Schedule of Programming
Scheduled expected to be published in April 2025.
DemiCon is an interactive adventure with all sorts of amazing ways to be involved.
The deadline to sign-up to run your own panel is March 15, 2025. If you have any questions you can reach programming at programming@demicon.org. If you are ready to submit a panel idea please use the follow form:
If you have any interest ins helping out in the gaming room or scheduling a gaming session please reach out to gaming@demicon.org.
Sometimes we have panels or programming that needs additional panelists. Are you interested in sitting on a panel?
We have many local, regional, and national professionals that attend DemiCon. They contribute to many areas of the convention, such as the art show, the music venue, and programming. Professional guests that contribute in this way may be eligible to be featured in our programming book, as well as receive a free membership to the convention for themselves and a guest.
If you would like to be considered as a professional guest, or if you know a professional that we should invite to DemiCon 36, please fill out this form to let us know.
Contests
DemiCon typically hosts a wide range of contests to suit many interests. All are welcome to participate.
Examples of some past contests include:
- Room Party Contest
- Sweded Movie Trailer Contest
- Play to Win games
- Scavenger Hunt
Once we know for sure what contests we are doing this year we’ll post it here.
Hall Costume Competition
Part of the fun of any con is the freedom to dress up as your favorite character, or archetype, or as some completely unique and original concept spawned from your own very creative brain. We at DemiCon like to encourage that freedom further by offering you the chance to show off your clever ideas and talented handiwork through our costume contest events.
On Friday, the Hall Costume Contest allows you to immortalize your amazing apparel via our fabulous official photographer’s portrait service (it’s free!), while our mystery judges mingle among the attendees to quietly select the best-of-the-best.
HOW TO ENTER:
All you need to do is come to the lobby starting around 9:30-ish and have your photo taken. That’s it! That let’s the judges know you want to be a part of this competition. Now go and enjoy your Friday evening.
When you have your photo taken they will take some of your contact information and will contact you if you have won a prize. For latest news and announcements please join our Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/demiconmasqueradeandcosplay/.
Masquerade and Cosplay Contest
MASQUERADE AND COSPLAY COMPETITION
Part of the fun of any con is the freedom to dress up as your favorite character, or archetype, or as some completely unique and original concept spawned from your own very creative brain. We at DemiCon like to encourage that freedom further by offering you the chance to show off your clever ideas and talented handiwork through our costume contest events.
On Saturday, the main stage masquerade and cosplay event lets you thrill our audience with not only your spectacular costume creations, but your skilled (or not-so-skilled – we don’t care, we love just watching everyone try!) mini-performance.
SO WHAT HAPPENS?
Unlike the Friday night “Hall Costume” contest, the Saturday evening event gives you a chance to strut your clever and cunningly-crafted attire in front of a captive (although voluntarily so) audience. Prizes will be awarded for the costumes deemed by our judges to be the best of the best.
If you’ve participated in masquerades before, then you’re already familiar with the thrill of hearing the “oooohs” and “aaaahs” of an audience eager to appreciate your handiwork and presentation skills. If you’ve NOT tried your hand as a contestant in the past, then get ready for one of the biggest endorphin rushes one can experience at an SF con. Once you’ve walked across that stage in your jaw-dropping Renaissance garb, or Steampunk finery, or as your favorite anime character, or wherever your creative muse has taken you, you’ll be hooked — we promise!
STUFF TO KNOW (aka Rules and Procedures)
The masquerade will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday evening. Adult participants should report to the green room (Ballroom D) by 7:15; junior participants (ages 13 and under) should report to the green room by no later than 7:30. [Times subject to change]
You must have a DemiCon 36 membership to take part in the Masquerade and Cosplay. If you have not registered for DemiCon 36 yet, please visit the Registration page.
There is no private dressing facility in the green room — so if modesty is an issue, you’ll need to don at least your lowest layer either in your hotel room, or in the nearby hotel restroom facility, before reporting in.
