Mississauga, Ontario, Canada (April 20-24, 2017)
Details:
Chair: Mark P. Tjan
Event Subtitle/Theme: Heroes and Villains
Sponsored By: Unknown
Venue: Hilton Mississauga Meadowvale 6750 Mississauga Rd, Mississauga, ON L5N 2L3, Canada
Membership Fees: Starting: $60; Ending: $95
Group rates (4 for the price of 3): $180 – $210 (not available at door)
Two Day: Adult: $25 (Friday), $35 (Saturday OR Sunday)
Evening Event passes: $10 per Masquerade, $15 for both (at-con only)
Supporting Fees: $25 – $35
– Kid in Tow* membership (Under 13): Free
– Youth/Student (High School/University w/ID) memberships (13-17): $40 – $75
Final Pre-Reg Membership: Unknown
Attending Membership: Unknown
Friday Social: Heroes and Villains
Special Activities: Bobby Gear Memorial Quilts & Capes Contest
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient(s): Eric Cannon and Sue Kulinyi Cannon‡
Related Data:
- Conference Committee
- Program & Participants (Descriptions missing)
- Publications (Most missing)
- Merchants (Dealers’ Room) (Unknown)
- Science Fiction & Fantasy Masquerade Gallery and Rules
- Historical Masquerade Gallery and Rules
- Single Pattern Contest Gallery and Rules
- Future Fashion Show Gallery and Rules
- Bobby & Marty Gear Memorial Quilt Contest; Quilts and Capes! Entries and Rules
- Doll Costume Contest Entries and Rules
- Single Pattern Competition
- Science Fiction/Fantasy Masquerade
- Historical Masquerade
- Future Fashion Show
- Bobby and Marty Gear Memorial Quilt and Cape Contest
Site Selection Ballot (held at Costume-Con 32):
Two bids were received: San Diego, California and Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. As selection took place in Toronto, the latter bid won. San Diego bid again at CC33 for CC36 and won the bid.
Verified on Facebook via Karen Schnaubelt on April 14, 2014:
“… Thrilled to announce that San Diego is bidding for Costume-Con 35 in 2017. I’ve wanted the con back in Southern California for a long time, as it was spawned by San Diego fandom/costumers, so this is very exciting news!”
Reviews/Related Websites:
- http://costumecon35.com/
Pioneered:
Miscellaneous Notes:
Competition FAQ
What size is the stage?
Our stage will be 35 feet wide by 16 feet deep (usable space, not including wings and other draped-off areas).
Is it possible to enter all of the competitions?
Yes it is. Traditionally the competition schedule happens this way:
Friday Evening: Single Pattern Competition during the Friday Night Social
Saturday Evening: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Masquerade (aka cosplay and anything else)
Sunday morning/early afternoon: Future Fashion Folio Show
Sunday Night: Historical Masquerade
(For the Historical Masquerade you make a judging appointment during the weekend and take your costume for the judges to inspect and interview you about). Please stand by for the OFFICIAL Costume-Con 35 Competitions Schedule, but theoretically the schedule should make it possible for you to participate in all the shows if you so choose.
Can I wear my competition costume in the halls before I go on stage?
While it’s not expressly forbidden, many people prefer not to wear their competition costume before taking it onstage for a few reasons. First, you deprive the audience the delight of a collective “ooo!” and “ahh!” over your fabulous work when you take your turn. Second, you could prejudice the masquerade judges ahead of time if they happen to see you in the halls or checking out the wares in the Dealers Room earlier in the day. Third, you could damage your costume, and many competition costumes are too large and/or unwieldy to wear comfortably in the halls. However it is completely your choice and there is no penalty if you wish to get the maximum amount of wear out of your costume.
I’ve heard that the masquerades have “Tech Rehearsals”. What are those?
This is a scheduled time during the day before the masquerade for meeting with the technical crew who run the masquerade lights and sound. These are mandatory for participation in the Historical or F&SF masquerades; you will find the sign up sheets at the Masquerade Director’s registration table. Generally speaking, you get about 5 – 8 minutes to show the crew how you will enter, explain any light or music cues you may have, and they’ll make notes about the colors of your costume so that it is lit in the best way possible. Your actual stage movement should already have been planned out. You will probably get one or two opportunities to run through your presentation, and then you will be done. It is very important to be on time as the schedule is usually quite tight.
What is the Skill Division system?
It’s a system for protecting those who have little to no experience in costume presentation and workmanship from having to compete with those who have costumed for many years. Entrants may always choose to compete at a higher division if they feel their skills are adequate, but they may not compete lower than a division in which they’ve won in the past.
For a more detailed explanation, have a look at the ICG Guidelines for Ensuring Fairness in Competitions: http://costume.org/documents/fairness.html
How do I know at what level I should enter?
If the aforementioned document still leaves you unsure, contact the Masquerade Director for the given event, and they will be more than happy to help you.
I’ve heard something referred to as the “Green Room”. What’s that for?
Just like a theatrical Green Room, it is a staging area where the competing costumers meet to put on or tweak their outfits in preparation for their presentations. The Green Room is traditionally open 2 hours or more before the beginning of the masquerade. You are checked in by the Green Room Manager, who will assign you to a “den” of costumers where you can rest in chairs and put a small prop on a table.
