Masquerade & Cosplay Registration
Thanks for your interest in the DemiCon 25 "Formal" Masquerade and Cosplay! 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 as your favorite anime character, or wherever your creative muse has taken you, you'll be hooked -- we promise!
We're making a few changes this year to accommodate a wider variety of needs and styles. Take a look at what the DemiCon masquerade is doing to make your stage experience even more awesome:
WHAT'S NEW:
- First: Please note that we've slightly redubbed this event to the "Masquerade AND COSPLAY". In the past, it apparently hasn't been clear that cosplay entries are considered masquerade-worthy, and are most welcome! So, if have a character with a costume, and an idea about how to show it off, please -- do join us!
- Second: This year, we are lifting the rule barring pieces entered into the hall costume contest on Friday night from competing in the formal masquerade and Cosplay on Saturday. So, even if you strutted it from basement programming to top-floor consuite on Friday, we're happy to have you parade it across the stage the next evening as well.
- Third: We are relaxing the requirement that participants must be signed up, with paperwork turned in, for the masquerade/cosplay by noon on Saturday. The Saturday noon deadline is now ONLY for those participants who want to avail themselves of a technical rehearsal. So, if you have a skit or choreographed entry, have special music or audio requirements, or want to make sure that the emcee knows your presentation well enough to introduce it just the way you want it handled, then yes -- you need to get your paperwork in by 12:00 p.m. Saturday, and schedule a tech rehearsal slot for Saturday afternoon. BUT...
...If you're primarily interested in simply having your costume introduced for a walk (or twirl) across the stage, and do not require special music or advanced rehearsal, you may submit your entry paperwork as late as 6 p.m. on Saturday. And, better yet, you can select an appropriate, mood-setting musical backing for your presentation from our tech crew's list of ready-to-go songs. How easy -- and cool -- is that?
- Fourth: For the enthusiastic, forward-thinking, and well-prepared costume crowd, you'll want to note that we will be instituting online registration in advance of the convention this year. While not required, online registration helps us to more thoroughly and efficiently prepare for helping you to make the most of your moment in the spotlight. Ready to register now? Great! Click here to access the online registration form.
OTHER STUFF TO KNOW:
- 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.
- You must have a DemiCon 25 membership to take part in the Masquerade and Cosplay. You can follow this link to view registration for DemiCon 25.
- 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. Both the men's and women's restrooms have a large "handicapped" stall suitable for clothing changes.
- DemiCon recognizes three entry categories: Apprentice (a.k.a. Junior -- for contestants aged 13 years and younger), Artisan (ages 14 and up), and Exhibition (for show only; not entered for judging consideration). 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.
- 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 by noon on Saturday. 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.
- 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.
Questions? The sooner you ask, the better. Direct inquiries to Jeannette Roth -- your humble DC25 masquerade/cosplay director -- at masqueradecosplay@demicon.org.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I will be attending a business conference in New York the weekend prior to DemiCon, with a schedule return date of approximately two days before the convention. Therefore, I will not be around to answer questions for approximately a week-and-a-half prior to the con. I'll be around at the con itself, of course, and you can grab me there. But if you have a logistical or other complex question, 'tis best to try to reach me well before the last minute, so that I can be prepared, and give your inquiry the attention it deserves.
Hosting a Room Party
It's time to plan your room parties for DemiCon's Silver Anniversary celebration!
There will be contests this year for our Party Hosts.
One of the contests is for the "Best Use of Theme," meaning the Silver Anniversary theme of the convention.
We will also be seeking the
- best drink,
- best snack,
- best host and
- best room party over all.
So, now is the time to put your thinking caps on and come up with the perfect room party plan. Our convention attendees will be voting on all of our competitions, so make your party count.
If you are new to DemiCon, you might not know what a room party is. On Friday and Saturday nights of the con, some of our attendees will host parties in their own 5th floor rooms(on the same level as the ConSuite). Please join the fun by attending the room parties.
Only rooms in the designated party area of the hotel will be allowed to hold parties. Please let us know if you wish to host a room party so that we can ensure your room will be located on the correct floor. If you let us know which night you are holding your shin-dig, and the theme you've chosen for your revelry, we will post that information on this page.
To register your room party with us, or if you want more information about hosting a room party, contact us at roomparties@demicon.org. Since we will not occupy the entire hotel, room parties will be assigned to the Consuite wing of the fifth floor of the hotel.
No room parties will be allowed outside of the designated area.
Guidelines for Party Hosts:
- The legal drinking age in Iowa is 21. This means that your birthday must be before May 2, 1993, in order for you to consume alcohol. Minors caught with alcohol or adults caught serving alcohol to minors need to be aware of the consequences of their actions. Please drink responsibly and act accordingly.
