If you or someone in your group made your costume, you may choose to submit it for Craftsmanship Judging. If your costume is an original design, you may still submit your costume for Craftsmanship Judging, but you will only be eligible for the “Outstanding Original Design Award” or “Judge’s Award”.Judging will be done using four factors:

1. Use of Materials – How well you picked materials to match your character’s design and/or time period. (For instance, a character set in Feudal Japan probably wouldn’t be wearing polyester…)
2. Accuracy to Reference – How well your costume matches the design you chose to replicate, including color and scale.
3. Attention to Detail – Little things like using functional buttons, hidden pockets, or lining.
4. Completeness – Do you have the whole design including hair, shoes, make-up, and props?

Please note that Wigs and Shoes may be store bought or commissioned, but you will need to declare that to the judges at the time of your review.

Looking for costume inspiration? Why not dress up as a character portrayed by one of our talented guests?

Costume Reference and In-Progess Photos

If you are entering your costume for Craftsmanship Judging, you will be required to provide at least three(3) In-Progress photos of your costume at the time of sign-in.

We have added this policy in response to contestants trying to enter store-bought or commissioned costumes to gain an unfair advantage over those who made their own costumes. Remember, Craftsmanship Judging is to see your skill, not the size of your bank account.

Our judges have been chosen based on their sewing and crafting expertise, and experience in the costuming field. However, they can’t be expected to be familiar with every character, show, book, and game out there. So please, help them out by bringing reference materials for your costume. Color printouts are best, but black and white images will also be acceptable.

IMPORTANT: Don’t bring something you can’t afford to lose. The convention and our judges are not responsible for keeping track of your possessions, and cannot be held responsible for lost items such as artbooks and action figures.

Skill Divisions

As not all costumers are at the same skill or experience level, we will be sorting Craftsmanship entries into divisions. If you are entering as a group, and your members have different experience levels, you may enter as the lower skill division as long as the inexperienced members outnumber the more experienced members by at least 2 to 1.

How to determine your division:

BEGINNER: Have made 3 or less costumes, and won no previous awards.

INTERMEDIATE: Have made 4-8 costumes, and/or won 1 to 3 awards.

ADVANCED: Have made 8+ costumes, and/or won 3+ major awards.

Please note that your division may be changed at the Director’s discretion if your Craftsmanship skill seems more comparable to a different division.

Presentation Judging

Skit Competition or Fashion Show?

This year, we will be giving contestants a choice to perform in the Skit Competition, or participate in the Fashion Show. This was put in place for what used to be called “walk-ons” where a contestant didn’t have a performance prepared, but still wanted the chance to show off their hard work to the audience. By putting all of the walk-ons at the same time, it makes it easier for the judges to keep track of scoring, and also keeps the pace of the show going by not breaking up the flow of skits and non-skits.

If you don’t want to perform, and would just like to do a walk-on in costume, then the Fashion Show is the choice for you. You will not be required to submit an audio track for your walk-on, as we will provide the music. Please keep in mind that entries that participate in the Fashion Show will not be scored for Presentation, and as such, will not be eligible for Best of Show.

If you would like to perform any skit or routine, then you should enter the Skit Competition and be judged for Presentation. Presentation Judging is subjective, but the question each judge is being instructed to ask themselves is, “Did I find this entertaining?” Be funny or dramatic. Be a graceful swan or a giant spaz. Just remember that the audience is there for a show, so whatever you do, don’t be boring.

Skit Competition Guidelines

1. All entries must provide a pre-recorded soundtrack at the time of sign-in. This must be on a CD as the only track, in either MP3 or WAV format. CDs will not be returned. MAKE MORE THAN ONE COPY JUST IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS ON THE WAY TO THE CONVENTION!
2. Performances are limited to TWO MINUTES in total length. This will be strictly enforced. If your soundtrack is longer than 2 minutes, it will be cut off at the 2 minute mark. Performances that try to stay on stage for extra time will be penalized or disqualified.
3. When recording your soundtracks, remember that this is a family friendly* convention. (If you can’t say it on the radio, don’t say it in your skit!) Soundtracks will be previewed be the audio team prior to the competition. If it is determined that your soundtrack contains explicit language, you will not be able to perform your skit on stage. You may, however, still participate in the Fashion Show.
4. Any acrobatics or mock combat you wish to perform on stage must be demonstrated and cleared with the Costume Contest Director beforehand.
5. Any prop weapons involved in your performance must adhere to the Weapons Policy and Prop Weapons Guidelines shown below.

*For the record, Yaoi is an 18+ subject matter. It is not appropriate for this competition.

Prop Weapons Guidelines

Please see the Weapons and Peacebonding Policy for more information.

a) Any weapon that is permitted at the convention may appear on stage, subject to the same conditions it was given when it was peace-bonded. For example, a sword that was peace-bonded by zip-tying it into its sheath may appear on stage as long as it remains in the sheath. Any weapon not allowed at the convention will also not be allowed on stage.

b) No functional bladed or projectile weapon will be allowed on stage. This includes temporarily disabled Airsoft guns.

d) Weapons may not be brandished or otherwise pointed at anyone not on stage. (ie: the audience)

d) All weapons that will be carried on stage must be approved by the Costume Contest Director during sign-ups.

e) No throwing of any weapon (or anything else for that matter…) will be allowed on stage. This also includes things like glitter, fake blood, confetti, feathers, or sand. Basically, leave the stage the way you found it. Tossing an object in a controlled manner (eg: flipping a coin, juggling) is allowed, but must be cleared with the Costume Contest Director beforehand.