Winter Cos Con 2026

Cosplay Competition: Craftsmanship Focused

January 18, 2026

Show off your skills, creativity, and love for the hobby at Winter Cos Con’s premiere Craftsmanship Competition! This spotlight event celebrates the makers: the stitchers, prop-builders, and detail-obsessed creators who bring characters to life through handmade cosplays.  Apply Here! Judges TBA, Directed by Breadbite Cosplays, Hosted by Jennard with commentators James Cosplay & Venus Nebulous

Craftsmanship Competitive Divisions – Three Categories. Beginner, Intermediate and Masters

Note: Fully store-bought cosplays are not permitted in Craftsmanship categories.

Beginner

• Street clothing allowed.
• Must be altered by at least 25%, or
• 25% of the costume must be crafted from scratch.

Intermediate

• At least 50% of the costume must be altered from street clothing.
• 50% of the full outfit must be crafted from scratch.

Masters

• No street clothing allowed.
• All costume elements must be hand-crafted.

Exceptions

Items such as shoes, tights, wigs, and hat bases may be purchased as-is.

• Intermediate: Modification of these items is expected.
• Masters: Modification is required.
• Additional exception cases will be handled by the Cosplay Coordinator on a case-by-case basis at the Masters level.

Commissioned Pieces & Eligibility

• If part of your cosplay is commissioned, you must disclose this in your submission.
• Acceptance of commissioned components is at the Cosplay Coordinator’s discretion.
• Any cosplay that has previously won a craftsmanship award at any level is not eligible for this contest.

Scoring Breakdown

Accuracy – 20%

• How closely does your cosplay match the original design?
• If you’ve added creative flair, does it still honor the spirit of the source?

Quality – 40%

• How well is your costume constructed?
• Does it fit well?
• Are the finishes clean, sharp, and polished?

Technique – 40%

• What crafting skills are demonstrated?
• Are materials used in creative or innovative ways?
• Does your personal style shine through?

Build Book Requirement 

Your build book should include:

• Reference art
• Sketches
• Concept art
• Progress photos

Requirements:

• Bring at least one physical copy for the judges.
• Organize your build book clearly.
• Include a brief description of your build process.
• Maximum: 4 pages front & back (8 pages total).
• Cover and back page do not count toward the page limit.

Prejudging

Join us for our Craftsmanship Mixer at 12:00 PM!

• Meet the judges
• Chat with fellow contestants
• Enjoy light snacks
• Prejudging will take place during this mixer.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST – APPLY HERE!

Tickets for event room are $12 and are available at Winter Cos Con Tickets