- When posting signage for your party, please use the gridwall or if you are posting on other space, please use blue painters tape, because it will not harm the wall coverings.
- If you have any issues, questions or concerns during your party, look for the roaming Rangers (identified by the bright yellow/green vests) or the Room Party Department Head.
- Gentle reminder to please provide information regarding potential allergy issues (nuts, etc.).
Here is our current Room Party list
BrassGears Silver Saloon - BrassGears Adventurers Society; both nights
Sexy Velma Party - Karaoke and Desserts, both evenings
Royal Manticoran Navy- HMS Star Witch, Saturday evening
John's Party- Osfest; night to be determined
Jesi's Party- Title to be determined; night to be determined
Troy Menke & April Lindloff - Rememberance and tribute for our lost fans-Saturday Evening
John Johnson - ICON- night to be determined
Professional Guests
Check back here often to see the ever-expanding list of professional guests who will be participating in this year’s DemiCon.
Author Pip Ballantine, New Zealand born fantasy writer and podcaster, is the author of the Books of the Order and the Shifted World series. She is also the co-author with her husband Tee Morris of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels. Her awards include an Airship, a Parsec, the Steampunk Chronicle Reader’s Choice, and a Sir Julius Vogel. She currently resides in Manassas, Virginia, with her husband, daughter, and a furry clowder of cats.
Author Rachel Aukes is the international bestselling author of 100 Days in Deadland, which was named one of the best books of 2013 by Suspense Magazine and one of the best zombie books by the Huffington Post. She also writes science fiction romance under the pen name Berinn Rae, including Stealing Fate, a USA Today recommended read. Rachel lives near Des Moines with her husband and an incredibly spoiled sixty-pound lap dog. When not writing, she can be found flying old airplanes and trying (not so successfully) to prepare for the zombie apocalypse. Learn more at www.RachelAukes.com.
Author and podcaster P.C. Haring made his debut on 1/1/10 with Cybrosis. This cyberpunk adventure met with a strongly favorable response that propelled it to number four on the Podiobooks.com top ten list when it was re-launched there that October. His audio fiction can also be heard in Scott Sigler’s The Crypt: Book 1 — The Crew, and in Philippa Ballantine’s Chronicles of the Order anthology, and in Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine's Tales from the Archives anthology where his podcast of "The Seven" won the 2012 Parsec Award for "Best Short Story." P.C. is proud to debut Cybrosis in print at DemiCon25. When not writing and podcasting, P.C. puts his Degree in Accounting and his MBA to good use as a corporate accountant in the Chicagoland area. You can find out more at www.pcharing.net.
Author and gamer Daniel J. Heck has self-published two young adult fantasy/magic-realist novellas, Aaron Harrison's Mystical Quill and The Cowardly Thief, as well as three game-review compilations under the title of The Indispensable Gaming Guide, all available through amazon.com and createspace.com. He's currently working on a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style e-book called The Seal of Thomerion, which he anticipates completing this year. Daniel earned Bachelor's degrees in Computer Science and Technical Communications from Iowa State University, and his interests and hobbies include competitive Scrabble, Lego sculpture design and community theatre. This is Daniel's first DemiCon, but he welcomes questions and comments, as he's excited to learn, to be here and to meet everyone!
Ghost detective and author Ross Griswold is part of Mindbender Investigations, a local Iowa ghost-hunting group. He is a columnist and publishes his journals about his ghost investigations. He also authors the Immortal Staff-Master books.
Artist Dawn Obrecht is a local fantasy artist, born in South Korea and raised in Iowa. She has been published in four books and several small magazines. She also received the "Best Amateur Group" award for DemiCon 19. After a four-year hiatus, Dawn has begun arting again, making the transition from watercolor to art marker/mixed media. When she's not arting, she can be found working her day job, chasing four girls around (ages 4 to 15) with her husband, or making beaded jewelry.
Artist and writer Jan Sherrell Gephardt began working in the medium of paper sculpture after a 20-year career as an illustrator and graphic designer. She has had several recent one-person shows and been juried into regional and national art exhibitions. She has been part of SF fandom since the early 1980s. She’s a past officer of the international artists’ organization, the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists, Inc (ASFA). She’s been an exhibiting artist for three decades and helped write the ASFA Art Show Guidelines, and was the Art Show Director for ConQuesT in Kansas City, MO, for three years. She is currently the Communications Officer of KaCSFFS, the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society, Inc.
