The Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival, just nominated for Pollstar’s Global Festival of the Year, wrapped up another spectacular year the weekend of July 17-19. Over three days, 90,000 music enthusiasts from throughout the country gathered at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio, for the one-of-a-kind destination event that featured 65 bands on three stages in addition to tattoo and haunted attractions.

The most memorable music of the weekend came from showstopping headlining performances by Disturbed, Bad Omens, and Limp Bizkit, as well as Papa Roach, Cypress Hill, Hollywood Undead, Gojira, The Used, Sleeping with Sirens, A Day To Remember, Motionless In White, Ice Nine Kills, and many more.

This year’s huge event also included an astounding amount of unique performances and collaborations, including:

• Gojira featuring Paleface Swiss drummer Luigi Paraventi on the drums

• Ice Nine Kills with Alissa Gluz-White on “Twisting The Knife”

• Fit For A King’s Ryan Kirby joining Motionless In White

• Sleeping with Sirens 15 Years of Let’s Cheers To This

• Rare gathering of Rev Theory

• Alien Ant Farm 25th anniversary of ANThology

Besides the music, other unique aspects of Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival included 100 tattoo artists and tattoo competitions spectators could participate in, the Blood Jail haunted attraction, and tours of the jail made famous in the movie “The Shawshank Redemption.”

Danny Wimmer Presents’ (DWP) paranormal investigation video series Paranormal Prison, detailing some of the ghostly events at Ohio State Reformatory with the support of Inkcarceration bands and hosts Josh Bernstein and Katrina Weidman (Ghost Hunters, Paranormal Lockdown), was filming all weekend. Bands who were involved include Motionless In White, Hollywood Undead, Starset, The Used, Lorna Shore, Get Scared, Alien Ant Farm and more. Upcoming episodes will be accessible on the DWP YouTube channel and Loudwire.

Now in its eighth year, America’s rock and metal tattoo festival once again attracted spectators from every state and many nations around the globe for a total economic effect of more than $60 million since the festival’s inception in 2018.

Here is what the media had to say about Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival 2026:

“Organizers have transformed the prison grounds into a venue for one of the most extreme music and art gatherings in all of North America.” — VICE.

“One of the more unique rock and metal festivals taking place across the U.S., Inkcarceration fully embodies counterculture, bringing noteworthy names in tattooing to the same place you can get a tour of a haunted prison.” — Loudwire

“Organizers have once again curated a lineup celebrating all things heavy.” — Revolver

“Need to let loose in a mosh pit? Looking for new body art? Get the best of both worlds [at] Inkcarceration, the premiere heavy metal and tattoo festival.” — Columbus Dispatch

“Every year attending Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival feels like a family reunion.” — Mansfield News Journal

For more information on Inkcarceration, visit:

Website: https://inkcarceration.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Inkcarcerationfestival

Twitter: https://twitter.com/inkcarfestival

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkcarcerationfestival/