Saturday 4:30pm - TEEN COSPLAY CONTEST
Saturday 5:30pm - ADULT COSPLAY CONTEST
Sunday 2:30pm - GROUP COSPLAY CONTEST
Sunday 3:30pm - KIDS COSPLAY CONTEST
COSPLAY CONTESTS
Sign up for all contests at the Booth near Main Entrance at HALL C
Teen Contest ages 13 - 17
Adult Contest ages 18 and over
Group Contest = two or more members
Kids Contest age 12 and under
COSPLAY CONTESTS ARE ABOUT HAVING FUN
We are a family friendly event. Contests are positive & encouraging
Mean spirited competition is not welcome
WHERE
All Cosplay Contests happen on the Main Stage. The entrance to the main stage is located at the Diamond Ballroom area of the venue. There will be plenty of signs.
Sign up must happen in person prior to 2pm each day at the cosplay sign up booth located near the main entrance to the convention entrance at HALL C. There are several large banners at the booth
WHEN
Please be at the main stage area at least 30 minutes prior to the contest time to get set up back stage and lined up for the contests. More details provided upon sign up.
Times for each catagroy are located at the top of this page and/or can be found on the schedule HERE
Adult contest is age 18 and up.
Teen contest is age 13 - 17
Kids contest is age 12 and under
Group contest is for any group having at least 2 members. Any Age
WHO
When coming on stage for the contest participants will have time to walk up the stairs, walk onto the stage, pose, and then return down off the stage using the same stairs.
HOW
Judges are looking at several areas. Craftsmanship, Creativity, Overall Aesthetics, Presentation, Movement, Energy, and all around embodiment of the character via the costume
HOW DOES JUDGING WORK?
RULES? PRIZES?
Please read details below
WHICH CATEGORY IS FOR YOU?
NOVICE
For newer competitors and crafters who wish to compete but don't feel they're quite up to Journeyman standards. You are new to costuming and/or competing or have competed in Novice but have not won awards.
JOURNEYMAN
For competitors with more experience in crafting and/or competing, or competitors who have won awards in the Novice category at prior events.
Categories are for Teen & Adult Contests only. No separate categories for Kids or Group contests
100% store purchased costumes can be in the contest but will not win any awards.
FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR AWARDS;
Generally, at least around 70% of cosplay being crafted or created. 30% could be purchased or pre-made. Achieving this ratio would be a baseline to be competitive in the contests. Not meeting this is just fine. We encourage everyone to take part in the cosplay contests no matter the costume or ratio of store bought to crafted or created.
Created would be an item that is 100% hand made. Like sewing fabric into a garment. Or cutting foam or cardboard then assembling with glue or tape into a prop.
Store bought is self-explanatory
Crafted will take a couple sentences to explain in full to avoid confusion;
If a purchased item has been repurposed or altered it would be termed crafted. If you purchased a milk jug and altered it into a helmet it would be a crafted item. Even though you would not have made a mold and molded the plastic into a helmet form, the milk jug would still not be considered store bought.
Equally if you bought a pair of pants from the store and added a patch it would be hard to call that crafted since it's not much of an alteration.
So, the alteration would align again with the 70/30% ratio. Adding a patch would not alter more than 30% of the item's original state, however cutting a milk jug and painting it to be a helmet would alter 70%+ of the items original state
RULES FOR AWARD ELIGIBILITY
Each Contest and each category within each contest will have traditional First, Second, and Third place awards.
This year we have expanded into some special awards which will be awarded by our Judges throughout the weekend. These awards may be awarded at each contest or may not be awarded at all over the weekend. The awards are based on unique cosplays and are tailored to specific themes.
PRIZES
Best Armor Construction
Best Attention to Detail
Best Sewing & Fabric Work
Best Prop or Weapon
Best Wig Styling
Best Makeup / Face Work
Best Use of EVA Foam
Best Hand-Painted Detail
Cosplay Cuteness Overload
Most Energetic
Most Unexpected Cosplay
The Cosplay We’ll Remember Next Year
RECOGNITION AWARD CATAGORIES
