GET YOUR MOMENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

This is the 2-hour Main Event for our formal cosplay competition. At the Cosplay Expo, attendees will be entertained by talented cosplayers as they put on reenactments of memorable scenes from series or movies, perform song or dance routines from various pop culture sources, and show off their costumes on stage in a cosplay fashion show.

There are 2 contests with 5 categories to compete in: Craftsmanship (Character Cosplay, Original Design, & Lindsay Mascot) and Performance (Skit & Musical-Act). Our cosplay contests are open to any cosplay of any fandom!

Can’t compete or just want to walk across stage showing off your cosplay? We will have a limited number of Walk-on only spots available to sign up for at the cosplay table at-con!

Whether you want to appreciate amazing cosplays or compete yourself, the Ohayocon Cosplay Expo is not an event to be missed!

Are you interested in competing? We suggest reading the following:

Cosplay Expo Rules – Know what is and is not allowed to compete in our 2 contests.
Cosplay Expo Policies & Process – Outlines registration, guidelines and processes throughout the competition.

Parental Release Form

For those under the age of 18 that will not have a parent/guardian present at-con that wish to participate in the Ohayocon Cosplay Competition, a Parental Release form will be required for participation and will need to be presented at the time of your scheduled appointment for Cosplay Judging and/or Performance Audition.

Download the Parental Release form.

 

Craftsmanship Contest

Participate in the formal Cosplay Craftsmanship Contest and show off your crafting skills. Compete for the title of 2024’s Best in Category, Division or, if you are exceptionally talented, you could be named Craftsmanship’s Best in Show, winning not only fabulous prizes and awards, but free admission to a future Ohayocon!

Craftsmanship is judged BEFORE the Expo. Awards and Certificates are presented at the end of the Expo.

Character Cosplay

This is the main category of the Craftsmanship Contest that participants will enter with cosplays of established characters or designs from art, literature, shows, movies, music, or games. Entries are judged on the craftsmanship (design, construction, execution, and general presentation) of their costume.

Original Design

Have your own personal original character that is inspired by a theme or series or an un-official reimagined concept of an established character in pop culture? This category of the Craftsmanship Contest was made for you!

Lindsay Mascot

You’ve had your chance to see Lindsay Howard, Ohayocon’s cute nurse mascot. Now we want you to be Lindsay. Ohayocon will host its annual Lindsay Mascot competition! You can enter no matter your age or skill level!

The winner will receive complimentary convention admission for the next year’s Ohayocon, cash prizes, and the bragging rights of being Ohayocon’s official Lindsay Howard of 2024!

Sign up for the Craftsmanship Contest!

Performance Contest

Get on stage and perform compelling skits or entertain with a musical exhibition in the Cosplay Performance Competition. Give the audience a show to remember while competing for 2024’s Best in Division or Best in Show Performance!

Performance is judged DURING the Expo. Awards and Certificates are presented at the end of the Expo.

Skit

These Performances focus primarily on telling a story (pre-recorded or live) and are not predominantly music based. Entries are judged on theatrical performance (blocking, movement, delivery of lines, and narrative). Skits can be a retelling of a popular scene or an abridged/reduced reproduction of its original source material.

Musical-Act

These Performances are more than 75% based on some form of musical element (pre-recorded or live) and have minimum amount of lines delivered before, during, or after the musical track. Entries are judged on routine performance (choreography, synchronization, composition, and lip-syncing/singing). Musical-Acts can be singing, dancing, or instrumental performances related to its source material.

Sign up to compete in Performance!

Cosplay Competition Judge

Do you have the skill-set and know-how to be able to accurately gauge a person’s crafting or performance abilities? Do you know what to praise and what to constructively critique to inspire and develop growth of one’s skill in your expertise? Can you do all of this in 5 minutes or less? Then you may have what it takes to be a Judge for the Ohayocon Cosplay Competition.

We ask masters of their craft to volunteer their time during the convention to Judge our contestants in a fair constructive manner to determine our Best in Division and Best in Show for our contests. For their time and effort, our judges are provided complimentary badges for admission to Ohayocon 2024.

Apply to be a Cosplay Competition Judge