Get ready to don your finest cosplay apparel, because the 2025 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.
Entries are now open for the 2025 Masquerade and interested parties can find the official rules and entry for on their site. One important thing to note is that your costume is eligible if it has been presented at conventions other than WonderCon or Comic-Con International, but must not be worn at the convention prior to the show.
The event, to be held on Saturday, July 26 in Ballroom 20 at 8:30PM, draws a crowd of 3,900 attendees (with up to 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. Attendees are invited to cosplay themselves to add to the spirit of the event.
To guarantee yourself a seat to view the Masquerade, free tickets will be available starting at 12pm PT on Saturday, July 26 to those lining up near Ballroom 20, and then again from 3pm-5pm at the Masquerade Desk until all are given out. A ticket guarantees a seat.
Contestants can enter as a single participant or in a group, and trophy medallions designed by artist Sue Dawe, 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 2026 – 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 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.
- 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.
- Comic-Con International will present a special award given in memory of a long-time Committee and Board member Alan Campbell, a great fan of the Masquerade even, 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.
More prizes are expected to be announced in the coming days.
You can find more information about the Masquerade on Comic-Con International’s website.
