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THE OFFICIAL RECAP: Flower City Tattoo Convention 2025

THE OFFICIAL RECAP: Flower City Tattoo Convention 2025

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THE OFFICIAL RECAP: Flower City Tattoo Convention 2025

November 21–23 • Floreano Convention Center, Rochester NY

By Rob DPiazza

THREE DAYS THAT REDEFINED TATTOO CULTURE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

From the moment the doors opened on Friday morning, one thing was clear:
This year’s Flower City Tattoo Convention was different. Bigger. Louder. Fuller.
The kind of weekend that doesn’t just entertain — it leaves a mark.

Inside the Floreano Convention Center, tattoo artists from across the world unpacked their gear, hung banners, wiped down armrests, and prepared for three relentless days of machines humming, crowds gathering, and stories unfolding in real time.

By noon on Day 1, the aisles were packed shoulder-to-shoulder, fans moving in waves through the maze of booths. Cameras flashed, machines buzzed, suspension hooks gleamed under stage lights, and the air swelled with the unmistakable mix of excitement, nerves, ink, and anticipation.

Ink Master artists, world-class tattooers, collectors, vendors, side-show performers, fans driving in from hours away — everyone came ready for a weekend that would push the Flower City Tattoo Convention into a new chapter.

And we delivered.

For three days, we turned Rochester into a beating heart of tattoo culture.

And now, we’re telling the full story.

Tattoo contest winners Flower City Tattoo Convention 2025

DAY 1 — FRIDAY

The Opening Flood, The First Needles, The Rise of the Weekend

Friday mornings at a convention are usually a warm-up. A slow climb. A test of the waters.

Not this year.

By the time the first wristbands were scanned, a massive opening-wave crowd surged into the venue, immediately filling the walkways. Artists barely finished taping their stencil rolls before clients were already in chairs.

Ink Master artists from our 2025 Featured Artist list had fans lining up just to watch them set up their stations. Watching a TV-famous artist prep needles in person hits different — and the fans felt it.

THE BUDDY MOTT TATTOO HISTORY BOOTH — CENTERPIECE OF DAY ONE

One of the emotional highlights of the weekend was the Buddy Mott Tattoo History Booth, a tribute exhibition that gave artists and collectors a rare, intimate look at tattoo lineage.

People didn’t just stop by — they lingered.
They studied.
They reflected.

It grounded the weekend in the culture we all live for.

You can learn more about Buddy by reading our blog about his life HERE

Buddy Mott Tattoo History Booth display at 2025 convention

THE SHOGUN FIGHT CO. MMA DEMO — INTENSITY FROM THE START

Shogun took the floor like they owned it — and they did.

Their live MMA demos on Friday drew crowds so thick the aisles slowed to a crawl. People leaned over the rails and stacked shoulder-to-shoulder just to watch the live grappling sequences. It set a tone: this was more than a tattoo event — it was a cultural festival.

CAPTAIN & MAYBELLE + REGGIE BUGMUNCHER — FRIDAY FIRE

The sideshow stage lit up early with the unforgettable duo:

They wasted no time proving why they’re fan favorites. Nails, glass, theatrics, humor — everything tattoo culture loves in a sideshow act.

THE NGN SUSPENSION TEAM — STEEL, STILLNESS, AND SHOCK

Suspensions started early and only got more intense as the day went on.
The Ngn Suspension Team put on multiple displays throughout the day, including vertical lifts, horizontal swings, and meditative acts that left the room silent.

People stood frozen. Watching. Captivated.


THE TATTOO CONFESSIONAL BOOTH — STORIES THAT HIT HARD

Sponsored by Tattoos Saved My Life, the confessional booth quickly became one of the most powerful features of the weekend. Fans stepped inside and spoke their truths all captured by our media director Marke Anderson:

  • why they got tattooed

  • who they lost

  • what they overcame

  • the meanings they carried with them

The stories were raw. Real.
Some people walked out crying — and so did we.

Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see all the Videos as they Release!

Tattoo Confessional Booth sponsored by Tattoos Saved My Life

FRIDAY CONTESTS — BODY PART CATEGORIES

Friday ended with the first round of tattoo competitions.
These categories showcased technical precision and clean execution.

Body Part Awards

Tattoo of the Day — Friday

Winner: Devin Coley

DAY 2 — SATURDAY

The Peak. The Crush. The Day Nobody Stopped Moving.

Saturday was nuclear.

From the moment doors opened, the crowd intensity exploded. The Floreano Convention Center transformed into a hive of nonstop movement, a sea of ink, fashion, and tattoo culture flooding every walkway.

Crowd at Flower City Tattoo Convention 2025 at Floreano Convention Center

INK MASTER ARTISTS — IN THE CENTER OF THE STORM

Our featured Ink Master artists (full list from flowercitytattoo.com/2025-artist) were absolute powerhouses all weekend — but Saturday belonged to them.

Lines wrapped around booths just for a chance to book future appointments, get signatures, or watch them tattoo live.

