What it is and why it works
Friday the 13th flash is one of the oldest traditions in tattooing. On the day, shops put up a sheet of small, pre-drawn designs at one low set price. People line up, pick a piece, and get tattooed the same day. Some come every time the date rolls around. Some get their very first tattoo this way.
It works because it is simple. One price. No consult. A reason to come in on a certain day. For your shop, it brings in walk-ins, first-timers, and groups of friends who might never have booked a custom piece. Many of them come back later for something bigger.
It is also a long, hard day. Done well, it takes planning: an original flash sheet, a line system, extra supplies, enough sterile setups, and a firm ID check at the door. This guide walks you through it.
Friday the 13th only comes around one to three times a year. Look at the calendar now and circle the next one. If it is a long way off, some shops run a smaller "Friday flash" on other dates to keep the habit going.
Who to contact
| Who | Who to ask for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your artists (and any guest artist) | Everyone who will tattoo that day | Who is working, what hours, who draws which part of the sheet, how the day's money is split |
| Your county or city health department | The inspector or licensing office for body art | Ask if a one-day event changes anything: guest licenses, extra stations, or walk-in limits |
| Your supply vendor | Your sales rep | Order extra needles, cartridges, gloves, barrier film, ink caps, and aftercare in time |
| A food truck or coffee shop next door | Owner | Something for people waiting in line; they get a busy day too |
| Neighboring businesses | Owner or manager | A heads-up about the line, parking, and noise; ask where people can wait |
| Local radio, paper, or community pages | Community or events desk | A mention in "things to do this weekend," if they choose to run it |
Skip partnering with a bar for this one. You will be turning away anyone who has been drinking, so don't send your line past a happy hour.
What to prepare
- An original flash sheet: small designs your artists drew themselves (no copied art, no cartoon characters or brand logos)
- One set price for the sheet, and clear limits: size, one color or black only, which placements are allowed
- A numbered ticket or sign-up system so people don't have to stand in line all day
- An ID check station at the front with a sign that says every client shows a government photo ID
- Printed consent and release forms, plenty of them, plus a pen station
- Written aftercare sheets for every client
- Extra supplies and enough sterile setups for the number of pieces you plan to do
- A photo consent line on the release form (a box they check if you may post their tattoo)
- A cut-off plan: the last number you'll take, and when you stop
- Water and snacks for your artists. It is a long day.
Step by step
- Set the date and the crew six to eight weeks ahead. Decide who is working, how long, and how artists are paid for the day.
- Draw the flash sheet. Each artist draws a few pieces in their own style. Keep them small enough to finish quickly and clean.
- Pick the price and the rules. One price for the sheet, and write down what costs extra (color, bigger size, a name added). Write it on the sheet itself.
- Check with the health department if you are adding stations, bringing in a guest, or running longer hours than usual.
- Order supplies three to four weeks out. Count your sterile setups against the number of pieces you hope to do.
- Announce it two to three weeks ahead. Post the sheet, the price, the hours, and the ID rule. Pin it to your profile. Send it to your email and text list (only people who signed up). See C10.
- Post a reminder the week of and the night before. Show one artist drawing or stenciling a piece from the sheet.
- Run the day. ID and form at the door, a number for each person, and a board that shows which number is up. Turn away anyone who seems drunk or high, politely and firmly.
- Hand every client written aftercare and tell them how to reach you with questions.
- Post the results over the next week, only the pieces whose owners said yes in writing. Then post healed photos a few weeks later. See C2.
Scripts
Announcement post
FRIDAY THE 13TH FLASH is back at [shop name].
[Date], [start time] until we hit our last number.
Every piece on this sheet: [price], one per person.
Walk-ins only. Numbers handed out at the door starting at [time].
Bring a government photo ID. You must be [your state's legal age] or older. No exceptions.
Come sober. We can't tattoo anyone who has been drinking.
Sheet drawn by [artist names]. See you there.
Text or email to your list
Hi [first name], it's [shop name]. Our Friday the 13th flash day is [date]. Every piece on the sheet is [price]. Walk-ins only, numbers start at [time]. Here's the sheet: [link]. Bring your ID!
Reply STOP to stop texts.
Sign at the door
FLASH DAY: HOW IT WORKS
1. Show your government photo ID.
2. Fill out the release form.
3. Take a number. We'll call it. Watch the board or follow [@handle] for updates.
4. One flash piece per person. Price is on the sheet.
We will not tattoo anyone under [age] or anyone who has been drinking or using.
Turning someone away
I'm sorry, we can't tattoo you today. [We need a valid photo ID showing you're [age] or older. / It looks like you've had a few, and ink and alcohol don't mix.] Come see us another day and we'll take care of you.
To the food truck owner
Hi, I'm [name] from [shop name] on [street]. On [date] we're doing our Friday the 13th flash day. We usually have a line most of the day. Would you like to park out front? We'd tag you in our posts and tell people you're there.
What it can lead to (and what to charge)
The flash price is the flash price. What often follows is the client who liked the experience and wants more.
| Follow-on work | Example price (example only) |
|---|---|
| Flash piece on the day | Example: one set price for the whole sheet, like $[__] |
| Custom piece booked later | Example: your normal hourly rate or piece price, with your normal deposit |
| Matching pieces for friends who came together | Example: your normal flash or small-piece price on a booked day |
| Touch-up on a flash piece | Example: whatever your touch-up policy already says |
These are only examples. Have your booking link ready on the counter, and let people ask. See C4 and C7.
Timing
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6 to 8 weeks before | Date, crew, pay for the day, health department questions |
| 4 to 6 weeks before | Draw the sheet; set price and rules |
| 3 to 4 weeks before | Order supplies; line up the food truck |
| 2 to 3 weeks before | Announce; send to your list |
| Night before | Reminder post; set up the ID station and number board |
| The week after | Post approved photos; thank everyone who came |
Plan the Friday the 13ths in your yearly calendar. See C8.
Checklist
- Date and crew confirmed
- Original flash sheet drawn by your artists
- Price and rules written on the sheet
- Health department questions answered
- Supplies ordered; sterile setups counted
- ID station, release forms, aftercare sheets ready
- Photo consent box on the release form
- Announcement posted and sent to your list
- Number board and cut-off plan ready
- Approved photos posted afterward
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the ID check when it's busy. Check a government photo ID for every client, every time, no matter how long the line is.
- Tattooing someone who has been drinking. A flash day can feel like a party. Say no anyway.
- Copying flash. Don't trace another artist's sheet or put cartoon characters or brand logos on it. Draw your own.
- Running out of sterile setups. Stop when you run out. Never cut corners on sterilization to get through the line.
- Posting without a yes. Only post pieces whose owners checked the photo box, and never show a face without it.
- Adding a raffle or "chance to win." Check your state's rules first. Prize drawings can count as gambling.
- No cut-off. Tired artists make mistakes. Pick your last number and stick to it.
- Promising everyone gets in. Say "until we hit our last number," not "everyone is guaranteed a spot."
Making it a tradition in your shop
- Keep the sheets. Old flash sheets on the wall show how long you have been doing this.
- Number the events. "Our fifth Friday the 13th" tells people you mean it.
- Save the list. With permission, add flash-day clients to your list so they hear about the next one. See C10.
- Ask for reviews the normal way, the same as any client. See C6.
Want Annie's to do this for you? We can build your flash-day announcement page, write the posts and the text to your list, make the sign-up and number system, and post the approved photos afterward.