San Diego Comic-Con Masquerade Entry Form and Rules For 2024 Announced

Get ready to don your finest cosplay apparel, because the Masquerade is on!

If there’s one thing San Diego Comic-Con is known for, it’s amazing cosplay. And that’s never more true than at the annual Masquerade, where competitors show off their amazing (and sometimes hilarious) creations. Plus, you never know who’s going to stop by.

Entries are now open for the 2024 Masquerade, which is also their 50th Anniversary. You can find the official rules and entry for on their site. One important thing to note is that if your costume participated in the virtual Comic-Con@Home or WonderCon@Home Masquerades, or in WonderCon’s 2022-2024 in Anaheim, and has not already appeared on our Comic-Con stage, you are eligible to compete in this Masquerade as well. Please note however, competing costumes must not be worn at the convention prior to the show.

The event, to be held on Saturday, July 27 in Ballroom 20 at 8:30PM, draws a crowd of 4,000 attendees (with 2,000 more watching in Sails Pavilion and other rooms, which act as overflow). Just as in previous years, the Masquerade is free to participate in for anyone with a Saturday badge.

Contestants can enter as a single participant or in a group, and medallions will be given to the winners in the following categories:

Best In Show
Judges’ Choice
Best Re-Creation
Best Original Design
Best Workmanship
Most Humorous
Most Beautiful
Best Young Fan

Winners in the above categories will also receive a free 4-day badge to San Diego Comic-Con 2025 – which is a big prize in and of itself. In the event that a group wins, up to six memberships will be given.

Additionally, several companies and organizations offer cash prizes for sponsored awards, which include:

Frank And Son Collectible Show, of the City of Industry, California, “Your one-stop show for ALL your collectible needs” will take a break from their large bi-weekly mini-conventions to present to the entry that their representatives deem the Audience Favorite a generous $1,000 cash prize, plus a trophy.
The Art Directors Guild, IATSE Local 800 —The ADG has among its members Art Directors, Graphic Artists, Illustrators & Storyboard Artists, Model Makers, Pre-vis Artists, Production Designers, Scenic Artists, Set Designers and Title Artists of the motion picture, theater, and TV industries. The ADG is presenting two $500 awards: The ADG Cosplay Award for Original Concept Design, presented to the entry most exemplifying a wholly original concept, and, the ADG Cosplay Award for Best Visual Media Design, presented to the entry whose design best interprets a character or concept from a TV show or motion picture.
The Costume Designers Guild IATSE Local 892 — Hollywood costume designers from the CDG will present to their favorite entry a Costume Designers Guild trophy and other prizes. The CDG is Local 892 of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees and represents costume designers, assistant costume designers, and costume illustrators working at the highest levels of expertise in motion pictures, TV, commercials, music videos, and new media.
Costumer’s Guild West (CGW), will present a one-year membership to CGW, as well as a full scholarship and a complimentary one-night hotel stay to their weekend conference, Costume College®, to the entry they deem as Showing the Most Promise. Their conference is held each July at the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel
Comickaze Comics & Pop Culture Store, will present an award for what they deem the Best In-Character Performance, with a generous prize of a limited-edition special collectible statuette, an Amazon gift card of $300, and a $200 Comickaze store gift card.
Pontik.com will be participating for their first time, providing a $500 cash award for what they deem The Best Prop, based on the craftsmanship and how well it suits the accompanying costume.
Oksana Shore Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship will be given in the memory of Oksana Shore, an exceptionally talented tailor and pattern maker. Shore was a member of I.A.T.S.E. Local 479 and worked on Gotham Knights, Loki, Stranger Things, and WandaVision. This award is given to the entry that captures her spirit and skill of Patterning, Construction, and Craftsmanship, and will be presented by professional costume designer Jennifer May Nickel and include a trophy and very generous prizes from its industry sponsors.
Comic-Con International will present a special award given in memory of a long-time Committee and Board member Alan Campbell, who passed away and is sorely missed. Alan was a great fan of the Masquerade, at times generously donating his own prize. The Alan Campbell Award will be $500 cash, presented to the entry deemed Best Re-Creation of a Comics Character or Characters, as selected by a representative of the Board of Directors.

For those hoping to simply watch the competition, as always, free tickets will be available starting at 12pm PT on Saturday to those lining up near Ballroom 20, and available again from 3pm-5pm at the Masquerade Desk until all are given out.

You can find more information about the Masquerade on Comic-Con International’s website.