Three Rivers Tattoo Convention
- Dates
- Expected September
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Three Rivers Convention Center
- Price
- $21 to $42
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Sep 5, 2026
Three Rivers Tattoo Convention's next dates haven't been announced yet. The last festival was 25 to 27 September 2026 in Kennewick, WA. Froligo tracks current ticket prices, attendee feedback and travel details.
Age, licensing and hygiene
The one organizer-published hygiene fact is a vendor-provisioning note rather than a public promise: one sharps container per shop is provided to exhibitors by Coalition Tattoo Supply, and shops needing more are responsible for bringing their own. No sterilization or single-use standard is published for the public
The organizer warns that some of the entertainment may contain adult content, and the programme includes body suspension performances, which is worth weighing before bringing children into an all-ages room. No first aid, security or medical arrangement is published
Washington regulates tattooing and body piercing and requires practitioners and shops to be licensed through the state Department of Licensing, and it prohibits tattooing anyone under 18
The organiser publishes nothing on Any sterilization or single-use standard for the public, Any first aid, security or medical arrangement on site, Consent or aftercare form text and The venue's or county's health permit status for the convention. Ask the artist you are booking with, and expect a licensed booth to answer without hesitating.
Checked 2026-09-05The experience
What's special
The Three Rivers Tattoo Convention takes over the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick from 25 to 27 September 2026 and bills itself as the region's biggest tattoo show, drawing a stated 5,000-plus attendees from across the Pacific Northwest with 275-plus artists and 100-plus shops. The weekend runs seminars from the Wednesday before through Sunday, live tattooing across the floor, and a full contest programme each day at $5 an entry, climbing to Best in Show on the Sunday. Body suspension by Shawn O'Hare headlines the Friday and Saturday nights. Admission is $21 a day or $42.10 for all three days through Ticketmaster, with ages 5 and under free. Getting tattooed is 18 and over only, artists set their own prices and prefer cash, and no outside food or drink is allowed because the hall runs its own concessions and full bar
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.
Finished and same-day work is judged on stage in named categories, usually late in the day.
Teaching sessions aimed at working artists. Usually ticketed separately from admission.
Pieces go on in the open, start to finish. You can watch, and talk to artists between clients.
Piercers work alongside the tattoo booths. The same questions apply: age, ID, sterilisation and aftercare.
Machines, inks, aftercare, art and clothing. Aimed at artists, but open to anyone through the door.
Getting tattooed here
Admission gets you through the door, not into a chair. Tattoo work is arranged with the artist, not with the show.
Booking is direct with each artist, not through the organizer. Browse the attending artist list and shop ahead, then either reach out in advance for an appointment or attend the expo to see whether an artist has an open slot. Some artists fully pre-schedule, others leave open space for walk-ups
Walk-up space is artist-dependent; some artists leave open space in their books for walk-ups at the show, while others book out in advance
Who is tattooing
Only the first page, 10 named artists across two studios (X. Tattoo and The Black Hexagon), was captured, so body_art_program.artists is a representative subset, not the full floor. No Instagram handles are published on the artist listing
10 artists are listed for this edition, by name only, which is all the organiser publishes.
On the floor
- Ariel Kuromoto
- Liam Dickinson
- Adrian Martinez
- Max Lowe
- Nick Nietfield
- Joe Hollingsworth
- KC Lange
- Lawson Buemo
- Gina Carlson
- Zach Breitbach
Contests and judging
18 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.
- Small Traditional (6x6 or less), 3:00 PM
- Small Color (6x6 or less), 4:00 PM
- Small Black & Gray (6x6 or less), 5:00 PM
- Portrait (color and black & gray), 6:00 PM
- Job Stoppers (head, face, neck, hands), 7:00 PM
- Tattoo of the Day, 9:00 PM
- Cover Up (bring photo of original), 2:00 PM
- Large Traditional (larger than 6x6), 3:00 PM
- Large Color (larger than 6x6), 4:00 PM
- Large Black and Gray (larger than 6x6), 5:00 PM
- Color Sleeve (arm or leg), 6:00 PM
- Black and Gray Sleeve (arm or leg), 7:00 PM
- Tattoo of the Day, 9:00 PM
- Tribal / Mandala / Ornate Design, 1:00 PM
- Full Back, 2:00 PM
- Asian, 3:00 PM
- Tattoo of the Day, 5:00 PM
- Best in Show, 5:30 PM
How entries work
Entry $5 per piece.
