Cosplay Red Carpet - Featured Image - Lineup

ATTN: Please visit the Customer Service Desk (located inside the Main Trade Center) before 3:00pm on Saturday, May 3, to fill out registration on site.

The Cosplay Red Carpet at Pop Con YXE

Whether it’s your first time making a costume or you’ve been involved with cosplay for years, we are thrilled to have you participate in our Cosplay Red Carpet event(s)! All costume props & weapons entering the building, or purchased at the show will have to be looked over by prop volunteers in advance to the Cosplay Red Carpet event. 

Interested patrons may apply to either the Costume Showcase or the Costume Contest at the Apply Now button below. A minimum age of 13 is required to enter the contest.

A Few Details Before Applying

  • All participants must have admission to Pop Con YXE.
  • All participants must adhere to the Props Policy. (See here for details)
  • All participants must be able to move on their own. Costumes that require assistance will not be allowed entry.
  • All costumes must be at least 50% handmade or altered. It is at the discretion of the Red Carpet Committee to decide if the costumes are 50% handmade.
  • The Cosplay Red Carpet Committee reserves the right to exclude any costume that they deem as inappropriate for any reason they find sufficient.
  • No electrical power will be provided. If your costume requires power it must be part of your costume design.
  • A parent or guardian must accompany all Little Tyke (10 & under) entries.
  • No live animals will be allowed on stage with the exception of registered service animals, if required by the participant.
  • Entrants are asked to arrive in costume at least a half-hour before the Cosplay Red Carpet begins.
  • At check-in, the organizer will introduce the emcee and give general instructions. Participants will be introduced by the emcee while walking the red carpet, with their name, character, and where the character is from.
  • All participants must be in costume during the event and must NOT provide music for their red carpet debut.
  • Please keep everything family friendly.
  • Profanity or crude language will result in being removed from the Cosplay Red Carpet event.
  • The throwing of anything at the audience is not allowed. Doing so will result in being removed from the Cosplay Red Carpet event
  • Once the last participant has left the stage, we will proceed with group pictures.

Please note that any costume props and weapons coming into the building for any purpose (to be autographed, for display or for the Cosplay Red Carpet) must be checked-in at our Props & Weapons Check area. If your costume includes props and/or weapons, they must be pre-registered on our Prop Pre-Registration page in addition to your Cosplay Red Carpet application.

***Please Note: Participants in the contest cannot participate in the showcase and vice versa.

Let Your Expertise Shine in the Costume Contest!

Saturday, May 3, 2025 | Contest | Time: 4:30pm | Hall C (Nexus Theatre)

Returning to the Cosplay Red Carpet is the Costume Contest, which will take place prior to the Red Carpet showcase.

Entry Deadline: Friday, April 25, 2025

Contest Categories/Divisions

  • Novice: Entrants in this division have under 3 years of experience and/or have never won a previous award in a costume contest.
  • Expert: Entrants in this division have over 3 years of experience and/or have won a previous award in a costume contest

Groups count as one entry & must be limited to a maximum of four (4) people. Those entering as a group must enter under the division of the highest skilled cosplayer in the group.

Make Sure You're Prepared!

There will only be 10 entries per category. All entries MUST be in costume during pre-judging, and pre-judging MUST be done before the contest begins.

Each contestant will be given a maximum of THREE MINUTES with the judges, during which your craftsmanship and execution will be evaluated.

Contest contestants will be judged on a point scale based on these 3 criteria:

  1. Craftsmanship & Detail – How the entrant made their costume, use of materials, and level of detail.
  2. Ingenuity & Technical Difficulty – How creatively you utilized your chosen materials and techniques, and the level of technical skill needed for execution.
  3. Presentation – How the entrant presents their costume during pre-judging, and showcases their costume on stage during the contest. (Level of preparedness, finishing, & stage presence.)

Be Your Own Star in the Red Carpet Showcase!

Saturday, May 3, 2025 | Showcase | Time: 5:00pm | Hall C (Nexus Theatre)

Showcase your costume in all of it’s glory on the Cosplay Red Carpet! The costume showcase is for fun and we welcome anyone to apply, whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned expert. 

There will be no judging for the Red Carpet showcase, but contenders will be randomly drawn to win tickets to the 2026 Pop Con YXE! We advise you to read the on-site rules and details below, as well as familiarize yourself with our PCYXE policies before applying.

Entry Deadline: Friday, April 25, 2025

It's Your Moment!

  • As long as you're dressed in a costume that fits within our policies, you're welcome to apply!

Groups count as one entry & must be limited to a maximum of four (4) people.