The Baltimore Comic Con and the Hard Rock Cafe Baltimore have again joined forces to present the 2023 Cosplay Contest! Baltimore Comic Con will be held the weekend of September 8-10, 2023 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Tickets for admission to the event are available now!

The Adult Cosplay Contest is being held on Saturday, September 9th at 3pm. All participants must be registered for the contest to be eligible to compete. Adult Cosplay Contest registration is available online HERE. There will be 40 slots online, and 20 slots available for in-person sign-ups during the day on Saturday.

Pre-judging will be happening throughout the day by appointment on Saturday, giving each contestant more time to spend on the show floor. Upon registration, an appointment will be created and can be adjusted upon request. We have some new rules this year, so make sure to check out the webpage with more details about this event.

Along with the Adult Cosplay Contest on Saturday, since it was such a success last year, Baltimore Comic Con is bringing back the Adult Cosplay Showcase! The Showcase provides an opportunity for all cosplayers, regardless of whether or not they made their own outfit, to have a moment up on the stage to strut their stuff for the audience and for the cameras. To register for this event, please visit the website.

The Children’s Cosplay Events will be held on Sunday, September 10th at 3pm in the ballroom on the 4th floor.

The Children’s Cosplay Contest is going to be held in a very similar manner as previous contests, however there will be two prejudging blocks, allowing participants and their parents more time to spend on the show floor! Upon registration for this event, you will be able to choose the best available block for you. Make sure to register online and to look over the contest rules to ensure your spot in the contest. Children’s Cosplay Contest registration is available online HERE.

Alongside the Children’s Cosplay Contest will be the Children’s Cosplay Showcase, where anyone under the age of 18 can walk the stage and be celebrated for their work and their part in the cosplay community! Make sure to register online here to ensure your spot in the showcase!

Cosplay Contest/Cosplay Showcase Schedule:

October 29th

2:30pm – Showcase Registrants to Staging Room
3:00pm – Cosplay Showcase Begins
2:45pm – Cosplay Contest participants to the Staging Area
3:30pm – Adult Cosplay Contest Begins

October 30th

2:30pm – Children’s Cosplay Showcase Participants report to Staging Area
3:00pm – Children’s Cosplay Showcase Begins
3:00pm – Children’s Cosplay Contest Participants Report to Staging Area
3:30pm – Children’s Cosplay Contest Begins

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This year’s Adult Cosplay Contest will once again be split into several categories:

1. Novice: This beginner category includes applicants who may have never entered a contest or who have entered contests before and not won a major award (1st place, grand prize). Novices may have previously won judges’ choice or runner up awards in previous competitions.
2. Intermediate: This category includes cosplayers who have won a major award at a previous competition (1st place, grand prize). Intermediate entries may have previously won judges’ choice or runner up awards in previous competitions. Anyone without prior competition wins or experience may register at the Intermediate level if they feel their cosplay can compete at this level.
3. Advanced/Master: This category includes any cosplayer who makes cosplay props and costumes for income and/or any cosplayer who has won more than two major novice awards (1st place, grand prize) at previous competitions or one major journeyman/intermediate award (1st place, grand prize) at previous competitions. Anyone without prior competition wins or experience may register at the Advanced level if they feel their cosplay can compete at this level. 

Subcategory – Groups

A group consists of four (4) or more cosplayers who will compete together on the stage instead of individually. Groups must compete at the level of the most advanced member of the group. 

For example: Three novice cosplayers and one Advanced/Master cosplayer competing as a group must register for the Advanced/Master category and will be judged according to the expectations of that level.

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PRIZES

Overall Best Cosplay (Best in Show) 

$1,000 Grand Prize in Cash for Adults

Advanced Individual:

1st place – $200 Cash 

Runner Up – $100 Cash

Advanced Group:

1st place – $150 Cash

Intermediate Individual: 

1st Place – $200 Cash for First Place

Runner Up – $100 Cash for Runner-Up

Intermediate Group:

1st Place – $150 Cash

Novice Group:

1st Place – $125 Cash 

Runner Up – $75 Cash 

Novice Group: 

1st Place – $100 Cash 

Judges’ Awards:

$50 Hard Rock Cafe gift cards will be awarded to three adult contestants that the judges believe deserve special recognition

Kids Prizes in each of the Newborn to Age 11 and Age 12-17 categories:

$100 Grand Prize in Cash for Kids Best in Show

$75 Cash for First Place in category

$50 Cash for Runner-Up in category

Judges’ Awards:

$50 Hard Rock Cafe gift cards will be awarded to three kids contestants that the judges believe deserve special recognition

Each winner will also receive free admittance to the Baltimore Comic-Con in 2024!

