Cradle-Con 2026

Cosplay Contest Format, Rules, and Regulations

The cosplay contests will be judged like most major comic convention cosplay contests. All contests during Cradle-Con weekend will feature a panel of judges that will prejudge entrants via registration. Only entrants with at least 50% handmade costume components will be eligible for prizes; however, all registered entrants may participate in the on-stage parade during the live show. There will also be a 50-person cap on entrants for all contests.

To Register:

To pre-register, use the corresponding Google Forms document.

 > Saturday - Ages 17+

 > Sunday - Ages 17 and under

To register in person on the day of, visit the Cradle-Con Will Call (located next to the box office in the main lobby) and ask to sign up for the appropriate contest. You will be prompted to enter the following information:

• Name
• Cosplay/Character Name
• Brief Description of Cosplay

Registration will close as soon as the entrant cap is reached OR promptly at 4:00 PM on both Saturday and Sunday for their respective contests, so make sure to register as soon as possible.

Prejudging:

Prejudging times will be posted the day of each contest and can be found in the “Panels” tab on the Cradle-Con website. These times will also be given to contestants during check-in.

This year, prejudging will take place in the Junior Jet Club (next to Will Call).

Note: Each prejudging session may take up to 5 minutes per person, so we advise arriving early to avoid long wait times.

We will operate on a first-come, first-served basis for the entire weekend.

Contest:

The contest itself will feature a stage and a host who will introduce each entrant. All entrants (prejudged or not) are eligible to participate in the parade.

Each contestant who plans to participate in the parade will be asked to provide:

• Name
• Character
• Brief description

This information will be announced during the live show.

Winners will be announced on stage and receive their prizes after all entrants have walked.

Rules:

1. Individual cosplay only for this event. If you are in a group, you must enter individually.
2. You may only enter one costume per person per contest.
3. All nudity is prohibited.
4. No projectiles; all costume pieces must remain on your person or on stage during the parade.
5. No skits, extensive speeches, or profanity are allowed while on stage. Each contestant will have up to 30 seconds for their appearance.
6. No political statements, regardless of the cosplay.
7. No flashpots or explosive devices (extension of projectile rule).
8. Weapon Rules:
   • No firearms are allowed on the premises when used as part of a costume
   • All weapons must be non-working and peacebonded at all times (tied/secured)
   • Costume firearms must be orange-capped
   • No bladed weapons permitted
   • Any offensive use of props will result in confiscation and removal from the premises
9. Cosplayers with large costumes requiring assistance may be accompanied on stage by assistants of their choice, provided those assistants follow all applicable rules.