BREWER, Maine — The Maine Veterans Project (MVP) and Diversified Ink are partnering to hold the Ed Sheffer Ink and Iron Fest on Sunday, Oct. 9, in Brewer.
The benefit event will have a tattoo contest judged by local tattoo artists, axe-throwing, a bike and car show, a silent auction, a cash bar, and live music from Dakota.
All proceeds will go toward supporting Maine veterans through the Maine Veterans Project, which has programs to help with home improvements, fuel heating assistance services, vehicle donations, and more.
"The event is a fundraiser. However, through the first event, we found that veterans were actually expressing very traumatic things that happened in their life through the expression of art, so it's become both a social event and a fundraiser," Doc Goodwin, president and founder of MVP said.
The event is an opportunity for veterans to share their stories gaining camaraderie with others who may have similar experiences.
"They are survivors of, you know, awful situations in the military that they encountered and they have some stories that they tell with the ink on their skin," Sam Wood, owner of Forecastle Tattoo in Bangor, said.
An average of 22 veterans take their own lives every day in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and MVP's mission is to help reduce that number.
"I'm a firm believer in people want to be known, and this is an excellent opportunity for people to be known, share their stories. That's really what the event is all about," Diversified Ink's manager, Jason Drake, said.
MVP and Diversified Ink have organized this event since 2016 otherwise known as the Veterans Benefit Tattoo Contest. Goodwin and Diversified Ink's founder, Ed Sheffer, wanted to create an event that gave veterans the opportunity to share their tattoos and stories with others who understood.
Ed Sheffer has since passed away, dying in a motorcycle accident in 2020. The event has now been renamed in his honor.
"He was my mentor and such an important man in my life," Drake said. "It's great that we can do this and carry his name on."
The Ed Sheffer Ink and Iron Fest will be held Sunday, Oct. 9, from 2 p.m.-7 p.m. at Jeff's Catering in Brewer. The entry fee is a donation minimum of $10, while veterans can attend for free.