Entry is $5 per tattoo and each tattoo can only be entered in ONE category. For most categories, enter a fully healed tattoo at the info booth at least 10 minutes before the posted contest time, then be present for live judging. All entries must be fully healed except Tattoo of the Day. Sleeve contestants must have 3/4 sleeve coverage or more. It is customary for the artist to receive the award and the tattoo wearer to receive bragging rights
Seminars
Teaching sessions for working artists. These are booked and paid for separately from show admission, and admission does not include them.
- Color Realism2026-09-24 · 3:15 PM to 6:15 PM · $200
- Tattooing the Impossible2026-09-24 · 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM · $200
- Leveling Up: Pushing Your Art to the Next LevelJames Kern · 2026-09-25 · 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM · $150
- Procreate Shortcuts for Tattoo ArtistsJess Locke · 2026-09-25 · 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM · Free
- Understanding Arm AnatomyJess Locke · 2026-09-26 · 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM · $10
- Advanced Cover-ups for TattooistsJames Kern · 2026-09-27 · 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM · $150
The organiser's own page pairs presenters with topics ambiguously. Confirm who is teaching what before you pay.
Around the tattooing
On the entertainment stage
- UR Ride Super Show (Annual Show)
- Friday Night Entertainment
- Saturday Night Entertainment
Also running
- Body Suspension by Shawn O'Hare
- Beginner SuspensionListed on the schedule as a seminar-style session
What it costs
Admission is the only price the show sets. Tattoo prices are set entirely by each artist; the convention has no hand in them. The organizer's own line is 'good tattoos aren't cheap, and cheap tattoos aren't good.' No per-artist price is published and none was estimated. A walk-up costs whatever that artist charges. Artists prefer cash; ATMs are available at the event.
Extras, bought separately
Tattoo contest entry: Not admission and not the price of a tattoo
The $5 contest entry is money that is NOT a visitor gate price and is fenced here rather than in the ticket ladder. Seminar tickets ($0 to $200) are separate from admission. Ticketmaster face prices ($21 single-day, $42.10 three-day) are fee-inclusive before tax
The market and the food
The market floor carries Tattoo artists and vendors.
Food on site: concessions and full-bar.
Concessions run throughout the day with a full menu accommodating vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free needs, plus a full bar with drink specials (the organizer notes it is known for its Bloody Marys). Cash or card is accepted. No outside food or drink is allowed in the building
Hours and the floor
The Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, part of the Three Rivers Campus alongside the adjacent Toyota Center arena, in the Tri-Cities region of southeast Washington
Laid out as {'name': 'Vendor Green Room', 'note': 'A vendors-only quiet room stocked with snacks and drinks.'}.
Indoor and climate controlled. A full bar and concessions run through the day
Getting there
Nearest airport Tri-Cities Airport (PSC), Pasco, about 5 miles north.
How do I get to Three Rivers Tattoo Convention?
By car
The Three Rivers Convention Center is at 7016 West Grandridge Blvd in Kennewick, in the Columbia Center commercial district with large free surface lots at the door. Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) in Pasco is about 5 miles north, roughly 10 to 15 minutes over the river; the venue sits among Kennewick's main hotel and retail cluster
Most people drive to Three Rivers Tattoo Convention. The nearest major airport is Tri-Cities Airport (PSC), Pasco, about 5 miles north, 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
Compare car hire at Tri-Cities Airport (PSC), Pasco, about 5 miles north
Search car hire →Live price search coming soon.
Where
Venue
Three Rivers Convention Center
Camping & Accommodation
Where can I stay near Three Rivers Tattoo Convention?
No on site camping. Here is where to stay nearby.
Airbnb & private camping
The Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Pasco, Richland) carry steady mid-market hotel and rental stock within 10 minutes of the venue; late-September is shoulder season in the Columbia Basin with easy availability
Search Airbnb →Accessibility & comfort
What the organiser or venue publishes about getting around, and what they do not.
Confirm your specific needs with the organiser's access team before you travel.
Pricing
Price history and tiers
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