Throughout the day you could see:

  • huge color realism pieces being shaded in real time

  • Japanese traditional back pieces progressing hour by hour

  • neo-traditional stencils so crisp they stopped foot traffic

  • collectors crying after finishing memorial tattoos

Their presence elevated the entire show.

Ink Master artists tattooing live at Flower City Tattoo Convention

UPW WRESTLING — THE BUILDING SHOOK

Saturday hosted Upstate Pro Wrestling and the crowd absolutely lost it.

High-energy entrances, ringside chants, slams, rope runs — the ring was a magnet pulling in hundreds. The roar could be heard over the tattoo machines.

It felt like a festival inside a convention inside a wrestling event.

UPW wrestling match at Flower City Tattoo Convention Rochester

SHOGUN FIGHT CO.  — DAY 2 DEMOS

The Shogun team returned for another explosive performance.
The crowd packed tighter than the day before.
People climbed railings for a better view.

You could feel the energy vibrating through the convention floor.

THE NGN SUSPENSION DOUBLE ACT — THE MOMENT OF THE WEEKEND

This was the most talked-about moment of the entire weekend:

A girl suspended from another person’s legs, both floating in air, body weight balanced through tension, steel hooks, and sheer trust.

The room went silent.
Then cameras went up.
Then the cheering started.

It was cinematic.
Iconic.
The kind of moment people will talk about years from now.

Ngn Suspension Team double suspension performance


SATURDAY CONTESTS — STYLE CATEGORIES

Saturday belonged to the stylists — the technicians, the innovators, and the artists pushing boundaries.

Traditional & Genre Categories

Tattoo of the Day — Saturday

Winner:  Jon Odell 

DAY 3 — SUNDAY

The Closing Chapters, The Final Push, The Weekend’s Biggest Emotions

Sunday was emotional.

Collectors finishing 2–3 day pieces sat for the final sessions.
Artists worked with a calm but urgent focus.
Families arrived to get tattooed together.
Fans soaked in the last hours of the show.

Ink Master artists tattooing live at Flower City Tattoo Convention

THE FINAL SUSPENSIONS, FINAL DEMOS, FINAL STORIES

The Ngn Suspension Team gave one last breathtaking performance.
Captain & Maybelle wrapped their final stunts.
Reggie Bugmuncher sent the crowd home with a finale nobody could forget.

The Tattoo Confessional Booth recorded final stories — some heartbreaking, some inspiring.

Tattoo judging contest winners Flower City Tattoo Convention 2025

SUNDAY CONTESTS — SIZE, ART, AND THE BIG TITLES

Booth & Art Awards

Color Categories

Black & Gray Categories

Color Infused  1st- Devon   | 2nd- Ariel Ramon

Tattoo of the Day — Sunday

Winner: Jon Odell

Best Collaboration in Show

Winner: Daniel Halter And Allan Mandi

BEST IN SHOW

Winner: HIRAM CASAS

The room exploded when Best in Show was announced. Hiram is the shows first 2 time winner and will have his name engraved on next years belt twice!
That moment alone captured the spirit of the convention:
passion, community, craft, and storytelling — all under one roof.

Tattoo contest winners Flower City Tattoo Convention 2025

FEATURE SECTION — THE INK MASTERS OF FLOWER CITY

Throughout the weekend, our Ink Master lineup became a centerpiece of the experience.

Visitors watched them:

  • pull perfect lines

  • paint gradients into skin effortlessly

  • design massive back pieces

  • create portraits that looked alive

Their presence elevated the entire show, giving fans a rare chance to see elite-level tattooing up close.

Ink Master artists tattooing live at Flower City Tattoo Convention

SIDESHOWS & CULTURE — THE SOUL OF THE WEEKEND

Captain & Maybelle

Shock. Humor. Chaos. Perfection.

Reggie Bugmuncher

A legend in the scene — impossible to look away.

Shogun Fight Co.

Powerful, controlled, technical MMA displays that stunned crowds.

UPW Wrestling

Entertainment, athleticism, storytelling — pure electricity.

Buddy Mott Tattoo History Booth

A tribute that grounded the weekend in legacy.

Tattoo Confessional Booth

The heart of the convention — where tattoos became stories again. These stories will be available on our YouTube channel once fully edited!

LOOKING FORWARD — THE SUMMER 2026 SHOW

July 24–26, 2026 — Floreano Convention Center Returning

After the monstrous turnout, incredible stories, massive crowd energy, and the overwhelmingly positive response…

We’re doing it again.

Same venue.
Smaller floor plan.
New artists.
New entertainment.
New competitions.
More culture.

Early sign-ups are open  — and if this show taught us anything, it’s that booths are going to sell out fast.

Discounted Booths are available until Dec 31st 2025 HERE

If you thought 2025 was big…

Summer 2026 is going to be historic.

IN CLOSING

Thank you to every artist, vendor, collector, performer, sponsor, wrestler, MMA fighter, suspension team member, and fan who made this weekend unforgettable.

This wasn’t just a convention.
It was a celebration of tattoo culture — past, present, and future.

See you July 24–26, 2026.

— Rob DPiazza
Tracking the moments inked into culture, community, and skin.

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