OFFICIAL RULES

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The following rules apply to ALL entrants, be they Individual Entries or Group Entries. Whether flying solo or in a group of any size, every individual person in the show will be held to the rules below! Entry into the event is at the discretion of the event staff, and we reserve the right to reject ANY entrant whose costume does not adhere to these rules! This also goes for any entrant displaying disrespectful, rude or hostile behavior.

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CATEGORIES

Entries for this year's HTOWN Comic Con cosplay contest will include several categories. We will have awards for the following categories: Best Hero, Best Villain, Best Youth, Best Group, Funniest, Best Tv/Movie, Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Judges’ Choice, and Best in Show.

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JUDGING

Judges will be scoring for the following categories: overall difficulty, creativity, accuracy(for recreation), and showmanship/character.

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ONE ENTRANT, ONE CATEGORY

Every entrant is limited to participating in ONE category. There will be no multiple registrations for any individual for more than one category, meaning you may ONLY register yourself as one member in a Group Entry, OR as an Individual Entry Participant.

 

GROUP REGISTRATION

For those groups who are participating in a Group Entry must register the names of all individual participants and names of your costumes and theme i.e. DC Comics JLA Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Group entries are a minimum of three (3) to a maximum of six (6) people. That means no more than 6 people are allowed in a group entry! No Exceptions!

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COSTUME COMPOSITION

Store-bought costumes are NOT PERMITTED! Your costume needs to be one you made or modified yourself. Modifications will be carefully assessed by our judges and must be at least 30% modified from original piece. This applies specifically to accessories and the body of the costume itself; footwear and jewelry don't apply. Unfortunately, we cannot accept your entry if your costume has been commissioned by a costume maker. We do, however, allow props to be commissioned by prop makers. You are allowed to have had assistance for approximately 20% of your costume; if you had a friend assist you with your costume, please inform the judges what work was done. Our judges may ask to verify that it’s an original construction or to confirm an acceptable amount of modifications to pre-existing materials. While we do allow for a few minor pre- made, pre-purchased items, we are looking for craftsmanship and creativity. You may also give credit to those fellow costumer and costume makers who assisted you during the construction of your costume entry. Note: Unfortunately, we will not have any repair kits on hand. You are responsible for your own costume and its integrity.

For children 12-16 modifications can be up to 60% to a store bought item and up to 70% completed by an adult in your group or your guardian from scratch.

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KID-FRIENDLY

There will be children present and your costumes and presentation should be suitable for ALL ages.

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AGE OF PARTICIPANTS

The minimum age for entrants is 12 years old for any category. NO EXCEPTIONS. All children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

PRESENTATION

Anticipate about a one-two minute presentation of your costume to the judges during pre-judging. Depending on the complexity and detail, the judges may request additional time to observe and properly judge your costume during the actual show. There will be time for a small one-minute presentation on the main stage during the actual contest.

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ENTRANT ARRIVAL

On the day of the event, contestants must arrive no later than 3:00pm to check in. During this time, depending on entries, we may begin pre-show judging with the judges. We highly recommend you to stick around for pre-show judging just prior to the event, as there will be NO late entries once prejudging has ended. NO EXCEPTIONS. We also recommend making arrangements such as booth coverage, transportation, and costume prep well in advance, so that you can participate during pre-judging as it is mandatory. We've also limited the number of entries this year for a much smoother process of pre-judging and the event itself.

There will not be a contestant dressing area but the pre-judging area will be private. You are allowed to wear your costume on the expo floor during the day if you wish. You will receive an email detailing check in times and location once you are confirmed as an entry (separate email).

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ORIGINAL DESIGNS

If your costume is an original design or not a recreation of something pre- existing, please bring a printed image of the original design/concept for the judges and be prepared to speak a little bit about it. We are completely open to new and innovative designs, especially those never before seen for familiar characters.

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PROHIBITED ITEMS

There is absolutely no fire, liquids, toxic substances, or anything that may cause danger for you or others allowed on stage. That includes all stage weapons, swords, guns, bows, etc. However, your costume may require a stage/fake bow or sword, we kindly ask that those items be tagged during weapons check prior to entering the convention floor.