The Baltimore Comic-Con and Toynk have released the details for the highly-demanded and hugely popular Annual Costume Contest.

This year, the adult costume contest is being held on Saturday, September 3rd at 3:00pm. All participants must be in the prejudge room by 1:30pm or their deposit will be forfeit. Prejudging will start at 2:00pm and will be split into amateur and professional contests.

The children’s costume contest will be held on Sunday, September 4th at 2:30pm. All participants must be in the prejudge room by 1:30pm.

Categories

• Adult – “Professional” ($10 Entry Fee)
  • Those working a job involving building or fabricating costumes.
  • Those who make costumes or pieces for casual sale (eBay, etc.).
  • Those who have won an award at a costume contest at any convention.
  • Those that have been invited based on Cosplay.
• Adult – “Craftsman” ($5 Entry Fee)
  • Those who have not won an award at a costume contest at any convention.
  • Those whose total costume is more than 40% hand-made.
  • Those who do not have a job working in the field of costuming.
• Adult – “Amateur” ($5 Entry Fee)
  • Any adult 18 years or older that does not meet the above requirements.
• Kids (Free)
  • Ages 17 and under.

PRIZES

Overall Best Costume (Best in Show)

$1,000 Grand Prize in Cash for Professional and $500.00 Grand Prize in Cash for Craftsman

Prizes in each of the Professional Adult categories:

$250 in cash for 1st Place
$150 in cash for 2nd Place
$100 in cash for 3rd Place

Prizes for the Adult Craftsman category:

$200 in cash for 1st Place
$100 in cash for 2nd Place
$50 in cash for 3rd Place

Amateur Adult categories:

$150 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 1st Place
$75 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 2nd Place
$50 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 3rd Place

Group category (winning groups divide prize amount between members):

$200 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 1st Place
$150 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 2nd Place

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

$100 Grand Prize in Cash
$75 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 1st Place
$50 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 2nd Place

Each winner will also receive free admittance to the Baltimore Comic-Con in 2017 and both Adult Grand Prize Winners will be asked to judge the 2017 contest!

RULES

1. All participants must have Baltimore Comic-Con admission wristband or badge (this includes Associate, Dealer, Press, and other specialty badges). Members of Baltimore Comic-Con staff are ineligible to compete.
2. Participants can register at any time up to 1pm on Saturday or Sunday for the respective Costume Contests by visiting the Costume Contest Booth located in the lower Pratt Street lobby.
3. All participants will be required to sign a permission/release/waiver form to participate in the contest. Minors under 18 years of age may participate only if a permission/release form signed by the minor’s legal guardian is provided. Forms are available at the Costume Contest Booth (see #2 above).
4. Participant category (Amateur, Craftsman, or Professional) shall be determined by a set of 3 judges at during the pre-judging portion of the contest.
5. Pictures will be taken during judging of all participants and throughout the costume contest and will be the property of Baltimore Comic-Con.
6. All costumes must abide by the rules of Baltimore Comic-Con, including but not limited to the Baltimore Comic-Con Weapons and Harassment policies. If a policy violation is discovered, that entry will be disqualified.
7. Craftsmen are contestants who have participated in the Baltimore Comic-Con Costume Contest before, whose costume is 40% hand-made or greater, and has not won the professional prize at Baltimore Comic-Con before.
8. Professionally made or rented costumes are prohibited.
9. Costumes that have won any major awards at any convention may not be entered in the Hall Costume Contest unless major (50% or more) work has been improved or worked over with photographic proof of the changes.
10. No glitter, confetti, pyrotechnics, live flame, or smoke generators of any kind are allowed in the Baltimore Convention Center.
11. No electrical power connections will be provided. If your costume requires power, it must be part of your costume design.
12. Groups from the same series are welcome to enter, but random characters from different series are discouraged. Groups will be considered as one entry and the winners will receive one prize to share.
13. Each contestant may present (wear) only one costume, or a group of people may wear one costume at the same time (i.e., a large costume that requires several people inside to move it).
14. All entrants are encouraged to bring reference material for their costume. Not all judges know all characters, so it is in everyone’s best interest to bring a color picture (or several) if possible. The reference should depict the details of the costume you are presenting. Please do not ask to e-mail or print out references at the convention.
15. Costumes will be judged on a variety of criteria, including craftsmanship and overall effect.
16. All judges’ decisions of the costume contest are final.