DemiCon recognizes four entry categories: Apprentice (a.k.a. Junior — for contestants aged 13 years and younger), Artisan (ages 14 and up), Exhibition (for show only; not entered for judging consideration), and Assembled (consisting primarily of commercially manufactured or “store bought” elements). There will be “Best of Apprentice” and “Best of Artisan” awards presented, as well as a “Best of Show” that can be selected from either category. In addition, the judges will be given leeway to present a few “honorable mention” awards, which may include things such as: Best Presentation, Best Media Recreation, Best Use of Materials — or whatever else they deem fit in order to recognize our contestants’ outstanding work. There will also be a “Best Workmanship” award bestowed by a separate panel of judges, who will examine costumes up close and personal in the greenroom area. The workmanship judges may also elect to give out some honorable mention awards for special detail work, as they deem appropriate.
For those opting to avail themselves of a tech rehearsal, you will be granted a 10-minute slot to practice with the emcee and tech crew on Saturday afternoon. You can sign up for your tech rehearsal time when you submit your entry paperwork — but in order to be granted tech rehearsal time, we will need your paperwork no later than noon on Saturday. (Remember: if you like being super-efficient, you can get your “paperwork” to us in advance by including it in your Masquerade and Cosplay registration.) It is not necessary to come to your rehearsal in your full costume — but for best results, we do recommend bringing along any special props, headgear, and/or footwear that are part of your ensemble, as those are the items most likely to cause unexpected challenges during a presentation.
Persons scheduling a tech rehearsal should bring any special music or audio files with them if the presentation requires it. Preferred format is .mp3 or .aif files on a flash drive or CD. Our sound crew may or may not be able to accommodate other formats, so deviate from these guidelines at your own risk. With or without a tech rehearsal, however, we can provide you with some kick-ass background music if you need it. Just let us know the general type of mood you want to set, and we’ll select something great for you accordingly.
We will have a photographer available to take studio-quality pictures of you in your masquerade garb. You should plan to be prepared for your photo shoot during the pre-event green room time, although our photographer MAY be available for a brief period after the conclusion of the masquerade if you don’t get around to having your portrait snapped earlier.
After your time on stage, we recommend that you remain in costume until all entries have been presented (although you can certainly temporarily remove pieces if some “breathing time” is required), so that you may participate in the post-masquerade “photo run” across the stage for the photographers in our audience. This is optional — but after having gone to all that hard work to make the costume, don’t you want to give everyone else as much opportunity as possible to enjoy it?
After the photo run (or sooner, for those who opt not to do the “catwalk” thing), participants may remove any or all portions of their costume, and are invited to sit in the audience to enjoy the halftime show, and to be present when the judges return from deliberation to announce the awards.
NEED MORE INFORMATION?
Questions? Suggestions? The sooner you contact us, the better. Please direct all masquerade-related correspondence to Jeannette Roth — your humble DemiCon 36 masquerade/cosplay director — at masquerade@demicon.org.
And once again, if you’ve decided to join us with an onstage presentation – and we hope you have – you can help yourself and help us to make things run more smoothly and efficiently by registering online.
For latest news and announcements please join our Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/demiconmasqueradeandcosplay/.
Self-run programming
Self-Run programming is easy, fun, and can be done at your own pace.
You choose how much time you wish to take and what you do. Just follow the activity’s directions, and away you go.
Closer to the convention we’ll post what we have planned. In the meantime, here are some examples of self run programming from year past:
- Read-to-Win Library
- Duck Hunt
- Cardio Loop
- Let’s Color
- Origami Paper Folding
- Check out life size cardboard cutouts
- Play-to-Win Game Library
The Trans-Iowa Canal Company™
TICC is an eclectic collection of science fiction fans that enjoy parodying science fiction literature, TV shows, movies, and fandom in general. Originally formed in Iowa City in 1980, its first performance, at ICON VI in 1981, was entitled “Smart Trek.” Over the years, the troupe has grown, with both a Western company, based in Des Moines, and an Eastern company, based in Iowa City. Over 170 actors, two stuffed fish, and an inflatable doll have participated in more