'It's great, it's very festive': tattoo convention returns to Winnipeg
The return of conventions to Manitoba continues, as the Winnipeg Tattoo Convention brought skin art enthusiasts from around the world to the Red River Exhibition Park this weekend.
Event coordinator Rich Handford was excited to be back after a two-year absence, "It is exhilarating! Tattoos are iconic images that speak to everyone in one way or another," he said. "After two years of pretty severe provincial regulations, it's wonderful to be back and hosting all of these smiling faces."
More than 200 tattoo artists were at the event, 70 of them from Manitoba. Handford says some artists traveled from as far away as England and Spain to attend. "We have some of the best men and women working in tattooing today at this show," he said.
Tattoo artist Safwan was there with four members of his crew representing Imago, a Montreal-based tattoo shop. He says it's great to be back at a convention after two years of health restrictions.
"It was devastating for a lot of people, we're still standing, luckily there's still shows happening like this one, but yeah it was a tough one for everybody," he said.
The convention ran for a few hours Friday evening, all day Saturday until 11:00 p.m., and on Sunday from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Other attractions included live music and a beer garden, as well as motorcycles and classic cars.
Safwan says tattoo conventions are an integral part of his business. "We connect with our peers, connect with the general public in a way that you can't do in a shop. It's great, it's very festive," he said.
"It's a chance for us to get back together as an industry and show what we can do."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.