Interesed in vending your wears at ThunderCon?  Contact the OFfice of Student Activites at 229.391.5129 or email douglas.burnette@abac.edu.

Schedule to be announced

Interested in discussing theories, hosting discussions, Q&A's, or demonstrating something with others? 

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Costume Contest Rules:

You must be a registered attendee, vendor, artist, or staff member to compete in the ThunderCon Costume Contest.

Costumes must be PG-13, PG, or G. Thunder Con is a family friendly event and cosplays must be suitable for all ages. Inappropriate cosplay will be asked to change or removed from the con.

Shoes must be worn/no bare feet, regardless of if a character is canonically barefoot, some form of footwear must be worn at all times.

No dangerous materials allowed in the costume. This includes but is not limited to pyrotechnics, projectiles, weapons, live animals, and other things that may cause injury. Please consult ThunderCon staff if you have questions and err on the side of caution and safety. Prop weapons are permitted, and all replica firearms must have a high-vis orange tip. All props must be checked at the door.

No foul play, foul language, lewd/inappropriate behavior, harassment, poor sportsmanship, doxing, slander, etc. allowed.

Costumes must be 80% made or altered to enter this contest. Purchased costumes will not be permitted.

*Made means you physically crafted, constructed something out of supplies, materials, and fabric.

*Altered refers to taking an existing item or article of clothing and adjusting, resizing, attaching appliques and accessories, such as taking a jacket and adding patches or altering it to fit your character more.

One contest category per person. Please read categories and determine which your cosplay best fits.

Competitors will be divided into categories: Beginners, Novice, Journeyman, Masters:

• Beginners: For those looking to dip their toe into cosplay. If you have never entered a contest at all and are wanting to try it for the first time this is the best choice.
• Novice: Strictly for those who have never won an award at any other contest. Maybe you have attended a cosplay contest before but did not receive any awards. 
• Journeyman: For those who have competed in contests before and possibly won or have received small recognition.
• Masters: For those who have mastered their cosplay skills. You have competed in multiple contests or won multiple awards.

*We are currently not allowing minors to participate in the cosplay contest. We apologize for the inconvenience*

This contest has a strict limit of 40 entries, 10 per category. Once that limit is reached, we will not be able to allow any more entries. If all slots are not filled before the convention, entry forms can be found and returned to the registration desk. We strongly recommend registering in advance.

We are currently not judging group cosplays. Cosplayers may enter individually for judging; however, we are not currently staffed to handle groups at this time.

You must be registered and attend pre-judging to compete in this contest. Judges need to see your costume up close and will have questions to ask. Think of it as a Q&A or interview for your cosplay. If you fail to show up for your pre-judging time you will be disqualified from being able to compete in the contest.

Pre-judging will from 2:00pm until 3:00pm.  The contest will be held from 4:00pm until 5:00pm.

Online entry forms must be completed before September 1st, 2024. After that time (if the entry limit is not reached), entry forms can be found and returned to the registration desk on the day of the contest. At that point entries will be handled on a first come/first served basis. If you have submitted your form online and need to withdraw, please do so asap so that we can cancel your application and allow other attendees to register.

A reference photo of your character or characters is required in order to compete and participate in pre-judging. Reference photos will be required at the pre-judging. If you do not bring a reference photo of your character(s) you will not be able to compete in this contest. Judges cannot use their own devices to pull up references, do not ask a judge to “google this character”. It is the responsibility of the contestant to provide reference materials. Reference photos can be printed out or on an electronic device. It is crucial to have these photos so the judges can see your likeness to the character(s). Reference photos will be returned to you at the end of the contest if you wish.

Original or alternative take on designs (for example: Halloween Town Riku or Steampunk Link) are acceptable but must have strong or obvious references from the series that you must have documentation to back up.

Contestants will be judged on their creativity, craftsmanship, and costume’s likeness to the character or reference material.

Contestants will not be judged on race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, disability, titles, status, popularity, etc. The focus is on the cosplay itself; discrimination will not be tolerated.

If you are acting as a model for the cosplay creator, both parties must be registered attendees, vendors, artists, or staff members and both be present at pre-judging.

ARTIST OR DEALER:  In order to qualify for an artist alley table, you must be selling items made by you or be an authorized agent acting for the creator of the items.  If you are selling retail items, i.e., mass produced items which you purchased for the purpose of reselling the items for profit, then you must do business from a dealer booth.  If you are acting as an authorized agent for an artist who is not present at the convention, then you must have written authorization from the specific artist to sell the items at ThunderCon.

