It’s the unluckiest day of the year — Friday the 13th. Throw a pinch of salt over your left shoulder, and avoid walking under a ladder.

This Friday — the only Friday the 13th in 2025 — you could also get a flash tattoo.

Tattoo parlors around the country will sell flash designs — tattoos that are predrawn, not custom creations — at discounted prices. The tradition has been around for years, with some tracing it back to a Texas artist who, in the early 2000s, wanted to tattoo “13″ on as many people as possible on the spooky day.

It’s part of the alchemy of a tattoo, said Karina North, a 24-year-old artist at Chapterhouse Tattoo in Lauraville. Friday the 13th, which is supposed to be a bad omen, becomes a play on luck, fun and celebration, she said.

The impulsiveness of not fully knowing what tattoo you’ll get until the final moment is part of the allure. Some parlors let customers spin a wheel or roll dice to select a flash tattoo.

North, who has been at Chapterhouse for a little over a year, said the event builds community and encourages people to live authentically. Friday the 13th eases people into the idea of getting a tattoo, leaning into the superstition to erase the stigma.

“It’s like a nice little way to spread the love,” she said. Then, they usually come back and get more tattoos, she added.

Elyse House, owner of the Looking Glass Tattoo studio in Glen Burnie, echoed North. The event is all about camaraderie and good energy, where people are essentially pressing their luck, House said.

“You do feel a little bit proud of yourself when you get through it,” she said.

Years ago, during her first Friday the 13th sale as an apprentice, she was stuck at the front desk for more than eight hours, her face and hands stained with stencil residue as she prepared designs. Once she began tattooing full-time, some of her clients told her they have entire sleeves dedicated just to the tradition.

“It’s like a ritual for people,” House said. “Like... ‘Oh, it’s Friday the 13th. I’m being called to get a tattoo.”

Chapterhouse, which is located on 4801 Harford Road, will be doing flashes from noon to 6 p.m. for $100. The Looking Glass Tattoo Studio, at 7954 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, will start at 10 a.m. and go through 6 p.m., and tattoos will cost between $50 and $150.

Beware, though: House and North both said a lot of people get their first tattoos through this event. And so it begins, the itch to get more ... and more ... tattoos.

Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Here are some other places in the Baltimore area that are hosting flash sales for Friday the 13th.

The Baltimore Tattoo Museum

The second-oldest tattoo parlor has “too many designs to post,” according to their Instagram, but they said they “definitely have the one you’re looking for.”

Tattoos are $80 to $130 on arms and legs.

Make sure to check their displays of tattoo imagery, tatooing machines, tools and archives while you wait your turn. It’s located at 534 Eastern Ave.

The Jade Collective

The aesthetic parlor, located at 3 Pinewood Road in Dundalk, will host an event from 2-8 p.m. Both tattoo artists running the event specialize in fine-line designs. While appointments are preferred, walk-ins are welcome, according to the parlor.

Saints and Sinners Tattoo

Tattoos at the Fells Point studio will cost $50. If you really want to play with your luck, you can throw dice to decide which tattoo to get. The studio is located at 1610 Thames St.

House of Madness

Tattoo artist “Creepy Jason,” who does neotraditionalist style tattoos, wrote on Instagram that he found an old flash sheet in his shop. Think skulls with top hats and a Jason Voorhees hockey mask. He reimagined some of the designs from that sheet and will be tattooing them this Friday.

House of Madness is located at 1220 Main St. in Hampstead. Check his social media for more information on hours and prices.

Spellcraft Tattoo

Tattoo artist Brookelle Bombshelle, who specializes in realism, geometric and neotraditional designs, will be doing Pride-themed flashes at the Spellcraft studio in Highlandtown from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Prices start at $80.

Dark Arts Tattoo

The studio in Bel Air will have tons of flashes featuring the number 13, and the tattoos will be tiny, between 1 to 2 inches. If you just want line work, a tattoo will cost $31. Black and white with shading will be $44 and a simple colored tattoo will be $57.

The store is located at 2436 E. Churchville Road.