo must only be done by one artist.
- B&G SundayMust verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk. Must be done during the convention on Sunday. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. All subject matter and sizes accepted. Must be black and diluted black only. No opaques or use of white to dilute. Use of white as highlight points accepted. No use of white as gradient. Tattoo must only be done by one artist.
- Fusion and Opaques SundayMust verify BEFORE starting at the Artist Services desk. Must be done during the convention on Sunday. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. All subject matter and sizes accepted. May have areas of color (20%). Opaques or use of white to dilute allowed. Gradients of color, opaques, white allowed. Tattoo must only be done by one artist.
Tattooed at the show, other categoriesopen
- Color PortraitTattoo must be started at the Orlando Tattoo Show on Friday or Saturday and verified at the Artist Services desk. Must have a clean non-contaminated reference. Full color saturation.
- B&G PortraitTattoo must be started at the Orlando Tattoo Show on Friday or Saturday and verified at the Artist Services desk. Must have a clean non-contaminated reference. Black and grey or opaques.
- American Traditional (Fresh)Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo. Tattoo must only be done by one artist. Prohibited to start composition before the convention. Consistent lineweight in black ink. Color palette limited to black, red, yellow, green, blue, brown. 2D flat appearance. Minimal shading, heavy use of solid fill color. Simple imagery. Clean bold and readable from a distance.
- Neotraditional (Fresh)Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo. Tattoo must only be done by one artist. Bold black outline. Multiple line weights. Color or black & grey.
- Ornamental / Geometric (Fresh)Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo. Tattoo must only be done by one artist. Must feature decorative, sacred geometry, or symmetrical elements. Mandalas, dotwork, filigree, lace, or line based pattern work. Balance and repetition in body flow. Nonfigurative-: no realism or illustrative content.
- Fineline (Fresh)Must be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo. Tattoo must only be done by one artist. Must be done with a single-needle or fine liner grouping. Focus on delicate, clean, precise linework. Can include florals, script, microillustration. Minimal shading no bold lines or heavy shaded areas.
- Color RealismMust be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo. Tattoo must only be done by one artist. Full color saturation. No heavy use of lines.
- B&G RealismMust be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo. Tattoo must only be done by one artist. Must be black and diluted black only. No opaques or use of white to dilute. Use of white as highlight points accepted. No use of white as gradient. No heavy use of lines.
- Opaques RealismMust be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo. Tattoo must only be done by one artist. May have areas of color. Opaques or use of white to dilute allowed. Gradients of white allowed. No heavy use of lines.
- Oriental Trad / NeoMust be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Must verify with Artist Services desk BEFORE starting the tattoo. Tattoo must only be done by one artist. Traditional or neo-traditional oriental style.
- Two-Day TattooTattoo must be done by a single artist over two days (Friday and Saturday). Prohibited to prepare composition before the festival or tattoo outside show hours. Color, theme, and style are unrestricted. Piece must be submitted for verification at the Artist Services desk where staff will document the process. Only photos/videos taken by the Artist Services desk count for verification. Verification required 3 times: Friday before start of work, Friday end of day, Saturday before tattooing. Documenting progress prevents rule violations such as starting work before the festival or tattooing outside hours.
- Three-Day TattooTattoo must be done by a single artist over three days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). Prohibited to prepare composition before the festival or tattoo outside show hours. Color, theme, and style are unrestricted. Piece must be submitted for verification at the Artist Services desk where staff will document the process. Only photos/videos taken by the Artist Services desk count for verification. Verification required 5 times: Friday before start, Friday end of day, Saturday before start, Saturday end of day, Sunday before tattooing. Documenting progress prevents rule violations.
- Artist CollaborationMust be done during the Orlando Tattoo Show. Multiple artists on one piece of work. Prohibited to begin the process before the show (outlining, stencil transfer, marker lines) or to tattoo outside show hours. Color, theme, and style are unrestricted. Piece must be submitted for verification at the Artist Services desk where staff will document the process. Only photos/videos taken by the Artist Services desk count for verification.
Art off the skinopen
- Fine Art PaintingManual technique: pencil, pen, graphite, oil, acrylic, etc. on canvas or linen. Mixed media accepted only if paint is the primary medium. Work must be original and not digital or printed and painted over digital. Only 1 contest entry per tattoo.
- Mixed MediaMust combine two or more distinct mediums. Can include non-traditional elements (textiles, found objects, metal, paper, etc.). Only 1 contest entry per tattoo.
- Digital PaintingMust be originally created using digital tools. Must be painted by hand digitally. Al content not accepted. Only 1 contest entry per tattoo.
Best of day, best of show and noveltyopen
- Best of Day FridayThis award is contested by the 3 tattoos that won 1st place in the 3 competition categories for tattoos done on Friday: Color, B&G, Fusion and Opaques. Mandatory presence of models who placed first in the above-mentioned categories.
- Best of Day SaturdayThis award is contested by the 3 tattoos that won 1st place in the 3 competition categories for tattoos done on Saturday: Color, B&G, Fusion and Opaques. Mandatory presence of models who placed first in the above-mentioned categories.
- Best of Day SundayThis award is contested by the 3 tattoos that won 1st place in the 3 competition categories for tattoos done on Sunday: Color, B&G, Fusion and Opaques. Mandatory presence of models who placed first in the above-mentioned categories.
- Best of ShowThis award is contested by the 6 tattoos that won 1st place in the 6 competition categories for tattoos done at the show: Best of Day Friday, Best of Day Saturday, Best of Day Sunday, Two-Day Tattoo, Three-Day Tattoo, Artist Collaboration. Mandatory presence of models who placed first in the above-mentioned categories. The Best of Show must be one of the tattoos that previously won one of these categories and must be present on Sunday to be judged.