Author Lettie Prell is a professional science fiction writer. Her story, "The Performance Artist," published in the Book of Apex: Volume 4, explores the edge where humans and their technology are increasingly merging. Other stories have appeared in Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, Paranormal Underground, and elsewhere. Her first novel is Dragon Ring and she has another in the works. She is also a poet and her haiku were featured in the Iowa Drama Workshop production of Kali Ma!
Author, musician, and artist Adam Stemple has been a member of the rock-and-reel band Cats Laughing, as well as lead singer and guitarist for twelve years for Boiled in Lead. He is currently with the Irish band Tim Malloys. Author of a number of published short stories, he is also co-author (with Jane Yolen) of the Rock 'n Roll Fairy Tale series beginning with Pay the Piper. A Piece of Flesh was chosen as one of ten short stories included in Year's Best SF and Fantasy for Teens. Stemple's first solo novel is Singer of Souls. Stemple has written a series of historical whodunnits set in Feudal Japan, featuring the sleuthing duo of Ken'ichi and his samurai master Shichiro, some of which have been published in the historical fiction magazine Paradox.
Author Adam J. Whitlatch wrote the post-apocalyptic novel The Weller, as well as the forthcoming novelization to the animated science fiction film War of the Worlds: Goliath. Adam works as an associate editor with KHP Publishers, Inc., managing the science fiction imprint. He also teaches writing and publication classes for the Villages Folk School in Van Buren County, Iowa. He lives in southeast Iowa with his wife, Jessica, and their three sons.
Author and publisher Lars Pearson is one of the foremost experts on Doctor Who in North America. As founder and editor-in-chief of Mad Norwegian Press, a publishing company that specializes in Sci-Fi reference guides and novels, Lars has worked with such notable authors as Harlan Ellison, Diana Galaldon, Tanya Huff and Catherynne Valente. He co-writes (along with Lance Parkin) Ahistory, a seminal guidebook that places every Doctor Who story in chronological order, and answers such vitally important questions as when dogs will evolve thumbs. Lars oversees the About Time series, which contextualizes every Doctor Who story by the real-world politics and pop culture of the time (Volume 3 was longlisted for a BSFA award in 2009). Despite the obvious impediment of having a Y chromosome, Lars also edits Mad Norwegian's range of essay books pertaining to women and fandom, including Chicks Dig Time Lords (2011 Hugo Award Winner, Best Related Work), Chicks Unravel Time (2013 Hugo nominee) and Chicks Dig Comics (2013 Hugo nominee).
Artist and gamer Andy “Cosmo-Joe” Watkins has been described as "mesmerizing" by The New York Times. With a tarp, a few cans of spray paint, and blank canvases, he became not only an artist, but an event. He’s toured across the country, but remains humbled and inspired by the people of Wisconsin and has become an integral part of the Madison experience, spending most summer Saturdays painting before large crowds on State Street. He also uses oils and acrylics in a number of his studio paintings. Andy founded Cosmo-Joe Entertainment, a company dedicated to the promotion of artists and the arts, and he purchased the Art Affair gallery in historic downtown Menasha, WI. He founded Cosmo Joe Games for board and video games, and founded Game Master Works to produce game tables and designer dice for table-top RPGs. He holds the copyright to over 5,000 works of art, several video and board games, several designs for dice, and dozens of songs.
Past Guests of Honor Who Are Able to Join Us for DemiCon 25
DemiCon 5 Author Guest of Honor Glen Cook, known for his stellar The Black Company military fantasy series and so much more, told DemiCon this: I was born and am still under foot. Hit the ground in NYC in 1944, lived there, Indiana, and California growing up. Served in the Navy, attended U of Missouri, worked for General Motors and retired therefrom. Began writing with intent to commit publication late 1960s and have since produced 51 published books (#51, Working God's Mischief, will come out between now and the convention), some short fiction, some articles and some essays. I have three sons, an Army officer, an architect, and a symphony musician, plus numerous grandchildren, all but one of whom seem determined to be female. And I have an amazing wife who has been with me for almost 45 years. These days I am, extremely slowly, working on expanding the Black Company chronicles by two novels and a story collection. I have become a victim of Ambition Deficit Disorder, which is what has put the slow in slowly.
DemiCon 16 Artist Guest of Honor Mike Cole has displayed his artwork at science fiction conventions across the country since 1984. He's a graphic artist at a T-shirt company in St. Louis, Missouri, and is currently working on a number of projects for this year, including his 8th collection of cartoons, a number of comics for Little Guy Production LLC, and a line of ever expanding pin-up prints. He's also done a number of designs for Off-World Press featuring his sick and twisted brand of humor. To explore Mike's art, please visit www.digitaloriginals.net.
