Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo

New Hampshire's longest-running tattoo convention, drawing 200+ artists to downtown Manchester for a three-day expo each July.

Event details

About

Founded in 2007 by Jon Thomas, owner of Tattoo Angus and Spider-Bite Body Piercing in Manchester, together with shop manager Mike Boisvert, the Live Free or Die Tattoo Expo is an annual three-day tattoo convention held in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire. The event brings together more than 200 tattoo artists representing a broad spectrum of styles, alongside body piercers, vendors, and merchandise booths.

The expo runs across a full weekend with daily tattoo contests offering cash prizes, sideshow performances, a beer garden, and food vendors. Weekend wristbands allow re-entry across all three days, and children 16 and under enter free when accompanied by a paying adult. The 2026 edition marks the 18th annual expo, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown.

What to expect

Best for

Tattoo artists and collectors seeking a long-established New England convention

For artists: booths, applications, hours

For the 2026 edition a standard 10'x10' booth cost $675, a corner booth $725. Included: an 8 ft table with cover and skirt, 2 chairs, 2 artist bracelets, 1 electrical drop, medical waste removal and hand cleanser; you bring your own non-adhesive floor covering. A second artist needs an extra $25 weekend bracelet; no half booth exists. Booking is an online purchase, binding and non-refundable. 2026 booths sold out by mid-May 2026; a waitlist form is up.

For 2026 an out-of-state artist files licence paperwork and fees with the NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification before registering; the expo gives no licensing help. Liability insurance is mandatory, a State of NH rule.

2026 hours: Friday 24 July 5pm to midnight, Saturday 25 July 11am to midnight, Sunday 26 July 12pm to 8pm. A visitor weekend pass is $20 plus fees online or $25 at the door; kids 16 and under enter at no charge with a paying adult. Contest entry is $5 per category at the show; Tattoo of the Day pays $100 and $50 daily.

The 2026 venue is the DoubleTree by Hilton, 700 Elm Street, Manchester, NH. Weekend artist parking is a paid add-on, $40 per vehicle or $60 with a trailer. Discounted artist rooms: ask for the expo rate by name, Hilton group code 96O.

Notable: One of New England's longest-running tattoo conventions, founded in 2007.

How we check this listing

We last confirmed these details on 2026-07-06. Dates and prices are taken from the organizer and change between editions, so treat the organizer's own page as final before you book travel or a booth.

Checked against: https://www.livefreeordietattoo.com/, https://www.livefreeordietattoo.com/history/, https://www.visitmanchesternh.com/event/live-free-or-die-tattoo-expo-2/, https://www.livefreeordietattoo.com/register-your-booth/, https://www.livefreeordietattoo.com/tattoo-contests/