2025 Costume Contest

All participants must follow our code of conduct.

Please review the rules HERE for who is allowed to enter.

Check the FULL SCHEDULE for pre-judging and contest times.

AWARDS

Trophies will be given to the best cosplay in each category* as well as an award for Best Craftsmanship*.

Best Group* (Cosplay Parties of 2 or more will fall into the Group category), Judge’s Choice, AND Best in Show.

*Each category will have a top winner, and a runner-up winner.

The judges will be focusing on appearance, construction, and your attention to details. Many costumes incorporate work from multiple categories. All WILL be taken into account, but you should enter in the category that fits where the MAJORITY of time and work was focused. Final category placement will be at the discretion of the judges and contest organizers.

COSTUME QUALIFICATIONS

The Alaska ComiCon’s Cosplay Contest requires handmade, original costumes. Sorry, store bought costumes cannot be entered into the competition! The costume must be of original construction or show significant modification to the original materials. At least 75% of your costume must be handmade or altered. You do not have to weave your own fabric, make a wig, or cobble shoes, However, that is really impressive.

Here’s an example:

You bought and altered a pair of pants for your cosplay. – This is about 40% of your costume.

You sewed a shirt from scratch for your cosplay. – This is about 40% of your costume.

You used store bought shoes. – This is about 10% of your costume.

You bought your wig from a shop and styled it yourself. – This is about 10% of your costume.

In total – 80% of your costume was handmade or altered and would qualify for the contest.

If you didn’t make your costume, but someone at the convention did, you may still model it, but they should be present for judging as they are considered the contest entrant (and the one who will receive the prize).

Only one costume can be accepted into each contest per person.

If your cosplay has previously won a competition, it cannot be entered into our competition.

You must sign-up in advance, during pre-judging to be entered into the contest.

During pre-judging, you will be able to chat with the judges so you can describe the details of the cosplay or provide a story about the character being portrayed. You may offer details about the construction process, materials, number of work hours, or anything that might impress them.

Please remember that a good quality image can absolutely help the judges greatly in deciding your score. Don’t forget to bring a reference photo of the character you are portraying if you wish for accuracy to be taken into account during your judging if the judges are not familiar with the character.

Note: We may need to change these rules or prize categories without notice, depending on unforeseen circumstances.

The decisions of the judges are final, and you will not be allowed to petition the judges or any AKCC staff member once award decisions have been made.