COVID-19: FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions regarding COVID-19

NOTE: This exceptionally informative and useful FAQ's was written weeks before our 9th Annual Hawaii Tattoo Expo was literally forced to cancel in May 2020, about 2 months before the show was to open on July 31, 2020. As you can see by reading this FAQ's, our P.I.A.E. team was ready to rock, and the 9th Annual Expo had already been sold out for months. Then, we issued a formal Press Release in May 2020 which told the world the terrible news; the 9th Annual P.I.A.E. was cancelled.

Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions and their applicable answers for any questions regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, and as unpredictable and as elusive as COVID-19 is, each of these "Answers" can change literally day-by-day, but as much as things may change, our P.I.A.E. 'Ohana believes it's very important it is to tell what we know when we know it. So, please bear with us, and read on. Note: Please visit our news section for up-to-date information regarding the '2020 Pacific Ink & Art Expo'.


Yes, we certainly hope so! Yet, as we all well know, both the national and local response(s) to the ever-changing COVID-19 VIRUS, as well as the world’s response to this pandemic, makes the “straight answer" to this seemingly simple question quite difficult and very unpredictable. With this Caveat in place, the PIAE ‘ohana can say this to you without hesitation: While external factors and circumstances might easily force our 9th Annual Expo. to be canceled, at present, the 9th Annual Hawaii Tattoo Expo. is currently scheduled to take place, as scheduled, and will be held on July 31 and August 1-2, 2020. The PIAE ‘ohana has no current plans or intentions to cancel or otherwise postpone our 9th Annual Expo.

Note: Please read our news section for any up-to-date information regarding our 2020 tattoo expo.


Yes, of course. As is happening all over the world, the U.S. and right here in our 808 Island State of Hawaii, venues are cancelling and/or postponing events and “large gatherings” of any and every type. “Physical separation” (prohibiting groups of 10 or more) is now the norm, if not the legal mandate. In other words, even if the PIAE ‘ohana, as the long-time promoter of the Hawaii Tattoo Expo, fully intends and expects to stage the Expo. as is now scheduled, the Hawaii Convention Center (“HCC”) (PIAE’s new venue after eight (8) very successful years at the NBC Exhibition Hall) could and may decide at any time for public, community and medical safety reasons to cancel not only our Expo. but also any and all other events and gatherings (of 10 or more people) now scheduled to be held at this famed Waikiki venue. In other words, our 9th Annual PIAE may be forcibly canceled or postponed by the HCC no matter what we as the promoters want or intend or expect to do. The decision re: whether or not our Hawaii Tattoo Expo. will be held could be “out of our hands”, to be decided by others.

Yes. One need only follow the daily world, national and local news stories to know that governmental authorities of all levels are making very drastic decisions everyday which restrict if not close down businesses, schools, concerts, large gatherings and yes, even Expos. just like our Hawaii Tattoo Expo. In other words, even if the HCC authorizes our 9th Annual Expo. to go forward as scheduled and even if we decide as the promoters to go forward with the Hawaii Tattoo Expo. as scheduled, our Expo. could and may be closed down, cancelled and/or otherwise shuttered by Federal orders and mandates (no doubt issued by the U.S. President) or by State of Hawaii orders and mandates (no doubt issued by our Governor or the State Department of Health). Currently, however, no such Federal and/or State orders and mandates have been issued, and currently, our 9th Annual Expo. is scheduled to be held.

Your reservation and booth(s), whether you be a vendor or an artist, will be waiting for you in 2021, and all monies paid by each vendor and/or artist to date to attend the 2020 Expo. will be accounted for and fully credited to your respective account(s) in 2021. Each artist or vendor who has paid in to be part of the now sold-out Hawaii Tattoo Expo 2020 will be part of the 2021 Expo., guaranteed. ALL you have to do is “say the word” that “you are in for 2021”, and you are! It’s as simple and as easy as that!!!

Yes, but the process and procedures are all very user-friendly and all very convenient. Each vendor and/or artist need(s) to simply sign a written authorization to be provided which directs the Pacific Ink & Art Expo management and accounting team to credit all monies paid-in to date by each vendor and/or artist to the 2021 Expo. This written authorization will guarantee each artist and/or vendor his/her place/reservation and booth(s) at the 2021 Expo. If, however, any artist or vendor wishes to forfeit his/her/its place and booth(s) at the 2021 Expo., then there will be a process and procedure to be refunded monies paid-in to date for the 9th Annual 2020 Expo. But, again, the artist and/or vendor who request(s) refund(s) will then lose his/her/its place/reservation at the future Expo, and his/her/its booth(s) going forward.

Yes, of course. As we know anything which may affect our current and very clear intention and desire to stage the 9th Annual Hawaii Tattoo Expo at the famed HCC as scheduled on July 31 and August 1-2, 2020, we will keep all of you updated and informed. Look to our social media pages and at this very informative website, and mahalo for your support and cooperation all these years, and especially during these medically uncertain times. Together, we’ll all get through these challenging times.