The Cosplay Contest

Y-Con Cosplay Rules

• This year, we will have pre-registration and onsite registration.
• IMPORTANT: A valid Y-Con ticket is required to participate in the Cosplay contest and display on the event day.
  
• Y-Con Volunteers are also eligible to enter the contest. Please coordinate your shifts so that cosplay does not interfere with your volunteering responsibilities.
• Pre-judging will be on Saturday from 12:30 - 4:00 pm. 
• All contestants must book their time slot through the booking program in advance. 
• Entries that fail to attend their appointment will be disqualified from prizing and moved to walk-on only. 
• A reference may be presented during pre-judging to be judged for accuracy in recreation. It is recommended that it be a front and back-coloured photo on paper. 
• All judging will be done before the runway, off-stage. (in the panel room 2) 
• All contestants will have their photos taken by the Y-CON team during pre-judging. Y-Con will make the images available to them and may use them in official channels, pages, social media, websites, and marketing products.
• By entering the cosplay contest and runway, you consent to your image being taken and used at the Y-con association's discretion. 
• For the runway on stage - The contestant or the group walks on the stage, strikes different poses to show their cosplay at the marked spots on the stage, and walks out of the other side of the stage. 
• No performances, skills demonstrations, or skits during judging or catwalk.
• No nudity. As the saying goes, No costume is no costume.
• No profanity is allowed on stage in any form. 
• No use of any sort of projectile at all! All competitors must still abide by the props and weapons policy.
  • This includes, but is not limited to, your costume spraying foam, water, smoke, confetti, glitter, etc. You cannot have any explosives, bang bags, or similar special effects. 
• Only enter or exit the catwalk at the designated points.
• Each contestant may only enter one cosplay into the competition.
• Contestants are responsible for their costumes. Any large, elaborate costumes are to be handled by the contestants and anyone they have to assist them. Y-con will not be provided with assistance.
• Contestants MUST sign in for the contest at least 10 minutes before the posted start time. We will not allow last-minute entries. 
• Contestants MUST be in the contest staging area at least 15 minutes before the posted start time for that contest for line order to ensure the MCs have the correct information. 
• Pre-judging - Y-con’s cosplay contest operates with pre-judging, meaning the time spent with the judges is during your 10-minute booking. 

FAQs

• Anyone who violates the rules of the competition may be disqualified from the competition.
• Nothing must leave your person while you are on the catwalk; ie. plastic bow and arrows the bow cannot have a flexible band or string. A non-elastic rope may be placed but no item can be able to leave the prop.
• We will not take soundtrack suggestions/request or lighting cues.
• What are some example questions that judges might ask or be looking for? 
  • Some of the questions judges may ask and be looking to know are: 
    • Did the cosplayer choose challenging materials or techniques?
    • How well did they execute difficult construction methods?
    • Did they solve complex design problems in creative ways?
    • Does the cosplay show a high level of craftsmanship and polish?

Registration