Body Painting Festival

Dragonmen, Alien Sirens, Fantastic Fire Dancers, Barebacked Santa Claus, and even painted in Labrador, you can see all these other great festivals and body painting is now held every year around the world.

There is a wide range of body painting festivals today. All are equipped with painted bodies, of course, and they include all types of competitions, but there are a range of skills and size between the different festivals and some others are “family friendly” than others.

Here’s a quick overview of the top 6 festival body painting, where they occur, and what you can expect to find there:

1. World Body Painting Festival

This festival includes some of the finest professional body painting has been seen today. 3-day program includes dance, music and fireworks, and a number of competitions. Many of the paintings of the body belong to the ‘art’ category with some dancers, body painting simply defies belief. A great event and definitely worth the trip.

Where: Seeboden, Austria
Duration: Three days
Events Include: World Championships in 3 categories; night contest for UV effects, Special Effects awards; classes and workshops; BodyCircus (fantasy ball); music and dance performances; an international photo contest; and a huge fireworks show.
Artistic Range: One of the very best, with stunning range of styles and surprising themes.
Family Friendliness: Not clear, but it is in Europe, so not likely to ban under 18. However this body painting festival does not advertise itself as family friendly, as some others do.

2. The Canadian Body Painting Festival

This is another body painting festival that showcases simply stunning artists and finished work. The quality of the art here is similar to that seen at the World Body Painting Festival. The Festival is themed from year to year, with the recent theme being “It’s A Jungle Out There.” Also includes the Canadian Body Painting Championships.

Where: Nanaimo, British Columbia
Duration: Two days
Events Include: Competitions in overall body painting, brush and sponge, and airbrush; includes the Canadian body painting Championships
Artistic Range: Most stunning, and one of the best overall. Very life-like and fantastic double-take images.
Family Friendliness: Not stated – would be worth making a call first.

3. The International Body Painting Festival

This festival takes place in Mainz, a city with over two thousand years of history. It is located on the river Rhine, has strong Celtic roots and may have been founded by the Romans as early as 13 BC. One can imagine that body painting has a long history here, if you remember the Celtic tradition of painting their bodies before going into battle. Once again, the artistic ability and range is stunning at this International festival.

Where: Mainz, Germany
Duration: Weekend festival
Events Include: Competitions include special effects and face painting
Artistic Range: Very stunning; high artistic skill.
Family Friendliness: Not known but again, it’s in Europe. I would call ahead.

4. Welsh International Body Painting Festival

This festival is a bit younger and less established than the top 3, although it has some impressive artwork considering that they are just getting started. Also the atmosphere is more ‘fun’ orinted, less ‘high art’ and family participation is strongly encouraged. A good festival to consider if you want to make it a family outing and see some amazing work in the process.
Where: Wales (of course)
Duration: Two days
Events Include: Hands on demonstrations; horror specialists and flower specialists
Artistic Range: High, and impressive for a smaller sized event; not as subtle or creative as some of the others
Family Friendliness: Very good; in fact they encourage families and camping, with an ‘all ages’ atmosphere and events designed for younger participants

The World Bodypainting Festival is the world's premier body painting festival held each year in Seeboden Austria. Each year it draws hundreds of top body painting artists and models. Below are some of the most interesting entries from the 2009 competition.

5. UK Body Painting Festival

The festival features some of the least impressive – far more entertaining – body painting, but I must say that this is not presented as a matter of stifling ‘high art’, but more of a circus or county Just type out for all the family. Fun, relaxed and non-self-awareness allows for some of the most amazing body art and clean ‘fun’ to see. If you are not a super model and you want to get your body painted without worrying about the snide comments, it might be a good option for you.

Where: Ashford, United Kingdom

Duration: two days

Activities include face painting at family friendly, body painting contest for professional and amateur categories, craft fair, children’s activities, workshops and a bouncy castle ‘. ”

Line Art: Fair, more than a family outing with lots to do, but a showcase of spectacular art.

Family Friendliness: Very High, announced as the event for the family. lower cost of body painting all the parts – a movie ticket.

6. The U.S. Body painting Festival (Or Painting Festival of New Mexico / Body painting Competition Council U.S.)

There are certainly impressive body painting to see this festival, and thousands of creative innovation with hair and unusual designs, you will not see anywhere else. An example, thought is a model dressed racecar theme with red hair, white and blue spray behind her as if flying in the wind. Also, if you are in the United States this festival is obviously not require a ticket. But this is not a family outing, which expressly prohibits anyone under 18.

Daegu in South Korea is playing host to the World Bodypainting Festival, it's the largest bodypainting event on the planet.

The main festival is held every year in Seeboden, Austria, but expanded into Asia for the first time this year with a bonus exhibition. It lasts until 31 August.