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Rules for the Adult Cosplay Contest:

• Level of personal work done on cosplay required – Roughly 80% of the cosplay must be created personally by the competitor. Commissioned work for the remaining 20% is allowed but full credit must be given to the fabricator and this credit must be included in the build-book. A statement of permission to compete with the fabricator’s work is also required. An email showing the To/From line and written permission to compete from the fabricator is acceptable.
• For Groups: Each individual competitor must have fabricated 80% of their own cosplay. It is acceptable for members of the group to have assisted each other in fabrication of the cosplay, but this must be documented in the build book. Parts of a cosplay completely fabricated by one member of the group but used by another member will be considered as part of the 20% of the cosplay not fabricated by the contestant.
• Type of Design: Costumes must represent an existing or recognizable character from the pop culture realm, including movies, TV, comic books, manga, anime, etc. Costumes can also include derivative designs from artists (i.e. Hannah Alexander Art, Sakizo Illustrator, etc) so long as reference artwork is provided in the build book for the judges.
• Competitors will not be docked points for assistive device use such as wheelchairs, glasses, etc. 
• Competitor body size/shape/skin color/orientation/race/etc. will not affect judging.
• Costumes cannot have previously won a major award at another competition (1st, grand prize). Costumes that have won minor awards can be entered.
• For Groups: If the cosplay of one member has previously won a major award, this cosplay is not eligible for the competition and disqualifies the group from competing. 
• Finalists should be able to safely move in the costume with limited assistance (except in the case of disability that requires a helper), and the costume must not impede the Finalist’s ability to get on and off stage. 

Judging –

Costume judging will take place before the stage presentation and assesses the accuracy of the costume against provided source images or the design skill and interpretation of original designs, the ambition and complexity of the costume design, the quality of construction, and the techniques employed to realize the costume. 

It is the responsibility of the Contestants to be present for judging at the time decided by Baltimore Comic-Con. A very limited time has also been set aside for contestants who register the day-of. Late arrival or failure to show up to the judging appointment or to the stage walk will result in automatic withdrawal from the contest.

Stage Walk – 

The stage presentation will be assessed by the judges considering stage presence, nature of the presentation, the ability to take on the role of the character, and level of entertainment or engagement. A stage walk can simply be a walk where the entirety of the costume and prop is visible to the audience, but contestants can also strike poses and do a small performance (no audio/lighting assistance) that is no longer than 1 minute.

The weighting for each of the judging criteria is as follows: Accuracy or Design and Ambition- 25% Construction – 60% Stage Presentation – 15% 

The judges’ decisions are final, and no further negotiation is permitted. There is no obligation on Baltimore Comic Con or the judges to provide feedback.

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Rules for the Children’s Cosplay Contest: 

Costume Eligibility – 

• Level of personal work done on cosplay: Competitors are highly encouraged to make their own costumes, but are not required to do so. Store-bought cosplay, cosplay created by parents, closet cosplay, commissioned cosplay, etc. are all accepted to the competition. 
• Type of Design: Costumes must represent an existing or recognizable character from the pop culture realm, including movies, TV, comic books, manga, anime, etc. Costumes can also include derivative designs from artists (i.e. Hannah Alexander Art, Sakizo Illustrator, etc.) so long as reference artwork is provided for the judges.
• Competitors will not be docked points for assistive device use such as wheelchairs, glasses, etc. 
• Competitor body size/shape/skin color/orientation/race/etc. will not affect judging.
• Costumes cannot have previously won a major award at another competition (1st, grand prize). Costumes that have won minor awards can be entered

Judging – The Children’s Cosplay Contest will have pre-judging from 12:30pm to 2:30pm on Sunday, September 10th. Each contestant will sign up for one of two prejudging time blocks, allowing for more time on the show floor! Cosplays will be judged based on creativity and the level of work they put into their costume, as well as the energy and passion that brings their cosplay to life. 

We highly recommend that you bring character references to help ensure that the judges understand the design of your work.

Stage Walk – Contestants should be able to safely move in the costume with limited assistance (except in the case of disability or age that requires a helper), and the costume must not impede the Contestant’s ability to get on and off stage. A single adult may take the stage with the child contestant to help with the Stage Walk. The adult is allowed to be in cosplay while on stage, but the adult’s cosplay and stage performance will not be considered in the final judgment of the Kids’ contest.