Quinn Hurley did his best to get the Memphis Tattoo Festival to leave its imprint on Memphis. The event was presented by Tattoo Fest and the Explorer Tattoo Conference.
“We had a little over 3,000 attendees over the weekend,” says Hurley, director of operations for the three-day event held April 5th through 7th at the Renasant Convention Center. “For a market the size of Memphis, we definitely consider the event a success. It’s hard to pin down exactly how many tattoos were done over the three days. I would expect that number to be upwards of 500.”
And, he says, “It can only grow from here — and will. The reception from Memphis-based tattoo artists, specifically, was amazing.”
Hurley’s first tattoo was the logo for the Guardians of the Galaxy. “I got it on August 5, 2014, which was the director’s birthday. And it wasn’t great, so I got it redone a couple of years later.”
Why do people want to get a tattoo? “It’s a way to express yourself. It’s literally a way to wear your heart on your sleeve.”
