Costume Contest Information & Policies

Check-in and orientation will be on Saturday morning and is mandatory for all contestants. We
will cover contest rules and procedures, assign running order slot, general stage safety and any
tech requirements.

You are not required to be in costume for the morning orientation session. Your running order
slot will determine your craftsmanship prejudging block or showcase feedback block (if
available)

While a Contest Coordinator will be available during rehearsal and the contest if you need
assistance getting on and off the stage, you may elect to have a personal handler instead. If you
would like this option, your handler must attend the orientation & rehearsal session or they will
not be allowed to assist.

You will be provided with your block time at orientation. This will tell you when and where to line
up for prejudging. Contestants should line up in running order.
Contestants must be in full costume for their assigned judging or feedback time. You should also
bring any props or special costume pieces that will be used on stage. Craftsmanship entries are
encouraged to bring progress photos in a folder or binder for the judges to review.
If you are unable to attend orientation, you must contact the Costume Contest coordinators in
advance at: contests@fargocorecon.org.

Core Con’s Costume Contest celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and performance. All awards
are determined at the discretion of the judging panel and Costume Coordinators, based on the
quality of entries each year.

Eligibility
To participate in the CoreCon Costume Contest, all contestants must meet the following
eligibility requirements. These rules are in place to ensure fairness, safety, and a positive
experience for everyone involved.

General Requirements
● All contestants must be registered attendees of CoreCon and present a valid CoreCon
convention badge when reporting to the Green Room.
● Each contestant may only appear in one stage entry—either as a walk-on or a
skit/performance. You may not enter both.
● All contestants must uphold CoreCon’s convention policies throughout the contest. Any
violations of convention rules may result in disqualification.

Craftsmanship Eligibility
● To enter the Craftsmanship category, contestants must have made at least 70% of their
costume themselves.
● All craftsmanship entries must attend their assigned prejudging block on Saturday.
● Groups entering Craftsmanship must ensure each member meets the 70% construction
requirement and is present for prejudging.

Awards Eligibility
● Costumes that have previously won a major award—including Best in Show, 1st Place in
any division, or Best Performance—at any convention are not eligible to receive a major
award at CoreCon.
● Please be honest about any previous awards your costume has received. If you’re
unsure whether a past award qualifies as “major,” contact the Costume Coordinators.

Rules

Image & Media Use
By registering for the Costume Contest, all participants grant CoreCon permission to use
photographs or video footage of their participation for promotional purposes, including but not
limited to social media, websites, and printed materials.
Enforcement
Any contestant found violating these rules may:
● Have their performance stopped
● Be disqualified from the contest
● Forfeit any awards won that year
● Be barred from future CoreCon contests (based on the severity of the violation and
discretion of the Costume Coordinators and CoreCon Chairs)

Content and Conduct

Behavior Guidelines
● All skits, performances, and Costume presentations must be rated PG-13 or lower.
● No profanity, sexually explicit language, or offensive gestures are permitted on stage or
as part of any costume.
● Contestants may not use stage time to make political, religious, or insulting statements.
If you have questions regarding potential content for your performance, we strongly
recommend checking the Costume Coordinators in advance.
● Respect fellow contestants, staff, judges, and audience members at all times.
● Maintain good sportsmanship

Dress Code Policy
● Shoes must be worn at all times. Socks, bare feet, or foot coverings without soles are
not acceptable. This is for hygiene and safety.
● Costumes must fully and opaquely cover all private areas. As a rule of thumb:
  ○ Coverage must be equal to or greater than what a standard two-piece swimsuit
would provide.
  ○ Material must not be sheer, transparent, or see-through in covered areas.
● Costumes or clothing may not display:
  ○ Profane language or slurs
  ○ Hate symbols
  ○ Obscene or explicit content or imagery

Be mindful when portraying characters that wear religious, military, or culturally significant attire.
Avoid stylized uniforms or symbols that may be interpreted as offensive, mocking, or insensitive.
The Costume Coordinators and Convention Staff reserve the right to request costume
modifications, disqualify entries, or remove participants from the event if these standards are not
met.

If you would like tips or advice about ways to limit wardrobe malfunctions, please keep an eye
out for future guidelines.

Stage and Safety Rules

Prohibited Items
To protect contestants, staff, and venue property, the following are strictly prohibited:
● Fire, flame, smoke, fog, dry ice, wind machines, lasers, or pressurized gas/liquids
● Loose glitter (of any kind)
● Any messy, wet, oily, or powder-based substances
● Leaving the stage or entering the audience during your performance
● Jumping on or off the stage — use only the designated stage entrances and exits

Additional policies
● You may surprise the audience, but never surprise staff or judges
● Props or set pieces larger than handheld must be submitted for approval in advance
● No live steel or real weapons are allowed

Prop firearms
While allowed, prop firearms must:
● Be clearly fake and marked with an orange tip
● Never be pointed at the audience
● Keep fingers off the trigger at all times

Stage Combat
While allowed, stage combat must:
● Must be pre-approved by Costume Coordinators
● Must remain entirely on stage
● Must be safe for both performers and others

Division Awards (Craftsmanship Category Only)
Craftsmanship contestants are judged within their skill divisions. Contestants must attend
prejudging to qualify.

