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Cosplay at AWA

From Competitions to Mobile Repair, we've got it all!

The Cosplay Alley at AWA

Need a quick repair? Want to take a minute away from all the cameras and fan-humans who’ve been adoring you all day? Have interest in seeing some of the best award-winning cosplays from all across the US?

If you answered yes to any of these questions (and even if you didn’t), make sure to stop by The Cosplay Alley, a unique cosplay offering for all your cosplay needs and wants.

Cosplay Repair

Ripped seam? Missing button? Prop broke? Visit the repair station in cosplay alley! Hot glue guns, sewing needles, duct tape, and an assortment of tools to help get you and your costume back out there to enjoy the con!

Lounge

Looking for a quiet place away from the con? Need a dressing room to get in/out of that big armor set? Step into our new quiet, lounge space. Blocked away from photographers as a place to chillax and recoup.

Gallery

If you are looking for cosplay inspiration then step no further than the front doors of cosplay alley to see this year’s Cosplay Gallery. This museum features the talents of several known cosplayers.

AWA’s Costume Contest

Do you want to compete with the best of the best costumers at AWA? Enter our Costume Contest! For an idea of what you’ll need to be qualified please see below. Rules may be subject to change.

The AWA Costume Contest is held Saturday night in Main Events. Contestants are pre-judged before the show on craftsmanship by a panel of three judges. Our costume contest is intended for attendees who have made 75% of their own costume. This year, we will not be allowing exhibition-only contestants.

View the full COVID19 policy.

Entering the Contest

On-site registration for the cosplay contest will be at Williams Ballroom “G” in the Cobb Galleria Center on Friday from 9:00am to 6:00pm and on Saturday from 10:00am to 2:00pm OR until all slots are filled. Registration for a judging time slot is first come, first served. Entry slots are limited.

This year, we are providing an online entry form to help speed up the cosplay registration process at the convention. Filling out this form does NOT guarantee a judging spot, but it does mean you don’t have to fill out a form in full cosplay wearing your wrist gauntlets that aren’t so bendy! On the online form, you will submit your email address, legal name, the name of the character you are entering, and a reference image.

Contestants must register for a judging time slot in person at the convention. On Friday, October 27th, contestants will have the option to sign up for a judging timeslot on Friday OR one of a limited amount of morning time slots on Saturday, October 28th. Once those limited time slots are filled, contestants must choose one of the remaining Friday judging time slots or wait until Saturday morning, to register for any remaining time slots for that day.

Please remember, that spots are limited. If you have any questions, please feel free to email cosplay@awa-con.com.

Prizes & Categories

Youth

Best in Youth Trophy
&
$50.00

Novice

Best in Novice Trophy
&
$100.00

Journeyman

Best in Journeyman Trophy
&
$150.00

Master

Best in Masters Trophy
&
$400.00

General Rules

  • Costume judging is not open to the public. Only participants, handlers, and parents of those in the Youth category may be present.
  • Children 15 years of age and under will be judged separately in the Youth category. Parents are required to accompany entrants in the Youth division.
  • All contestants must have a current membership to Anime Weekend Atlanta.
  • All awards presented are at the judges’ discretion.
  • Registration is open on Friday and Saturday morning UNTIL all judged time slots are filled.
  • Judging will be held on Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday from 9am to 12pm.

Reference Images

  • Reference images will not be returned, so please don’t give us anything you want to keep.
  • Hand-drawn reference images are only allowed for Original Design entrants.
  • Fan art, however beautiful, is not an acceptable reference image.
  • Reference images need to be in color.
  • Reference images will be accepted online through our pre-registration website
  • Registration forms will be available during the convention for those who do not pre-register

Professional Cosplayers

The AWA Costume Contest encourages costumers of all skill levels to enter. Keeping this in mind, we will require any professional costumers who enter our contest to enter either the Masters category or the Exhibition category in recognition of your hard work for the whole convention to see.
A professional costumer is anyone who receives a significant portion of their income from costume design, construction, or sales

Additional Info

  • If you are part of a group, only pre-register ONE TIME on the AWA website.
  • You must attend the judging session and Contest Presentation in the costume you’re entering.
  • Any personal items you bring to the Contest Presentation will go with you on stage. AWA volunteers do not hold personal belongings
  • Judging is done by appointment ONLY. You will get your appointment time when you register on-site
  • If any contestant becomes unruly and disrupts or interferes with the Costume Contest at any time, they will be disqualified and asked to leave. If they continue to be disruptive, their convention badge and membership will be revoked and security will escort them from the premises.
  • Skits will not be accepted into the Costume Contest.
  • Only one entry per person.
  • Competing in multiple groups is not allowed.