THUNDERCON RULES AND REGULATIONS: We ask that all dealers and artists comply with ThunderCon appointed staff as well as the staff and security of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. We also ask that all vendors and artists here at ThunderCon treat fellow vendors, artists, and attendees with respect. If any problem should arise with another vendor or artist, please speak to a ThunderCon staff member immediately. We understand that issues can arise with scheduling, space, and fellow humans during a large event. Both ThunderCon’s and ABAC’s staff will be available to assist you in every way we can so that this event may run smoothly and pleasantly for everyone involved.

CONTACT INFORMATION: If you have any further concerns, questions, comments, or clarifications, please feel free to contact the Office of Student Activities at 229.391.5129 or email douglas.burnette@abac.edu

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

Contact the Office of Student Activities at 229.391.5129 or email douglas.burnette@abac.edu

PHOTOGRAPHY

By entering ThunderCon, all attendees agree to have their photos taken by Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) and ThunderCon staff for promotional purposes. ThunderCon agrees not to use the photos in any other manner besides promotion and not to sell the photos to any third party.

Photography is allowed and encouraged at the convention! However, if someone does not wish their picture to be taken, refrain from photographing them. Also, if you need to take a picture, be quick about it and do not block hallways or entrances.

Photographers are asked to not set up any lighting structures or backdrops that are not immediately portable. Photographers may be asked to move these structures due to traffic flow at any time.

COSTUMES, WEAPONS and PROPS

ThunderCon is an all-ages event, and as such prohibits extremely revealing costumes and attire. A good rule of thumb is full-coverage bikini top + shorts for women and shorts and shirt for men.

Attendees must comply with all local, state, and federal laws concerning weapons. Additionally, sparring, fighting, slow motion fighting, and horseplay with prop weapons is prohibited. Cosplayers with prop weapons may pose in action positions, but these should be static poses.

Also, all prop and costume weapons must be checked at the Registration Table. No prop or costume weapons which have enough mass to cause injury will be allowed on the premises. Prop weapons as well as masks, helmets, and face coverings that pertain to a costume are only allowed to be carried or worn within ABAC’s Carlton Center and the immediate area outside of the building. ThunderCon asks that cosplayers who enter other buildings on ABAC’s campus to remove or properly store these items before entering.

ThunderCon reserves the right to eject anyone from the con who does not abide by these rules. Additionally, the police may be called for infractions involving real/live steel weapons.

BEHAVIOR

We know that a convention is about having a good time, but for our attendees’ safety, disruptive behavior will not be tolerated, such as fighting/sparring (fake or real, including sword swinging), heckling, impeding traffic flow, offensive behavior, failure to observe basic hygiene, public inebriation (or similar intoxication), or any other failure to follow the rules.

ThunderCon can and will act against any type of disruptive behavior, even beyond the behaviors mentioned. Attendees that cause these types of problems may be warned, asked to leave, or even face inquiries from the police (depending on severity).

Attendees of ThunderCon attend at their own risk. ThunderCon takes no responsibility for any damages incurred to property or person of guests, artists, dealers, or attendees. Smoking is not permitted inside any buildings on ABAC’s campus. Offensive or overly revealing attire is not permitted.

ThunderCon takes no responsibility for lost items. Lost items will be held at the registration booth until the end of the con, at which time they will be turned over to ABAC’s Lost & Found.

ThunderCon prohibits signs or other materials that are not part of a specific costume. ThunderCon reserves the right to confiscate/destroy/remove all signs.

Due to safety issues, roller skates, bare feet and stilts are prohibited in the convention area. Blocking doorways or heavy traffic areas for any reason not limited to photography, dancing, standing with an expansive costume in a crowded area and other obstructions is strictly prohibited.

Conference staff will help participants contact venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the conference. We value your attendance. We expect participants to follow these rules at all event venues and any related social events.

SECURITY

Security volunteers and professional security/police may instruct you to discontinue activities, move to a different location, etc. Such discussions may be difficult, and they always should be done professionally and respectfully. However, specific security instructions may be delivered at a loud volume to compensate for ambient convention noise.

There is no reason to ever engage in unwelcome behavior that has the purpose or effect of harassing others. Report any unwelcome behavior you think might be harassment regardless of if it is covered in this document. If you feel unsafe, tell someone.

If someone offends you, let that person know so that it will not happen again. If you have offended someone, understand his or her perspective, apologize and do not let it happen again. Again, if you feel the incident is severe or makes you uncomfortable, please proceed and report to a ThunderCon staff member.

If you are aware of any behavior that might violate this policy, report it to ThunderCon staff immediately.

ADVERTISING/SALES

NO SALES are permitted on the premises outside of the Dealers’ Room, Artists Alley, and specified areas.

Anyone found posting, pasting, taping, or pinning material on convention property that is not an artist or vendor will be immediately removed from the convention grounds. Artists and Vendors are to adhere to the policies for their respective rooms.

ThunderCon reserves the right to eject anyone from convention grounds at any time.