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Droves of Tattoo aficionados on Long Island will soon descend on Nassau Coliseum for
United Ink, the region's only tattoo convention.
"Long Island has many great, talented artists and we need a place to all get together and unite, to tattoo in one place together," said Lou Rubino, owner of the
Tattoo Lou's tattoo shop chain and event creator. "That’s why I planned this United Ink, to bring the art of tattooing to a whole new level on Long Island."
The convention, which runs July 27 to July 29 will showcase artists from around the world, Rubino said. There will be roughly 250 booths, about 200 having multiple tattoo artists working. About 20 of the booths will be manned by artists from local shops.
In addition to the tattooing, other booths will consist of piercers, tattoo supply companies, tattoo aftercare companies, clothing companies, companies that insure tattoo shops, tattoo attorneys and more.
There won't be a shortage of notable artists at the convention as it will feature three artists from the tattoo reality show
Ink Master – winner Shane O'Neill and show contestants Billi Vegas and Al Fliction, star of the reality show
NY Ink Megan Massacre, reality show
LA Ink star Amy Nicoletto
, Bowery Stan, Philadelphia Eddie, Roman Abrego, Chris Torres and more.
Many artists from the Tattoo Lou's shops will also be tattooing and piercing.
Aside from tattooing, the convention will feature a signing by former New York Yankees great Jim Leyritz, the Coney Island Freak Show, a body suspension act, tattoo seminars, contests for best tattoo of the day and much more.***