Official AWA Photoshoot Schedule

Thank you for your interest in the AWA Official Photoshoot schedule of 2023! Whatever anime, manga, video game, or series you geek over, we want YOU meet and greet fellow fans with your own photoshoot!

For Photoshoot Organizers

  • AWA does not provide photographers for Official Photoshoots. It is up to the captain to find a photographer.
  • All team captains must create a public Facebook group OR event for their photoshoot prior to their submission and provide the link to the group in their application.
  • All team captains must purchase their own membership to AWA 2023.
  • Once we have approved your application, we will contact you and update the schedule
  • We ask that all captains who have submitted a panel for AWA, please list the name of the panel so our department can assist in ensuring that your panel will not be scheduled during your photoshoot.

Scheduling Info

  • Sign-up is on a “first come, first served” basis. If you want a specific time or location, please sign up early.
  • We will schedule one shoot per fandom per day.
  • Photoshoots are set for 1 hour by default. You may request longer (up to 2 hours) or shorter as needed.
  • In the week following the release of the schedule, captains may request to change their scheduled time/location once. Changes to photoshoots will be locked at that point.

Photoshoot Requests open NOW!

We are also working on publishing a Photoshoot schedule here. Stay tuned!

Contact the Cosplay Department
Apply for a Photoshoot
Photoshoot Facebook Group

Photopass Memberships

Photopass memberships will resume in 2024. There will be no photopass memberships for 2023.

Are you a photographer that wants to offer their services to cosplayers for profit at Anime Weekend Atlanta? Are you a cosplayer that is looking for a quality photographer to do a photoshoot for you or your group?

Anime Weekend Atlanta has your solution!

Photopass Memberships will once again be available for photographers that would like to charge for cosplay photoshoots. With this membership type we hope to:

  • Allow photographers to be fairly compensated for their work
  • Give cosplayers a resource to find photographers they can hold accountable
  • Help connect photographers and cosplayers to support the industry

To qualify to purchase the Photopass badge you will need to apply via this form. Only vetted and approved photographers will qualify for the badge. Once you are approved, the photopass will be $110.

Photopass Memberships include:

  • 4 Day admission to the convention
  • The ability to charge for photoshoots at the convention
  • The ability to post once per week in the AWA Facebook group with rates, availability and links to your page
  • Listing on the AWA website as an approved photographer with a link to your site
  • Access to a standard booking form that includes all the necessary documentation for shared rights to the photos as well as information shared between the photographer and the cosplayer.
  • Exclusive Badge denoting you as a Photopass Photographer

Qualifications and Rules

  • Photopass Memberships are limited to 400 people
  • All photographers who apply to be a photopass photographer will need to provide a link to a portfolio and will be vetted, similar to vendors & artists
  • Photopass Memberships are non-transferable
  • Photopass Memberships do not give you any special photography access. You must adhere to signs/instructions indicating no photography is allowed, and stay in public spaces (i.e you are not permitted backstage, press pit access, or other areas of the con you would not normally be able to access.
  • Photo equipment/lighting cannot impede the flow of traffic or be disruptive/intrusive. (I.e. hand-held light kits are fine, but do not set up a backdrop and softboxes)
  • You must have a Photopass Membership in order to charge for photography services. Unapproved persons providing paid photography services (or any other goods or services) during the convention at the venue without the approval of AWA may be asked to forfeit their badge and leave the convention.
  • Anime Weekend Atlanta is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged equipment.
  • PhotoPass does NOT give you permission to publish photographs of people without their express consent.
  • REMINDER: Sites off-campus in surrounding parks and office complexes are not controlled by AWA.

The above information is for reference purposes only. Please check back after AWA 2023 for more information.

** We are revamping the Photopass Membership and will be bringing it back for the 2024 convention. No photopasses will be available for the 2023 convention.**

Accessibility by WAH