What to expect at the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Festival in January

The Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Festival — the annual spectacle of body ink, burlesque performances and acrobatic suspension artistry — makes its annual return to the Delaware Valley in January.

The three-day festival begins on Friday, Jan. 26 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City Philadelphia.

Here's everything to know about the tattoo festival, which will include booths operated by some of the finest tattoo artists in the world.

Special guests, seminars on tap for Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Festival

Aside from the more than 100 tattoo artists who will have a booth at the festival, there will be dozens of special guests and important figures in tattoo culture mingling about throughout the weekend.

Guests include Big Gus from "Tattoo Nightmares;" Cleen Rock One, a tattoo artist who has appeared in several season of Ink Master; Ink Master season 11 winner Tony Medellin; and traveling tattoo Artis Candy Dunbar.

The team from iconic tattoo parlor Philadelphia Eddie's will be there throughout the festival, as will legendary tattooist Jack Hatchett.

The Alliance of Professional Tattooists will also be on hand throughout the festival.

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However, there's more to the tattoo festival than just body ink and exhibitionism; the festival will also host a number of seminars, including its keynote seminar: Tattoo Shop Titans: how to master Google ads for tattoo shop owners."

That seminar will be held on opening Friday, at a time that will be announced closer to the event. Tattoo shop owners can register for the seminar now.

Tickets for the 2024 Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Festival available now

Tickets for the 2024 Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Festival are $25 per day, or $50 for a three-day pass.

Tickets can be purchase online through the festival's website.

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Getting a tattoo at the festival? Tips on aftercare

First-time and veteran tattoo collectors alike should take note of a few aftercare tips before heading out to the tattoo festival.

Depending on the size and the placement, tattoos generally heal completely after two and a half weeks, says Emilio Alonso, a tattooer at Fun City Tattoos in New York City.

Tattoo aftercare primer: Is my tattoo almost healed? Everything to know about aftercare and the healing process.

How you take care of your tattoo can affect how long it takes to heal. According to Dr. Bruce Katz, a board-certified dermatologist and director of the JUVA Skin and Laser Center, keeping your tattooed skin moisturized can speed the healing process.

“People think that if you let things air out, you don’t put ointment on it, you let it dry out and it heals faster – that’s an old wives tale,” Katz says. “If you keep the area moist so that scab doesn’t get hard…the skin as it heals migrates under the moist scab because there’s nothing blocking it, so it heals a lot faster.”

After you’re freshly inked, you’ll want to keep on the bandage your tattoo artist gave you. If it’s the traditional plastic wrap, it is recommended you leave the wrap on for at least three hours.

Not washing and lotioning your tattoo could leave you at risk of infection. Excessive time in the sun, swimming or intense physical activity directly after getting a tattoo could also lead to infection. If you notice any redness around the area, pain or tenderness or you have a fever, you should seek medical attention.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: What to expect at the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Festival in January