Who has the ugliest tattoo in Sonoma?

The judges assign scores to tattoos in categories such as quality, line work and “level of horrific overall.”|

If your tattoo spells “regret,” your chance to have it “done over” is coming up on Sunday, March 18, at B&V Whiskey Bar and Grille, when the fourth annual Ugly Tattoo Contest takes place. The “winner” of the ugliest tattoo can get up to $400 worth of tattoo repair work done by local artist Shotsie Gorman.

Gorman and his wife, Kristine, co-own the Tarot Art & Tattoo Gallery on Sonoma Highway. Gorman has been doing tattoos for almost 40 years, beginning at a time when they were not only frowned upon by society, but also still illegal in many areas. Gorman was a co-founder of the Alliance of Professional Tattooists. In addition to being a tattoo artist, Gorman is a sculptor, painter and a performance poet.

Typically, more than a dozen people show up to compete for the rare honor of having certifiably bad body art at the annual event.

As in past iterations of the event, contestants will be judged by a panel of tattoo artists who award cash for cover-up work to a few winners.

The free event typically draws more than 100 spectators, and funds from the $5 raffle tickets will support KSVY radio in Sonoma.

In last year’s contest, Sonoma resident Laura Hinerfeld took home first and third place for two separate tattoos.

Hinerfeld declined to describe the details or location of her tattoo that won the top prize, saying only that it was easily covered with clothing and was based on something she drew on a napkin once many years ago.

The tattoo for which Hinerfeld won third place, however, was a black design wrapping around her upper right arm that was meant to be a lily pad and a koi, but appeared essentially indiscernible in its final form.

“No one could ever see it,” Hinerfeld said to reporters last year of the koi part of her tattoo.

“Everyone would look at it and say ‘Is that a dead cat?’ It never really panned out.”

The judges assign scores to tattoos in categories such as quality, line work and “level of horrific overall.”

To add to the festivities, there will be a performance by the Gentleman Soldiers.

There is no cover for the show, which kicks off at 7 p.m.

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