Story by WES SWIFT | The Daily NewsPhotos by KEVIN M. COX | The Daily News

»» GALVESTONTattoos aren’t just the domain of bik-

ers anymore.That much was apparent this week-

end as hundreds flocked to the Galves-ton Island Convention Center. While you’d likely cross paths with people inked from head to toe, you also would just as likely find parents pushing kids in strollers, checking out different tat-too artists from across the country during the Gulf Shores Invitational Tattoo Expo.

“It’s seen as much more of an art form

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Today’s weather IndexVol. 172, No. 11

By JOHN WAYNE FERGUSONThe Daily News

»» GALVESTONThe groups involved in a lawsuit over

the construction of public housing will meet in court for the first time next month.

The U.S. District Court for the South-ern District of Texas — Galveston Di-vision has scheduled a pretrial confer-ence for May 6 at the courthouse on Rosenberg Avenue.

The hearing will mark the first time since the lawsuit was filed on Dec. 3, 2013, that lawyers will appear before Judge Gregg Costa.

Last winter, an island group called the

Lawyers to make 1st appearance before judge in May 6 public housing pretrial

Promoter estimated event would draw up to 2,000By WES SWIFTThe Daily News

»» GALVESTONCall it the Beach Party that never was.Despite promotions for a Saturday

party named after an annual event that gridlocked the island and sent locals into howls of protests, the so-called Beach Party didn’t seem to impact the island at all.

Galveston police department’s intel-ligence unit was monitoring the island this weekend looking for any problems that could be associated with a mass influx of people, police Chief Henry Porretto said. But the only thing police found was a typical springtime crowd.

“We had a big crowd, but we didn’t experience anything out of the ordi-nary,” he said.

According to police reports, criminal activity was lighter this weekend than in recent weekends. During the weekend of April 5-6, Galveston police recorded 81 incidents, including four driving while intoxicated arrests, five drug posses-

‘Beach Party’ is a bust on isle

Ink boomHundreds attend 3rd annual tattoo expo; charities benefit with food and money

By the numbers36% of Millennials have tattoos (born after 1980)

40% of Gen-Xers have tattoos

(born between 1960 and 1980)

Between $1.65 billion and $2.3 billion is the estimated size of the tattoo industry

The Gulf Shores Invitational Tattoo Expo was on Saturday afternoon at the Galveston Island Convention Center. The convention features tattoo artists from across the country. ABOVE: Zach Armentor from the Tattoo Shop in Friendswood creates on Ryan Wood’s arm. ABOVE LEFT: Genae Green is transformed into a Day of the Dead statue by Silvia Penney with Aztlan Arts. BOTTOM LEFT: Morgan Gonzalez receives a free paw print tattoo inside her bottom lip for making a donation to the Galveston Island Humane Society.

See tattoo | A8

See Beach Party | A6

See housing | A6