April 14th & 15th 2026 | Click here for more information ***

CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.

Cosplay Contests

Grab your costumes, build great props and make your favorite characters come to life on the Hill Country Comicon Cosplay Stage! Take pictures as your greatest superhero and bring your magic to our new and improved cosplay contest with double the categories for double the fun! Register early to make sure you save your spot to compete against the best of the best and walk the stage!

For kids, sign up on March 15th before 3:30pm at the "Ronin & CosReza" Cosplay Booth located in the cosplay alley for the Kids Cosplay Quest Card (A.K.A. Hero Hunt Passport) [See below for more information].

Pre-registrations are open! You can still sign up to participate at the Ronin Cos Reza table before 2:00 p.m. on Saturday but remember spots at the booth are limited, so register early to make sure you save your spot to compete against the best of the best and walk the stage!!

Cosplay Contest: Novice, Journeyman, and Masters Category for Adults

All participants must possess a valid Hill Country Comicon 2026 ticket/badge for the day of the cosplay contest. All Adult Cosplay Contest participants are strongly encouraged to pre-register online. All participants must arrive at the contest on time. Late arrivals may result in disqualification. Event staff will have the final determination on inclusion or exclusion of participants. Advise event staff of any ‘surprise elements’ of your costume, prior to going on stage. No jumping off stage, acrobatics, tumbling or cartwheels is permitted on stage. Violation can result in disqualification. If you are unsure, check with event staff prior to the contest.

ADULT / TEEN CONTEST CATEGORIES

  • Age 13 and older
  • We strongly recommend that intended participants pre-register online.
  • Pre-registration closes at 11pm CST, Friday, March 13th, 2026
  • Same day registration closes at 2pm CST, Saturday, March 14th, 2026 at Ronin & CosReza's table booth.
  • All adult age 13+ participants must complete the pre-judging process
  • Pre-judging takes place promptly, beginning at 3pm in Panel Room B
  • Each participant will have a maximum of 1½ minutes with the judges to discuss the elements of the costume & overall experience level
  • When entering the prejudging area be prepared to describe your costume to the judges accurately and efficiently. Judges will have a few questions to properly & completely judge your entry. Be sure to use your time with them wisely, as a time limit will be enforced to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity. Please plan to tell the judges in full detail what materials and techniques were used to build your costume.

Novice Category:

  • Participants in this category are the least experienced in competition.
  • You may never have won a cosplay contest award.
  • This category is for those either new to cosplay or who have just started their crafting journey.
  • Participant must have made 25% or more of the costume to qualify.

Journeyman Category:

  • Won an award equivalent to novice or journeyman in another contest.
  • This category is for those that have been cosplaying for a while or feather along in their crafting journey.
  • Participant must have made 50% or more of the costume to qualify.

Masters Category:

  • Have won an intermediate (journeyman) level or higher award in any other cosplay contest.
  • Has worked professionally in a field related to cosplay (commissions, theatre, film/tv etc.)
  • Participant must have made 75% or more of the costume to qualify.
  • Highly recommended for this category a "Build Book" or similar media is required. If a physical build book is not available, the participant can provide detailed reference photos of their build process. Media presented will be up to the judge's discretion for acceptance.

Still have questions? Feel free to email your question to info@hillcountrycc.com and we'll get back to you with an answer as soon as possible!

REGISTER NOW!!!

COSPLAY QUEST CARD (AKA HERO HUNT PASSPORT!) Kids 12 years and under

Please note that this is NOT a contest, but a chance for out littlest heroes to show off their amazing costumes. There will be no judging, just applause and celebration!!! Kids Cosplay Quest Card will take place on Sunday, March 15th.

CALLING ALL THE YOUNG HEROES!!!

  • Begin your adventure by picking up a Cosplay Quest Card—also known as the Hero Hunt Passport—at Ronin and CosReza’s table.
  • Here's how the quest works:
  • As you visit each cosplay guest table, you’ll collect a stamp on your card. Once you’ve gathered all the stamps, return to Ronin and CosReza’s table for a celebration filled with cheers and excitement—and receive your candy bag reward for completing the quest!
  • Parents, get your cameras ready!
  • On March 15th, at 4 PM, all quest finishers will be recognized on the big stage and awarded a special medal for completing their heroic journey!

Still have questions? Feel free to email your question to info@hillcountrycc.com and we'll get back to you with an answer as soon as possible!

For additional rules and guidelines concerning this event, please visit our policies page at https://www.hillcountrycomicon.com/policies
For any questions or concerns regarding these contests, please contact info@hillcountrycc.com