1. General Provisions & Age Requirements

• Universal Event: Cosplay is an all-ages celebration. The competition is divided into three distinct age divisions:
• Daily Competition & Stage Schedule
  • The main stage competition takes place daily from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, proceeding sequentially by age division:
    • • Children Group A (Ages 0–7)
      • Children Group B (Ages 8–12)
      • Junior Category (Ages 13–15)
      • Classic Category (Ages 16+)
• The daily Prize Ceremony will be held at 5:30 PM, immediately followed by an official group photo with all participants on stage.
• Award Categories & Age Divisions
• A NEW competitive category designed for young cosplayers. A signed Parental Consent Form is required at registration. First-place prizes will be awarded in three age brackets: Group A (Ages 0–7), Group B (Ages 8–12), and Junior (Ages 13–15). Every non-placing participant will receive a commemorative medal. No pre- Judging for these categories.
• Classic Category (Ages 16+): Competitive division open to all participants aged 16 and older, featuring the full set of specialty awards. (see section 3)
• Code of Conduct: Ethical, respectful, and sportsmanship-driven behaviour is required before, during, and after the event. Any harassment, unsportsmanlike behaviour, or failure to follow organizer instructions will result in immediate disqualification and a potential ban from future events.
• General Audience Standard (PG-13): All acts, costumes, and pre-recorded materials must be family-friendly. Explicit language, sexual humour, insults, or homophobic/sexist content are strictly prohibited.

2. Costume & Craftsmanship Guidelines

• 70% Handmade Rule: At least 70% of the costume must be hand-built or sewn by the participant.
  • Minor assistance from friends or family is permitted if disclosed upon registration.
  • Fully purchased or commissioned costumes are strictly forbidden from receiving craftsmanship awards.
• Portfolios & Creation Proof (For Classic Category (Ages 16+):  Participants must provide character reference photos and progress photos documenting the build process. A physical or digital build portfolio is strongly recommended for the pre-judging session to showcase internal stitching, prop armature, and material techniques.
• Allowed Sources & Variants:
• Eligible sources include cartoons, video games, movies, TV series, comics, manga, anime, and official music videos.
• Official alternate skins, summer/variant outfits, and custom/fan-art designs are allowed. Custom designs will be evaluated in their own respective category scope.
• Casual Wear Notice: Simple everyday clothing (“closet cosplays”) receives score deductions for lack of effort unless heavily modified to match a distinct character aesthetic.
• Representation & Respect: Participants may not alter their skin tone to portray or match an ethnicity different from their own. Skin altering will not count toward accuracy scores and is strictly restricted.

3. Categories & Competition Structure

Participants may enter as individuals or as part of a group/couple (up to 4 members per group). Group participants must submit individual application forms for each character.

Award Categories –  For Classic Category (Ages 16+):

·  Best in Show: The supreme championship award given to the top overall entry, calculated by combining official judging scores (costume, prop, performance) with live audience feedback and crowd impact.

·  Best Costume: The top entry recognized for the highest standard of costume construction—including fabric work, tailoring, and armour builds—visual fidelity, and overall craftsmanship.

·  Best Prop: Highlights extraordinary prop engineering, structural construction, material choice, and seamless integration into the cosplay performance.

·  Best Performance: Recognizes exceptional acting, stage presence, skit execution, choreography, and audience involvement.

·  Best Hair & Makeup: Awards outstanding wig styling, hair sculpting, special FX application, and makeup execution.

4. Registration, Deadlines & Pre-Judging

• Registration: Pre-registration is completed online via the official portal, followed by mandatory on-site confirmation at the Cosplay Info Point before 12:00 PM on the day of competition.
• Multi-Day Participation: Competitors may enter on multiple days only if presenting a completely different costume each day.
• Pre-Judging Session for Classic Category (Ages 16+):
  • Takes place between 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM prior to the main stage show.
  • Each participant/group is allotted 2 to 3 minutes with the panel. Keep responses clear and focused on construction details and portfolio presentation.
  • Each participant will be given a number upon confirmation of participation from the info point cosplay section. This number gives you the order for the pre-judging and for the stage. Participants who lose this number will be automatically disqualified.
• Re-used Costumes: Costumes that have previously won awards at affiliate events must be declared upon registration. Points may be adjusted by judges to maintain fair evaluation.

5. Stage Performance & Audio Requirements (for all categories)

• Performance Duration:
  • Solo / Pose Acts: Maximum 1 minute 30 seconds.
  • Group Skits: Maximum 3 minutes.
  • Appropriate Stage Content: All performances must remain in-character and relevant to the approved cosplay skit. The stage is a neutral, non-political space; any unauthorized speeches, lobbying, or advocacy for outside groups or causes are forbidden and subject to immediate disqualification. 
• Audio Requirements (for all categories):
  • Audio tracks must be submitted in MP3 format via the official form prior to the designated event deadline 8^th October 2026. No onsite music via USB flash drives will be accepted.
  • Audio filenames must follow this naming convention: FullName_Series_Character.mp3
  • Prohibitions: Live microphones will not be available. Streaming audio from mobile devices or YouTube links is strictly forbidden on stage. If no track is provided, generic background audio will be assigned by the stage crew.