‘Tattoo Showdown’: More than 60 artists to showcase talent in Utah competition

MIDVALE, Utah (ABC4) — This weekend, Midvale’s historic Main Street will be filled with talent from all across the country working to come out top in a local tattoo competition.

It’s the Tattoo Showdown, which will feature over 60 contestants, including around 21 coming from out of state.

The event will be this Saturday, April 27, and run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. In addition to the tattoo competition, there will also be a car display, a motorcycle stunt show, a beer garden, food trucks and live music. For the little ones, there will be face painters and balloon animals.

If you find yourself starting to get the tattoo itch, they’ve got you covered, as there will be a walk-in tattoo shop to get small tattoos done during the event.

Admission to the outdoor event is free, with a cost of $10 to enter participating shops and watch competing artists in action.

Artists will have the entire day to create a tattoo that fits the theme of ‘Greek Mythology’. There will be a total of $15,000 to giveaway to five winners, with a grand prize of $11,000. Chase Alexander, an organizer of the Tattoo Showdown, said there will also be prize packs, including items such as tattoo supplies.

“It definitely goes a long way in just helping them do things that need to be done because tattoo artists never stop. They always have some project they’re working on, some art they want to do. So the money goes back into their shops and their art,” he said.

The competition, Alexander said, helps artists get their work in front of judges who are world-renowned in the tattoo industry. Beyond that, he also said he wants it to be an opportunity to “break down the walls” of anyone wanting to learn more about tattoos.

“I wanted to make sure that anybody that’s been hesitant about getting a tattoo or going into a tattoo shop, that this is a great way for them to tour ten different shops at a very low pressure environment,” he said. “They get to see the tattoos and the art being done, and they get to see all the different ways that the tattoo artists have built their shop out because everyone is different in their aesthetic and how they did it.”

For attendees, Alexander said there will be giveaways with prizes worth over $5,000, including tattoo gift cards for some of the shops along Main Street.

Not only does the competition give back to the community, but a portion of the proceeds will also go to the non-profit Ink Against Cancer, which focuses on raising funds to help cancer patients.

This is the third year of the Tattoo Showdown, and Alexander said it’s fun to see how much the event continues to grow each time.

“Our attendance has doubled year over year, and we’re expecting the same thing this year. I’m excited to see what happens and who all comes out,” he said.