Elkins to host Tattoo Gathering
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ELKINS -- Officials have announced that the first-ever Elkins Tattoo Gathering convention will take place in March 2027, featuring tattoo artists, vendors, art classes, live music, contests and more.
Third Street Tattoo will host the inaugural event on March 5-6 at the Railyard Event and Conference Center in Elkins. The two-day convention will be open from noon to 8 p.m. both days and will feature 20 different tattoo artists.
“We’re hosting it and we’re inviting, basically, other tattoo shops from the area and then some from other towns in West Virginia,” Third Street Tattoo co-owner Dustin Standridge told The Inter-Mountain. “(It’ll be) mostly West Virginia artists. Some are going to be from the local area, like Buckhannon, Philippi, Elkins.”
When asked about their hopes for the convention, Third Street Tattoo owners Dustin and Emily Standridge said they want to showcase tattoos designed by local artists and “get more people interested or excited” in West Virginia tattoo artistry. Dustin Standridge called this first time a “trial run” as there has never been a tattoo convention in Elkins. He said that, if it does well, they hope for the event to become an annual convention for the area.
Emily Standridge said the convention will also be a way to build comradery and establish new learning opportunities in the tattoo artist industry. She explained that this event could become a tourism staple for Elkins, much like the Lock Up Tattoo Convention is for Moundsville in Marshall County.
“It’ll be great for the tourism industry, I believe,” Emily Standridge said. “I think it could bring a lot of people into town. It has done so much for the City of Moundsville. Their convention that they host there annually brings in thousands of people every year… We’re not expecting Forest Festival numbers, but we should pull in a lot of people from outside of town and get people in our town excited about going to it.”
Attendees will be able to get tattoos or, if they’re interested in a bigger project, look through the artists’ work to get an idea of who is the right fit for their style. The convention will also showcase jewelry and permanent jewelry services, as well as a massage therapist. Around 25 vendors will also be present to sell art pieces, exotic plants, oddities, taxidermy and more. Attendees can also participate in art classes taught by local Elkins artist Alice-Gervais.
Five local musicians will also be performing during the convention, including Tiffani Green, Seth Maynard, Jeff Pingley, Echoes from the Fire and Total Recall. Concessions, including food, drink and alcohol, will also be available for attendees to purchase.
At the end of each convention day, awards will be given out to tattoo artists, and the event will feature four different contests, including Guitar Hero and Smash Bros. There will also be a scavenger hunt held on Friday, March 5.
For more information on how to purchase tickets, visit the Elkins Tattoo Gathering social media page.
Third Street Tattoo co-owner Dustin Standridge working on art for a client.