Below, you will find all the info on the 2026 Des Moines Con Cosplay Contests! If you have any questions, just let us know by sending an email to cosplay@nerdstreet.net. Get ready to show off your most amazing handmade cosplay and be prepared to ham it up for the crowd to see!
Let's get to the Who's, When's, Where’s and How’s of it all!
Who can enter? Anyone and everyone!
Who’s running the contests? Our guest Mikal Mosley will be hosting along with some amazing cosplayer judges!
How much does it cost to enter? $Free.99! It is entirely free to sign up for the Des Moines Con Cosplay Contest.
How can I enter? Submit your application to the Cosplay Contests online between April 26, 2026 and May 9, 2026 to be eligible to enter. You can find the application on our website starting on April 26th.
How many people can enter? Sign ups are limited. Judges will reach out via email to confirm whether your application has been accepted. Emails will come from cosplay@nerdstreet.net.
When are the contests? The contests are Saturday at 3:30 PM and Sunday at 3:30 PM.
Where can I go to see the contests? Head over to the Main Stage and pick out the best seat!
HOW IT WORKS: ⬇️⬇️
CATEGORIES
BEGINNER: Open to anyone 14 and older
NOVICE: Open to anyone 14 and older
INTERMEDIATE/JOURNEYMAN: Open to anyone 14 and older
ADVANCED/MASTERS/CRAFTSMAN: Open to anyone 14 and older
Youth: Anyone 13 and younger may participate in our Kid’s Costume Parade during the intermission of the Costume Contest. No pre-registration is needed. Just show up at the Main Stage and ask a staff member where to sign up.
AWARDS
Awards will be given to the best cosplay in each category as well as Best Craftsmanship,
Best Group (Cosplay Parties of 2 or more will fall into the Group category), The “JDF” Award (An award that goes to an exceptional cosplayer with an exceptional story), Judge’s Choice, AND Best in Show.
The judges will be focusing on appearance, construction, and your attention to details. Many costumes incorporate work from multiple categories. All WILL be taken into account, but you should enter in the category that fits where the MAJORITY of time and work was focused. Final category placement will be at the discretion of the judges and contest organizers.
***PLEASE NOTE: All cosplays and performers must comply with the convention’s Anti Harassment policy. This means no profanity, hate speech, or otherwise inflammatory messages are allowed. All props must be checked and within the prop guidelines provided by the convention.***
RULES
1. Des Moines Con’s Cosplay Contest requires handmade, original costumes. Sorry, store bought costumes cannot be entered into the competition! The costume must be of original construction or show significant modification to the original materials. At least 75% of your costume must be handmade or altered. You do not have to weave your own fabric, make a wig, or cobble shoes, However, that is really impressive.
Here’s an example:
- You bought and altered a pair of pants for your cosplay. – This is about 35% of your costume.
- You sewed a shirt from scratch for your cosplay. – This is about 40% of your costume.
- You used store bought shoes. – This is about 10% of your costume.
- You bought your wig from a shop and styled it yourself. – This is about 15% of your costume.
In total – 75% of your costume was handmade or altered and would qualify for the contest.
NOTE: If you didn’t make your costume, but someone at the convention did, you may still model it, but they should be present for judging as they are considered the contest entrant (and the one who will receive the prize).
2. Only one costume can be accepted into the contest per person.
3. If your cosplay has previously won a competition, it cannot be re-entered into our competition.
4. You must sign-up in advance to be entered into the contest. You may enter both contests, but you must wear a different costume in each contest.
5. During pre-judging, you will be able to chat with the judges so you can describe the details of the cosplay or provide a story about the character being portrayed. You may offer details about the construction process, materials, number of work hours, or anything that might impress them.
Pre-judging is also the perfect time to show the judges your Work In Progress photos and your build book!
Please remember that a good quality image can absolutely help the judges greatly in deciding your score. Don’t forget to bring a reference photo of the character you are portraying if you wish for accuracy to be taken into account during your judging if the judges are not familiar with the character.
6. Costumes submitted in your application must be the costume that you wear for pre-judging and across the stage in the costume contest. If a contestant arrives in a different costume from the one in their application, the judges reserve the right to disqualify them from the competition.