- Best BoothAwarded to the tattoo artist booth with the best overall presentation, professionalism, and visual appeal.
- Worst TattooWinner will receive free laser removal session from the laser techs at Fallen Sparrow Tattoo co.
How entries work
Sign up at the Artist Services desk.
Live categories must be verified at the Artist Services desk BEFORE work starts, from 10 AM, and must be tattooed during the convention on the stated day. Starting the composition before the convention, including outlining, stencil transfer or marker lines, is prohibited. A tattoo must be done by one artist only. Multi-day categories require repeat verification: three times for the Two-Day Tattoo (Friday before start, Friday end of day, Saturday before tattooing) and five times for the Three-Day Tattoo. Only photos and videos taken by the Artist Services desk count for verification. Healed categories require the opposite: the piece must be fully healed before the competition. Coverup entries must supply a clear before picture. Art categories allow only one entry per piece and state that AI content is not accepted. Best of Day is contested by the three first-place tattoos in that day's Color, B&G and Fusion and Opaques categories, with mandatory presence of the winning models. Best of Show must be a tattoo that previously won one of those categories and the model must be present on Sunday to be judged
The Worst Tattoo category awards the winner a free laser removal session from the laser technicians at Fallen Sparrow Tattoo Co, the promoter's own studio
Seminars
Teaching sessions for working artists. These are booked and paid for separately from show admission, and admission does not include them.
- Linea de precision 3RLDaniel Moreno · 2026-09-10 · 1:00 PM · $250 · Runs September 10, the day before the show opens Syllabus includes curing and aftercare Pre-sale $180 until 10 August. Artists with a booth at the Orlando Tattoo Show receive a 30 percent discount
- Color and color realism, composition, mobile app presentationRember Orellana · 2026-09-11 · 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM · $200 per person
- Neo-oriental and folklore yokai: composition and harmony, line and background construction, transparencies, shadow and colorLuis Castillo · 2026-09-11 · 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM · $150 per person
- Realistic tattooing: volume, textures, technique and quality controlval_tatboo · 2026-09-12 · 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM · $400 per person
The organiser's own page pairs presenters with topics ambiguously. Confirm who is teaching what before you pay.
Around the tattooing
Also running
- Live tattooing, competitions, entertainment, vendor market and seminars
What it costs
Admission is the only price the show sets. Tattoo work is booked with individual artists; the organizer publishes no tattoo prices.
Extras, bought separately
If you are exhibiting
Booth and vendor fees are what the show charges artists and traders. They are not visitor prices.
Visitor admission carries a service fee added at checkout: $3 on the single day ticket and $5 on the three day package. Booth and vendor fees each carry a $30 service fee and are artist-side costs, never visitor prices. The FAQ says only that tickets can be bought online or at the venue on the day
Venue restrictions bar outside food vendors as show participants; concessions food is available and the organizer has contracted Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen to sell from the concession
The market and the food
The market floor carries Vendor market. Named traders include Proper Aftercare (Aftercare product vendor).
Food on site: concessions and food court. Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen is named on the official pages.
The organizer's own pages contradict each other here. The FAQ states that due to venue restrictions food vendors are not permitted as show participants, and that aside from concessions food the show has contracted Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen to sell from the concessions window. The schedules page nonetheless advertises a food court and vendor marketplace, and the floorplan app carries a food and food trucks layer. The FAQ is the more specific and more recent statement and is treated as authoritative; the conflict is recorded rather than resolved silently. Outside food and drink are prohibited by the ticketing terms
Hours and the floor
Laid out as Exhibition Building at Osceola Heritage Park.
Ample parking is available at the venue and parking fees may apply; no amount is published
Getting there
Nearest airport Orlando International (MCO).
How do I get to Orlando Tattoo Show?
By car
Osceola Heritage Park is at 1901 Chief Osceola Trail in Kissimmee, about 20 miles south of Orlando International, roughly 25 to 30 minutes via FL-417. The venue has ample parking; fees may apply and no amount is published, so bring a card and expect a standard event lot rate
Most people drive to Orlando Tattoo Show. The nearest major airport is Orlando International (MCO), and from there it is a straightforward drive to the venue. Check current road and traffic conditions before you set off, and see parking below.
By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
By bus & public transit
No scheduled intercity bus or public transit route to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
Taxi & rideshare
Taxis and rideshare such as Uber and Lyft can be limited near the venue, especially late at night or in rural areas. Agree a pickup point and time in advance and keep a backup plan.
🚙 Car hire
Where
Venue
Osceola Heritage Park (Exhibition Building)
Camping & Accommodation
Where can I stay near Orlando Tattoo Show?
No on site camping. Here is where to stay nearby.
Mid-range hotels 1
4991 Calypso Cay Way, Kissimmee, on the Lake Buena Vista South tourist corridor near the parks, about a 15 to 20 minute drive west of Osceola Heritage Park. The show's official hotel: a special discount books through the Marriott reservation link on the show's hotels page
Book direct →Airbnb & private camping
Kissimmee is one of the biggest vacation rental markets in the country, built for Disney traffic: whole-home listings saturate the US-192 corridor and Calypso Cay/Lake Buena Vista South areas 15 to 20 minutes from the venue, and mid September is low season with soft pricing. Closer options sit around downtown Kissimmee, 10 minutes from the gates
Search Airbnb →Accessibility & comfort
What the organiser or venue publishes about getting around, and what they do not.
Attendees must be at least 18 years old to get tattooed. Minors are admitted but must be accompanied by an adult, and children under 8 enter free. There is no published minimum age to enter. No ID requirement is stated, and the show does not mention Florida's own provisions on tattooing minors at all, so do not infer a parental-consent route from the fact that minors may attend
Confirm your specific needs with the organiser's access team before you travel.
Pricing
Price history and tiers
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