Details On COSTUME CONTEST At BALTIMORE COMIC CON

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - October 9, 2019 - The Baltimore Comic-Con and Toynk.com proudly present the Baltimore Comic-Con Annual Costume Contest. This year, the adult costume contest is being held on Saturday, October 19th at 3:00pm. All participants must be in the prejudge room by 1:30pm or their deposit will be forfeit. Prejudging will start at 2:00pm and will be split into amateur and professional contests.

The children's costume contest will be held on Sunday, October 20th at 2:30pm. All participants must be in the prejudge room by 1:30pm.

Categories Adult - "Professional" ($10 Entry Fee) Those working a job involving building or fabricating costumes. Those who make costumes or pieces for casual sale (eBay, etc.). Those who have won an award at a costume contest at any convention. Those that have been invited based on Cosplay. Adult - "Amateur" ($5 Entry Fee) Any adult 18 years or older that does not meet the above requirements. Kids (Free) Ages 17 and under.  Group - "More Than One Person" ($10 Entry Fee) Any group with more than one person

PRIZES Overall Best Costume (Best in Show)  $500 Grand Prize in Cash for Professional Prizes in each of the Professional Adult categories: $250 Gift Certificate for 1st Place $150 Gift Certificate for 2nd Place $100 Gift Certificate for 3rd Place Amateur Adult categories: $150 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 1st Place  $100 Tonnk.com Gift Certificate for 2nd Place  $50 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 3rd Place Group category (winning groups divide prize amount between members): $200 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 1st Place  $100 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 2nd Place Kids Prizes in each of the Newborn to Age 11 and Age 12 to Age 17 categories: $100 Grand Prize Toynk.com Gift Certificate  $50 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 1st Place  $35 Toynk.com Gift Certificate for 2nd Place Each winner will also receive free admittance to the Baltimore Comic-Con in 2020 and both Adult Grand Prize Winners will be asked to judge the 2020 contest!

RULES All participants must have Baltimore Comic-Con admission wristband or badge (this includes Associate, Dealer, Press, and other specialty badges). Members of Baltimore Comic-Con staff are ineligible to compete. Participants can register at any time up to 1pm on Saturday or Sunday for the respective Costume Contests by visiting the Costume Contest Booth located in the lower Pratt Street lobby. All participants will be required to sign a permission/release/waiver form to participate in the contest. Minors under 18 years of age may participate only if a permission/release form signed by the minor's legal guardian is provided. Forms are available at the Costume Contest Booth (see #2 above). Participant category (Amateur or Professional) shall be determined by a set of 3 judges during the pre-judging portion of the contest. Pictures will be taken during judging of all participants and throughout the costume contest and will be the property of Baltimore Comic-Con. All costumes must abide by the rules of Baltimore Comic-Con, including but not limited to the Baltimore Comic-Con Weapons and Harassment policies. If a policy violation is discovered, that entry will be disqualified. Professionally made or rented costumes are prohibited. Costumes that have won any major awards at any convention may not be entered in the Hall Costume Contest unless major (50% or more) work has been improved or worked over with photographic proof of the changes. No glitter, confetti, pyrotechnics, live flame, or smoke generators of any kind are allowed in the Baltimore Convention Center. No electrical power connections will be provided. If your costume requires power, it must be part of your costume design. Groups from the same series are welcome to enter, but random characters from different series are discouraged. Groups will be considered as one entry and the winners will receive one prize to share. Each contestant may present (wear) only one costume, or a group of people may wear one costume at the same time (i.e., a large costume that requires several people inside to move it). All entrants are encouraged to bring reference material for their costume. Not all judges know all characters, so it is in everyone's best interest to bring a color picture (or several) if possible. The reference should depict the details of the costume you are presenting. Please do not ask to e-mail or print out references at the convention. Costumes will be judged on a variety of criteria, including craftsmanship and overall effect. All judges' decisions of the costume contest are final.