Milwaukee Tattoo Festival
An independent Milwaukee tattoo festival run by Explorer Tattoo, bringing 200-plus artists to the Baird Center each spring.
Event details
- Dates: April 2-4, 2027
- Venue: Baird Center, Milwaukee
- Location: Milwaukee, WI
- Organizer: Explorer Tattoo
- Founded: N/A
- Frequency: Annual
- Attendance: Thousands over 3 days
- Artists / booths: 200+ artists
- Tickets: Single-day pass $30; 3-day weekend pass $65
- Tattoo competitions: yes, judged categories run across the weekend
- Website: https://milwaukeetattoofestival.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milwaukeetattoofestival
About
Produced by Explorer Tattoo, the Milwaukee Tattoo Festival is the city's home-grown show, distinct from the touring conventions that also visit Milwaukee. It gathers more than 200 artists from around the world at the Baird Center for three days of tattooing, art-making, and merch.
The festival's late-May slot and large downtown convention hall give it room to scale, with live tattooing across the weekend, vendor rows, and a packed contest schedule. For Midwest artists, it offers a well-run, artist-curated alternative to the franchise circuit.
What to expect
- 200+ artists from around the world
- Independent show produced by Explorer Tattoo
- Held in the downtown Baird Center
- Three days of live tattooing and art-making
- Vendor rows and merch alongside the booths
- Daily tattoo competitions
Best for
Midwest artists seeking an artist-curated alternative to franchise shows
Notable: Artist-run by Explorer Tattoo, giving it a curated, studio-driven feel distinct from the touring convention circuit.
How we check this listing
We last confirmed these details on 2026-07-21. 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://milwaukeetattoofestival.com/, https://inkppl.com/en/tattooevents/2026/may-2026/milwaukee-tattoo-festival, https://www.instagram.com/milwaukeetattoofestival/