Credit: Photo via cigarcitytattoofest.com

What’s more punk than coming back after 13 years?

This weekend, the Cigar City Tattoo Fest will bring you more than just one-on-one time with the top local artists. This Valentine’s weekend event has shopping, music and tattoo contests. Who knows, maybe cupid will hit you with a bow, or an ink gun, while you are there.

After three successful editions of the festival in 2009-2011, host Atomic Tattoos is finally bringing the party back to the historic district, complete with more than 100 artists at the Cuban Club all competing for awards like, best sleeve, best black and grey, and tattoo of the day.
Five bands are on the agenda for Saturday, including a Tampa and Atlanta based rock outfit Rmblr. And if your stomachs rumble, food trucks can help out. The live shows will set the mood for a car show on the Cuban Club patio, where tattoo artists and community members can show off.

Sunday’s concert includes Orlando’s TV Generation and Tampa’s own Black Valley Moon, plus a no-cover punk rock flea market where vendors will sell art and other oddities, for all punk tastes.

Walking up to get a tattoo is an option, but guests can book appointments online, too. For the kiddos who can’t wait to get their first tattoo, no need to be 18—temporary tattoos are part of the schedule.

Tickets to Cigar City Tattoo Fest happening Friday-Sunday, Feb. 14-16 are still available and start at $25.

There’s no cover for the Tampa Punk Rock Flea Market happening on Sunday, Feb. 16.

When it’s not throwing the festival, Atomic Tattoos lives in the heart of Ybor City, at 1712 E 7th Avenue. Readers are invited to submit their own events to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s things to do calendar.

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.

This article appears in Feb 6-12, 2025.