Last minute preparations are normal, but everyone is encouraged to be considerate of their fellow costumers by not actually constructing pieces that take up large amounts of room. Light snacks are usually available, is as water.
Once you have most, if not all of your costume put on, you will have an informal photo taken of you for the presentation judges who will be seated in front of the stage. This will serve as a memory aid for them during deliberations. Typically, Workmanship judging takes place in some corner of the Green Room before the show.
Once your costume is completely put on and ready to show, you will have an official Masquerade Photo taken. It is not only a record of your creation, but you will have the opportunity to purchase copies of the photo and any others of your fellow costumers. These photos will also appear in the official records of the convention.
I’ve seen mention of something called a “Den Mom”. What’s that?
Den moms and den dads are Green Room volunteers who are there to assist the competitors with their last minute preparations like putting on a head piece, zipping up dresses, etc. Often, these volunteers are costumers themselves, or experienced back-stage helpers. Usually, one den mom or dad is assigned to 4 – 5 costumers or entries. A good den mom or dad will monitor their charges, checking to make sure they stay comfortable by bringing them water, or a snack or keep them cool with a hand fan. They may also lead the costumer to their backstage position before going before the audience. Without den moms and dads, there would be a lot of uncomfortable competitors!
Workmanship judging sounds intimidating. How does that work, and why should I bother?
Everyone is encouraged to submit to Workmanship judging when entering masquerades. The judges are there to look for something which they believe should receive recognition of excellence – not to find what you did wrong. You can submit your whole costume, or just one specific item that you are proud of. If you had to buy a particular accessory that you couldn’t make yourself, you should make that known to the judge(s).
The judging usually takes place in the Green Room before the masquerade, but sometimes continues while the show is in progress. Contestants are allowed a few minutes to explain how they made their costumes, and the judges may ask specific questions about a particular piece. As a courtesy to their fellow costumers, entrants should be considerate of the judges’ time constraints so that everyone has a chance to submit their works.
Do I need to have documentation for my costume? What format should it be in?
If you are recreating a costume from a media source such as a movie, anime, book, game etc., you are strongly encouraged to bring some sort of documentation. Not only does it prove your accuracy, but if the judge is not familiar with the source, it may be the only way to judge its veracity. Documentation is mandatory for the Historical masquerade.
Documentation can be as simple as a photo or photos that show the costume from various angles, or if it is an interpretation from a book, then a photocopy of that source. It is also strongly encouraged to present the documentation in printed form, so that a judge can refer to it later, if needed. Keep in mind, the judges will most likely have only a few minutes to read through your documentation while making their decisions. You can get more specifics from the individual Masquerade Director as to what is acceptable.
Here are some examples that can help give you an idea, from complex to simple (all are valid):
Here is an example from a Virtual Costumers newsletter, about an entry from the CC 28 masquerade. http://www.siwcostumers.org/newsletterarchive/VirtCostV10-I1-2012/VirtCostV10-I1-2012_27-blackfoot.pdf
Here is an example from CC31: http://sosteadyasshesews.blogspot.ca/2013_12_01_archive.html
Primer about Documentation from Dramatic Threads: http://www.dramaticthreads.com/2013/10/the-easiest-documentation.html
Example Documentation from CC22 entry: http://www.koshka-the-cat.com/green_gold.html
Example from CC30: http://twilatee.blogspot.ca/2012/10/making-of-tennis-dress-1.html
Are there any cash prizes?
Probably no. Your rewards are a rosette ribbon, a certificate and the applause and admiration of your peers. There may also be trophies for the Best in Show and Best in Division awards.
I’ve heard some guild chapters give out their own awards. What’s that about?
Often times, before the official masquerade awards are announced, some ICG Guild chapters will present their own award to an entry. These include, but are not limited to:
The “Spazzy”, given by the New York/New Jersey Costumers Guild for the best presentation of sick and twisted humor.
The “Slattern”, presented by the St. Louis Costumers Guild, for the person or persons they feel had the most fun on stage.
The “Cement Overshoes”, presented by the Chicagoland Costumers Guild, to the person they would like most to take a long walk off a short pier, so that they can take the costumer’s stuff.
The “Moosie”, presented by the Fibre Fantasy Artists of Canada, to the person they would like to steal away to become an honorary Canadian.
Basically, it’s a way to say, “Hey, we like what you did!”
(Thanks to Bruce & Nora Mai for much of the FAQ)
Panels & Presentations
Roundtable sessions, presentations, and lectures on a wide variety of costume and community-related topics will be part of our programming. Registration for panels will be forthcoming.
Workshops
Workshops are practical demos and tutorials of various arts and crafts, from sewing to smithing to mask-making, hosted by experts in their fields. Registration for workshops will be forthcoming.
Friday Night Social
The Friday Night Social is a themed party with food and drink, to help you get to know other attendees. Wear your best Hero or Villain outfit, or maybe you’re a fabulously dressed bystander? The Single Pattern contest will be held at the beginning of the Social.
Costume Exhibit
Come see some of the masterpieces our community has produced, both this year and in previous years. We’re working on a truly inspiring display!
Hall Costume Awards
Are you fond of showing off your costume in the halls? Well you’re in luck: Our sharp-eyed hall judges will be wandering, looking for gems in the crowd. Don’t be surprised if someone comes up to you and hands you an award for your awesome work!