Novice Division
● 1st Place – Trophy and badge for next year’s convention
● Runner-Up – Certificate of recognition

Journeyman Division
● 1st Place – Trophy and badge for next year’s convention
● Runner-Up – Certificate of recognition

Master Division
● 1st Place – Trophy and badge for next year’s convention
● Runner-Up – Certificate of recognition

Other Awards

Best in Theme
● Awarded to the entry that best represents the year’s Costume Contest theme.
● Eligible entries may come from either Craftsmanship or Showcase categories.
● Recipient will receive a trophy and badge for next year’s convention

People’s Choice
● Voted on by the audience during the live contest.
● All entries are eligible.
● Winner will receive a trophy and badge for next year’s convention

Notes
Awards are given based on merit as determined by the judges. Not all divisions are guaranteed
to have a winner if entries do not meet minimum criteria.
Judges may elect to give additional honorable mentions at their discretion.

What Counts as a Major Award?
Core Con defines a major award as any of the following received at a convention:
● Best in Show
● 1st Place in any craftsmanship division (Novice, Journeyman, Master)
● Best Performance
● Other convention-level competitive awards judged by a panel

If you are unsure whether a past award qualifies as a major award for division placement,
please contact the Costume Coordinators at: cosplaycontest@animefargo.org

Schedule

Orientation
Saturday, 9AM – 10:30 AM Embassy B

Prejudging Blocks
Prejudging is organized into 30-minute blocks, each with up to five entries. Blocks are assigned
based on your running order number given during orientation.

Each block may include a mix of:
– Craftsmanship prejudging (required for all craftsmanship entries)
– Showcase feedback sessions (based on availability)

Blocks will run from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (Embassy B). Your assigned time will fall within that
window. During orientation, you will be provided a card with the entire schedule outlined based
on your running order.

Rehearsal Times
Rehearsal will run from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM on Saturday in Sterling. All entries will participate in
the same rehearsal block, and attendance is mandatory for all contestants.
Rehearsal will run in performance (running) order, so contestants who complete their judging or
feedback block earlier in the day will be called to the stage first.

What to Expect During Rehearsal
● An initial run-through of all entries in performance order
● Time to go over your introduction with the emcees and adjust timing if needed
● Posed photo taken by SavePoint

Once all contestants have completed their initial rehearsal, a final walk-through will be held to
ensure everyone is comfortable with:
● Introduction delivery
● Timing
● Stage movement

Additional Rehearsal Support

Additional stage time may be provided for:
● Skit entries requiring blocking or timing checks
● Contestants who may need extra time or assistance getting on and off stage
We also encourage all participants to practice their stage walk or skit off-stage earlier in the day
to feel confident before the contest.

Category & Entry Types

Craftsmanship category
This category is for entries that want to be judged on the quality and construction of their
costume. To enter, contestants must have made at least 70% or more of their Costume
themselves. All craftsmanship entries must attend their assigned prejudging time.

Divisions
Novice (0-1 Awards)
This division is for new cosplayers or those still learning the craft.

Journeyman (2-3 Awards)
For cosplayers who have outgrown the Novice division but are not yet ready for Master-level competition.

Master – (4+ awards, professional or international wins)

This division is for cosplayers at the top of their craft.

Anyone may choose to compete in the Master division.

Judging will focus heavily on construction quality and meeting the 70% handmade requirement.

Professional cosplayers may not enter Novice or Journeyman divisions. Costume
Coordinators reserve the right to move a contestant into a more competitive division
based on skill and experience. Contestants may choose to compete in a higher division
but may not request to move into a lower one if a placement inquiry has already been
made.

Showcase category

This category is for those who wish to walk the stage and display their Costume without being
judged on craftsmanship.

Store-bought costumes, or costumes commissioned from other artists (who are not present for
judging), are welcome in this category.

Showcase submissions are not eligible for craftsmanship awards, but may qualify for awards
such as Best in Theme or People’s Choice.

Entry Types

Walk-Ons
● Maximum of 1 minute (including introduction, posing, and exit)
● For individuals or groups who wish to display their Costume and model for photos on
stage without performing a skit

Skits/Performances
● Maximum skit length of 3 minutes
● This entry type is for individuals or groups who wish to perform a skit, lip sync, dance, or
theatrical piece on stage.
● Pre-recorded audio is allowed but not required. If your entry includes audio, please note
this on your application. Live microphones and on-stage speaking will not be available.
● There are a limited number of performance entries, so please sign up early to secure
your spot.
● If you have any questions or need clarification, please email the Costume Coordinators at: cosplaycontest@animefargo.org
● it is the responsibility of all contestants to read and understand the contest rules, policies, and guidelines before submitting their entry to the Core Con Costume Contest.