DemiCon 24 Artist Guest of Honor Scott Ross (a.k.a. Kurogawa) was born in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Drake University with a BFA in Graphic Arts, served in the U.S. Army as an illustrator at the Army Intelligence School and in Psychological Operations on Okinawa. Returning to Drake, he earned a MFA in Sculpture. He is a freelance graphic designer, sculptor, banjo player, and costumer, and has won numerous awards as a Master Costumer at various SF conventions, including Best Master and Best Workmanship at LonestarCon 2. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa.
DemiCon 22 Fan Guests of Honor John and Denise Garner are well known as artists as well as fans. They have been attending sci-fi and fantasy conventions for over 25 years, and have been fans their entire lives. Their award-winning artwork has been displayed in innumerable convention art shows, books, magazines, and on many fans' walls. John and Denise have also been known to host Karaoke parties at DemiCon into the wee hours, so stop by the party and rock the room with them.
Unfortunately, DemiCon 14 Artist GOH Lubov, DemiCon 13 Artist GOH Alan M. Clark and DemiCon 22 Artist GOH Sarah Clemens are not able to personally join us this year, but will be sending their wonderful artwork in their stead. So, don't forget to visit the Art Show when you attend DemiCon 25 and look for the work of our past Guests of Honor.
Registration for Gaming
DemiCon will feature scheduled and open gaming. Our gaming venue is available throughout the entire convention. We are proud to announce that Chamber of Champions will be overseeing the gaming again this year at DemiCon 25.
You must be registered for DemiCon to use the gaming rooms and participate in tournaments, and you can purchase your membership at the convention. To view at-the-door membership options and prices, refer to the FAQ page. To register on-line prior to the con, use the convention registration page.
If you choose to register for your membership badge at the door (as opposed to registering on-line prior to the con), please try to arrive well in advance of your scheduled tournament. At times, there will be a waiting line for at-the-door registration, and you will not be permitted in the gaming rooms without your badge.
Is there a game that you would like to host at DemiCon? Tell us about it!
We want your input, and we welcome your questions. E-mail us at gaming@demicon.org.
Gaming Events
Friday, May 2, 7 pm to 12 am
Tournament Room - Warhammer 40K
General - Cards Against Humanity, Are you a Werewolf?, Kingsburg Board Game
RPG - Pathfinder Society, Legends of Arcanis
Saturday, May 3, 10 am to 2 pm
Tournament Room - Scrabble
General - Open Gaming, Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures
RPG - Pathfinder Society, Pathfinder Society
Saturday, May 3, 3 pm to 7 pm
Tournament Room - Cribbage, MTG: Intro Pack Challenge, MTG: Booster Draft
General - Settlers of Catan Board Game, Pandemic Board Game, Munchkin Bites Card Game
RPG - Pathfinder Society, Numenara PRG Demo
Friday, May 3, 8 pm to 12 am
Tournament Room - MTG: Paupers Tourney
General - Cards Against Humanity, King of Air and Steam Board Game, Ticket to Ride Europe Board game
RPG - Pathfinder Society, Legends of Arcanis
Friday, May 2, 7 pm to 12 am
Tournament Room - MTG: Vintage 10 Proxy
General - Open Gaming, Small World, 13th Age RPG Demo
RPG - Pathfinder Society, Legends of Arcanis
Play-To-Win Special Events
This year we are trying a great idea for all gamers. We have a couple of innovative and fun games that have been donated by some great gaming businesses. We are going to do a Play-to-Win event through the convention. Groups are encouraged to borrow the Play-to-Win games, and when around of play is completed, pass the game on to the next group of players. Then, put your name with badge number in a drawing at the end of the convention to win the game. You must be present at the DemiCon Closing Ceremonies to win. This is a great way to try out some new games on the market and maybe take it home with you.
Rules:
- Check out the game of your choice from the Hub, located at the bottom of the curvy stairs lower level.
- Put your name and badge number on the sheet to check it out.
- Play the game.
- Return the game to the Hub.
- Everyone that played the game can put their name and badge number down on the sheet provided.
- Those list of names will be placed in a drawing.
- Show up at closing ceremonies. You must be present to win the game you played.
- Most of all - HAVE FUN!
Music Room
This year the Music Room will be in the lower level. Don't miss out on live bands, music jams and so much more! This room is all music, all the time.
Welcome...
This year we welcome Musical Artist Guest of Honor Lojo Russo to DemiCon. Don't miss out on her amazing performance!
There are a great list of Musicians/Band that will be joining us this year.
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