Costume Contest

If you are interested in participating, please fill out this form.

Costumes

Costumes can be from anything: video game, movie, comic book, anime, tv show, book, or even original!

Judging

There will be a parade of costumes from 11am - Noon on Saturday (or as close ot this time as possible), on the stage in the large ballroom. Each participant will pause center stage and strike a pose for their picture to be taken. Once all the participants have posed, the judges will convene to decide who the winner is.

There are three categories the judging is based off of:

1. Craftsmanship: how well is it made? how long did it take you? Info on this will be on the sign up sheet.
2. Originality/Recognization: if your costume is original, how cool do you look? Do you pull it off well? If your costume is character based, then how well do you resemble this character?
3. Presentation: How do you grab our attention? what does your pose highlight about your costume? If you have a cape with a beautiful lining, hold open a side, or give yourself "wings". If you've got lovely hand painted stockings, show some leg! Nice belt, hand on your hips!

There are three entry categories. Young Participant (under 13), Apprentice and Master. The Apprentice category is for beginning costumers. If you're just learning to sew, and/or have only won 0-2 awards, then this is the category for you. To compete in the Master level, you have to have either 4 or more years of sewing experience, and/or have won 3 or more awards at other costume contests.

This is a costume contest, not a cosplay. Skits will not be performed on stage. If you would like to play as someone else, please join one of our table-top games, or participate in one of the many larps going on this year.

A note here on group entries. Group entries are allowed, but limited to 5 or less people. This being a college run convention, our finances are limited, so the entrants will have to share the prize amongst themselves.

Pictures will be posted online for you to save on your own. The winners of each judging category will have the Discussion portion of their form published next to their picture. Please make a note on your form if you do not want your picture posted should you not win.

RULES!!!!!!!

1. No nudity. This year we will have a younger crowd. Please keep costumes family friendly (this also means no thongs, tops must cover majority of chest of females.)
2. No real weapons or fire of any kind. Please refer to the section of the program stating the "no weapons" rule for Madicon and JMU itself.
3. If you are under 18, one parent or guardian must be present, and they must sign your information sheet, because your picture will be taken for judging purposes.
4. If you have an obscure character, or one from a book, we will require some form of documentation, preferably a picture (in case of obscure movie/video game/anime/etc character), or a paragraph detailing how the character looks from a book.
5. No messes. This is a facility used by students and other school officials. Please do not track glitter, pieces of cloth, paint etc. over the floors, as the cleaning staff will not be arriving back until Monday.
6. No smoking. If your character design calls for a cigarette, please go get candy ones, or bring a fake one, or do without. It is a non-smoking facility, and if you have a cigarette, you will be asked to throw it away, or to go outside.
7. Have fun with this! It's short notice for this year, so if you've got a costume from a previous con, bring it out! Should the contest go well this year, there will hopefully be many many more! There will be feedback forms available after judging either in the stage room, or at the registration desk. Please fill one out, and let us know if you had fun, thought the judging was fair, and we can do to improve the contest for next year!

PRIZES!

Young Participant: No prizes will be awarded. However, there will be a certificate for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, detailing your win. Your picture will be posted online along with the discussion of your costume

Apprentice: 1st place: $30 gift certificate to the vendor room, 2nd place $15 gift certificate to the vendor room, 3rd place: $5 gift certificate to the vendor room. You will also receive a certificate of winning, and your picture will be posted online with the discussion of your costume.

Master: 1st place $50 gift certificate to the vendor room, 2nd place $25 gift certificate to the vendor room, 3rd place $15 gift certificate to the vendor room.

Where am I?

Main ->
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        Costume Contest

What to participate?

Please fill out this form.

Question?

Have a question about the costume contest? Email the ConChair (contact.madicon@gmail.com).