For most people, a tattoo is either an attractive body decoration or a regrettable mistake.

However, a traditional tattoo is an event worth travelling thousands of miles for.

The Pacific Tattoo takes place this weekend, July 14 and 15, at Bear Mountain Arena. A tattoo B次元官网网址� a term that predates the body marking B次元官网网址� is a demonstration of military drumming, piping and parading, full of fanfare, pomp and pageantry.

The name originally comes from the Dutch phrase for B次元官网网址渢urn off the tap.B次元官网网址�

Drummers used to be sent out at night to call curfew, essentially letting tavern owners know they needed to stop serving drinks and send the soldiers back to base.

The phrase is B次元官网网址渄oe den tap toe,B次元官网网址� which was shortened to B次元官网网址渢ap-too,B次元官网网址� which was anglicized by British soldiers into B次元官网网址渢attoo.B次元官网网址� They brought the idea back to the United Kingdom and the tradition of the tattoo was born.

B次元官网网址淚n Canada weB次元官网网址檝e added a bit to that,B次元官网网址� said director Dave Terry. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e taken it inside, weB次元官网网址檝e added professional lights and sound, weB次元官网网址檝e added some pageantry, some dancers ... weB次元官网网址檒l do a little bit of comedy. So thereB次元官网网址檚 really something for everybody.B次元官网网址�

There have been tattoos held in B.C. before, but this is the first Pacific Tattoo, an event that organizers plan to make annual. It will be the only tattoo event on the west coast of North America and is intended to rival large tattoo events in Halifax, Quebec City and even Edinburgh.

Terry has an extensive history with tattoos, including ones held in Esquimalt and Chilliwack. He said this yearB次元官网网址檚 event will have around 400 participants, but the plan is to expand in the future.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 a little smaller than some, but it doesnB次元官网网址檛 take away from the quality,B次元官网网址� Terry said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 certainly going to attract people from all over the province.B次元官网网址�

In fact, there is a word for someone who travels to tattoo events around the world: a B次元官网网址渢attourist.B次元官网网址�

Terry said there are many people who love tattoo displays and go out of their way to see them.

To see for yourself this weekend, there is one performance at Bear Mountain Arena on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and two on Sunday, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $37.50 for adults, and $32.50 for seniors, youth and active military personnel. Tickets are available at Pacifictattoo.ca, by phone at 250-478-8384, at the Tourism Victoria Visitor Centre (812 Wharf Street) or at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre (located just above Bear Mountain Arena).

kwells@goldstreamgazette.com