519 Day celebration a chance to show love for Windsor — maybe with a tattoo

There's a celebration of all things Windsor this Friday, May 19 — what's becoming known as 519 Day. And as part of the festivities, those who love the city can say so in a permanent way.

Heather Thibert of Tall Tide Tattoo is offering Windsor-themed mini tattoos at the event, which is hosted by Windsor Eats.

She has a selection of designs to choose from, including the local area code, the city's airport code YQG and other Windsor symbols. Those include a rose for Rose City, a whisky bottle and of course, Windsor pizza — complete with shredded pepperoni.

"I'm excited. I think it'll be fun...the vendors that are there, the DJs that are there. I'm just excited to be there for the night in general," she said. "Like, if I wasn't tattooing I would already be there."

The tattoos cost $60 each. Because spots are limited, Thibert says to sign up early, but she can accommodate appointments at a later date for anyone she can't fit in.

Adriano Ciotoli, the co-founder of Windsor Eats, says the idea for 519 Day came from Detroit, which celebrates 313 Day on March 13. In Windsor, he says, the concept has been gaining momentum in recent years.

This is the first time Windsor Eats is hosting a party for 519 Day.

"We wanted a way to be able to ... celebrate the city that we're in, the city that Windsor Eats has really been showcasing for almost 20 years now," said Ciotoli.

Tattoos are just one of many things going on that night. There will be food from vendors such as Rico Taco and live music from former radio host Greg Gnyp, DJ Stephen Hargreaves and Huttch.

A local vendor's market that is running until 9 p.m., and there's Windsor-themed trivia, and a pub crawl by bike known as Friday Night Lights.

The bar will be serving up cocktails named after prominent Windsorites — radio host Dan MacDonald, Essex County Black Historical Research Society president Irene Moore Davis and Dr. Don Livermore, the master blender at J.P. Wiser's distillery.

Ciotoli says he hopes people come out to have fun and enjoy what this city has to offer.

"One of the things that we are most proud of our space and of our location is the fact that people always tell us that they love the vibe when they come out here," Ciotoli said.

"And we want to continue that through this event as well."