Welcome to San Angelo’s Cosplay Contest. We wish every contestant the best for joining our show! All Contestants must register here (insert link) during the convention or online registration. Registration will be unavailable once prejudging starts.

Cosplayers must select the category in which they wish to compete on their contest registration form. Categories are defined as:

For all accessibility needs and considerations, please notify our costuming team with this information on your registration form.

To be eligible for prizes in the cosplay  competition, contestants must participate in both their assigned prejudging time slots and then exhibit their cosplay onstage during the staged contest event. Contestants will not be asked to speak during the contest; the emcee will announce information about the cosplay entry during the contestant’s time to walk and pose onstage.

Cosplay Contest contestants must attend a prejudging session with the contest judges. Prejudging sessions will be held on Saturday, January 27, 2024, It is the responsibility of the contestant to be present fifteen (15) minutes prior to their appointed prejudging session. Participants found in violation of this rule may be disqualified from the contest. Contestants wishing to participate for an award must attend prejudging. They may still walk on stage but will not be available for an award. 

All contestants must be in full cosplay at the prejudging session and may present a printed portfolio of the cosplay’s fabrication process if entering for the craftsmanship award. Reference image material for contest entries is encouraged, but not required. Judges are not always able to look-up reference images on their own, so it is best to show up prepared for the contest. Contestants will be given approximately three (3) minutes or less for their prejudging session. Be prepared to tell the judges what you want to make sure they know about your cosplay, and be courteous to the judges and your fellow competitors by keeping your presentation brief.

Prejudging is not open to the public. Only contestants and their handlers are allowed in prejudging areas.

The judges reserve the right to bump the contestant into either category if they feel it is necessary after they have seen all entries during prejudging. Judges have the right to abstain from judging contestants based on prior knowledge of competitors (such as direct personal relationships, being coworkers, etc.) and these scores will be based on the average of the remaining judges.

Contest participants must arrive in cosplay at the cosplay Contest Lineup at its scheduled time and designated location Saturday evening. Contestants must arrive thirty (30) minutes prior to the scheduled start time of the cosplay Contest event.

This pre-contest time is used to establish the participant lineup and provide stage directions and other information to contestants prior to the cosplay contest. Handlers may escort and assist the contestant in this room (as well as to the stage, with permission of the Costuming Manager given at prejudging/lineup), but by and large, San Angelo staff and volunteers will assist the contestant during the lineup, getting onstage, and with exiting the stage.

Contestants under 18 years of age must have a legal guardian with them throughout the contest, as well as be accompanied by a legal guardian in the room during prejudging and at all times behind the stage. This is strictly enforced. Proof of age may be requested at any time during these events. 

Groups (two or more contestants) are eligible to compete together in all categories, including being eligible for ‘Best in Show’. Group cosplay participants must each individually apply for the contest and need to include each legal name of their fellow cosplay collaborators who are participating in the group entry on their individual registration form to identify the competing group’s members.

Allow young contestants to be creative! The purpose of this contest division is for youth to discover the joy of costuming and to be able to compete against similarly-skilled participants. All cosplay types are welcome. 

This is for children 12 and under, and each contestant must be accompanied by an adult at all times. This is strictly enforced.

There is a cap of 30 participants for this contest, and registration is based on a first come, first served basis. Participants can pre-register online or onsite Friday and Saturday during registration hours.

Judges will recognize three contestants during the competition and award them as follows:

• Best in Show
• Runner-Up
• Honorable Mention

All weapons and props must be inspected by a member of the cosplay staff at the prejudging session. All local laws, codes, and regulations will be enforced, along with convention policies.  If the weapon or prop is to be part of the contestant’s stage presentation, it must be inspected at the prejudging session. Props or weapons not inspected will not be permitted on stage. Participants found in violation of this rule will be immediately disqualified from the contest. While staged fighting within a presentation is allowed, at no time will any weapon be used to threaten anyone outside their presentation, even in jest. Participants found in violation of this rule will be immediately disqualified from the contest. No fire, loose glitter, confetti, explosives, projectiles, or objects emitting smoke, vapors, excessive noise, or light are permitted. Participants found in violation of this rule may be disqualified from the contest and may be responsible for fire and safety code violations.  Loud noises, dangerous weapons, and devices must have full, proper, and prior clearance by the Costuming Manager before entering the contest.

We strongly encourage contestants to create exciting and energetic stage presentations of their cosplays. Contestants may surprise the audience, but all elements of the stage presentation must be identified in the prejudging meeting. Do not surprise the staff or judges at the competition. Participants found in violation of this rule may be immediately disqualified from the contest.

Contestants should prepare three (3) to five (5) poses they can do onstage as part of the exhibition of their cosplay. Contestants will have the opportunity to walk onstage, present the cosplay to the judges and crowd. 

Nudity: No cosplay is no cosplay. Nude or indecent (discretion of the Costuming Manager) entries will not be accepted. Please remember that children and members of the media will be present. No nudity is allowed inside the convention center or other public spaces. All cosplays must include full coverage bottoms. Breasts and nipples must be fully covered/concealed. Underwear is not accepted attire. Swimsuits are accepted attire, as long as they provide full coverage. Body painting must abide by the coverage requirements detailed here.