Suit up in your favorite fandom cosplay and connect with fellow fans during our cosplay competition for a chance to win gift card prizes. While this year's CosmicCon theme celebrates Sirens, Sailors, and Sea Monsters, costumes of all kinds are welcome—no eyepatches or mermaid tails required. Come as your favorite character and show off your look! Whether you're a seasoned cosplayer or trying it out for the first time, the competition is open to all participants.

This contest will be fashion show style. The emcee will call registered contestants to the stage to show off their costumes and participate in a brief interview. Action poses, working with props, and staying in character are encouraged.

The interview will be brief and involve three prompts:

• Can you tell us a little about your character?
• Can you tell us about the process of creating your costume?
• Can you close us out by saying something in character?

Judges will evaluate the appearance and quality of the costume, the likeness of the costume to the character, the effort put into creating the costume, and the contestant's stage presence. The contest is open to characters from published works, including movies, TV shows, comic books, cartoons, video games, and card games.

Parent or guardian permission is required for participants younger than 16.

Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place, as well as special awards such as Best Performer, Best Group, and Best Young Cosplayer.

Online registration opens July 1 and closes August 21 at 11:55 p.m. Contestants may check in on Saturday, August 22, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Cosplay Competition registration table in the library lobby. Last-minute contestants may register in person during check-in.

The competition begins at 1:30 p.m. and will be followed by an all-ages Costume Parade around the library at 2:15 p.m. Winners will be announced and prizes awarded following the parade.

Rules and Regulations

1. No real weapons are allowed in the library. Any weapons or props must be made of plastic or foam and be obviously fake. No blades or projectiles are permitted. Security on site reserves the right to confiscate any item that does not meet these requirements.
2. Costumes, introductions and actions on stage must be in good taste. Offensive language and unruly behavior are not permitted.
3. The use of glitter, liquids, or any other materials that could create a mess is prohibited. Throwing items into the audience or engaging in actions that could compromise the safety of contestants or spectators is prohibited.
4. Gore, graphic violence, nudity (or the appearance of nudity), profanity, and political or religious statements are not allowed. Library staff has final authority regarding costumes deemed inappropriate.