Cosplay Central
Where? River Pavilion
When? All weekend!
Thursday – Saturday 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Cosplay and community are the heart of New York Comic Con. Cosplay Central is in the River Pavilion inside the Crystal Palace at the Javitz. Want to see all the amazing cosplayers in action during the show? New York Comic Con is home to some of the best cosplayers in the entire world! Visit local organizations, meet with cosplayers, and take photos with your squad.
Fan Groups: Star Wars & Ghostbusters
Prepare for an out-of-this-world experience at Cosplay Central in River Pavilion this year! We're thrilled to announce an epic convergence of fandoms with the arrival of some of the most dedicated and passionate fan groups in the galaxy.
Cosplay Central Crown Championships
The Cosplay Central Crown Championships is back for 2024! The winner of the NYCC Qualifier will head to C2E2, Chicago, for the USA Final and chance of glory in the Crown Championships Global Final.
Craftsmanship is at the heart of the championship so expect to see some incredible creations on the stage. All the entries will have their costume construction inspected by our judges before they take to stage and show off their creations.
Make sure to head to the Main Stage on Saturday to see which of the incredible entries will claim victory and receive a cash prize and a trip to C2E2 in 2025 where they will compete against winners selected at Florida Supercon, ECCC and C2E2 in the USA National Final. One of these four incredible cosplayers will triumph to compete against cosplayers from all over the world, all trying to claim the title of Crown Champion of Cosplay in the Global Final.
Applications open 9:00AM EST July 22, 2024 to 11:59PM EST September 1, 2024.
Applicants will be notified no later than September 9 regarding their acceptance into the competition. If you have any questions you may direct them to [email protected].
Applications are now closed.
Meet Your Cosplay Co-host!
Yaya Han
Yaya Han is a cosplayer, designer and author with more than 20 years of activity in the fandom world. Yaya has made over 400 costumes, been featured in two US Network TV Shows and countless magazines, books, newspapers and online media outlets, and she appears as a guest and speaker at hundreds of events all over the globe. Over the years, Yaya’s work has impacted cosplay profoundly and has helped shape it into a commercial industry. Yaya is the first cosplayer to bring branded cosplay-focused sewing and crafting products such as fabrics, trims and a Yaya Han sewing machine to the mass retail market. She is also the first to chronicle a cosplayer’s life story and the evolution of modern cosplay culture in the book, “Yaya Han’s World of Cosplay”.
Meet Your Judges
Plexi Cosplay
Plexi Cosplay is an award-winning cosplayer from Maryland specializing in engineering and costume design. She works as a costume and prop designer for Hacksmith Industries and has worked for international game companies, streaming services like Netflix, and more. Her first major contest win was right here at NYCC, and she’s so excited to return to the stage to give back to the cosplay community with her fair and skilled judging for the contest.
https://www.instagram.com/plexicosplay/
https://www.facebook.com/plexicosplay
PHOTO CREDIT: https://www.instagram.com/aleestudios/
Ludus Cosplay
Ludus Cosplay is a Cape Town based, full time fabricator and cosplayer with over 13 years experience in the costume industry. He enjoys gaming, anime, movies, trading card games and anything geek related. In-between working on his own costumes and projects, he creates digital tutorials and educational content to help share knowledge to other artists on a global platform. He has won numerous Cosplay competitions, along with the title of Comic Con Africa Champion in 2022 and the 2nd place winner in the 2023 Crown Championship Global Finals in Chicago.
https://www.instagram.com/ludus.cosplay?igsh=MTRiZ2U2N3Q5NnFnbw==
https://www.facebook.com/luke.andalis?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Alliecat Cosplay
AllieCat Cosplay is a cosplayer and designer best known for her wig styling, armor builds, passion for makeup, love for fashion design and adorning animal ears whenever possible! She started her journey in 2010, creating over 80 Cosplay Costumes, and earning Best in Show awards in several competitions for craftsmanship. AllieCat uses cosplay to promote general positivity for the cosplay community, solidifying the fun that can be found all over in this hobby. She has used this passion to meld the world of Cosplay and Television entertainment together to create a few pieces on the big screen alongside other talented artists in the Industry with projects from Marvel, Capcom, WWE and other collaborations under her belt. She believes that everyone can create cosplay and wants to share her ideals, knowledge and motivation with everyone in the community.
https://www.instagram.com/alliecatcosplay/
https://www.facebook.com/AllieCatCosplayOfficial/
PHOTO CREDIT: Purah- https://www.instagram.com/rossonphotography/
Cosplay Repair
Wardrobe malfunctions are a common occurrence while cosplaying, and the last you thing you want is to have a piece of your cosplay flapping around throughout the weekend! If something breaks, tears, rips, or falls off, bring it to cosplay repair, located in Cosplay Central! Experts are on deck with tools, techniques, and the experience needed to repair your cosplay and get you back out to enjoy the show.
Cosplay Central Repair Sponsor:
Cosplay Central Costume Showcase
The Cosplay Showcase is where fans and cosplayers can showcase their craftsmanship in style. Taking place on Sunday, this event is open to all cosplayers and is an opportunity for fans of all levels to strut their stuff on the main stage. Register at the Cosplay Central administration desk during the show. There are prizes (for over 18s only) but cosplayers are free to take part just for fun if they do not wish to be judged. Family Groups and Juniors (13-17) are also welcome to take part just for fun with any costume.
Costume, Weapons & Props Rules
Cosplay is a welcome and important part of our shows; however, each show also has its limitations and guidelines so that cosplay can stay safe for everyone. Read more about our show’s prop weapons policy here.
Cosplay is NOT Consent
New York Comic Con has a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY for harassment of any kind. Ask permission before taking photos with or of a cosplayer and respect their right to say no. Please read our Safety, Security & Wellness.