If you’ve ever been curious about how to host a cosplay meetup, then we have all you need to know here. Cosplay meetups can be large or small and intimate. No matter the size, the main purpose is to get together and take fun photos while hopefully meeting new people and celebrating fandom. Putting together a cosplay meet up isn’t very difficult if you prepare and plan well. The most you will be investing in is the time it takes to organize it.
Difference between a group cosplay and a cosplay meetup
There can sometimes be confusion between what a cosplay group is and what a cosplay meet up is. Both may serve a similar function, but it’s important to know which kind of meet up you are trying to host before creating an event.
A Cosplay Meet-Up is typically open to anyone who is cosplaying from a particular fandom. No matter the level of expertise, make of the cosplay or the character they are cosplaying. These are opportunities to take fun pictures, meet new friends and celebrate your shared enthusiasm for a fandom. This type of meet up is more about the community.
Typically, cosplay meetups are fandom specific. Examples of fandom specific meetups are Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Disney, etc… However, if you’re from a town with smaller conventions and not as many cosplayers, then a general cosplay meet up is perfectly acceptable. Be sure to specify in your event what type of cosplay meet up this will be.
Group cosplays are comprised of a group of individuals who have coordinated to dress up as a specific type of cosplay. They may set a specific time to meet up. Or they may just walk around a convention or event together. Generally, an individual or group of people create a group meet up and request that participants use some type of sign up sheet. This is so that there are not people dressed up as the same characters.
An example of a Star Wars: The Last Jedi Group Cosplay may be a group consisting of (1 Rey, 1 Finn, 1 Poe, 1 Rose, 1 Kylo Ren, 1 Chewbacca and so on…)
They may also have guidelines for the quality and design of the cosplays. The goal of this type of meet up is to create a specific group and get specific photos. Having a complete group of cosplayers from a specific fandom together at once can be impressive and can attract a lot of attention. This type of cosplay meet up is more of a private group. And although they may open it for anyone to volunteer for it, it will be limited in how many can actually participate. If you’re interested in this type of group, then be sure to communicate your ideas clearly and make people aware that it’s not an open meet up.
Planning your cosplay meetup
The first thing you need to do in order to plan a cosplay meet up is to decide at what comic con or event you will be hosting your cosplay meetup. Planning at least 3 months in advance gives both you and other cosplayers an opportunity to create cosplays for your event. Be sure that the convention or event you’re attending is okay with both fan-organized events and cosplay. Check their website for their cosplay policy. If you have any questions, then look for their “contact us” section and send an email through their website or contact the convention directly. Most pop culture conventions welcome cosplay. Iit is important to be well informed about their policies and preferences.
Searching for cosplay meetups
For larger conventions, I recommend doing a search of cosplay meetups happening at that convention before scheduling your own. The things you want to check for are whether or not there already is a cosplay meet up for your fandom and what time other cosplay meetups, in general, are happening. You want to avoid scheduling meetups while other meetups are going on. Staggering the meetups gives spectators and photographers a chance to be around for more meetups and gives everyone a chance to take more photos. This is especially important if you are planning to set up your meet up in a popular location. Having too many meetups happening at once can make things crowded and complicate the situation.
Facebook is an excellent resource for finding cosplay meetups. The GIF above shows you how to search for cosplay events for your convention. A good rule of thumb is to type in the Convention Name + The Year + Cosplay MeetUp. Something in that range should get you started. Go to the convention event page itself and ask in the discussion if anyone knows of cosplay meetups happening. Some Anime conventions are really great about sharing fan organized meetups and events. Other convention websites may also offer sign up sheets for meetups. On other social media platforms, you can use hashtags for the convention you are attending to look up cosplay meetups. You can also try searching Google as well.
There are many Facebook groups dedicated to cosplay and cosplay photography. If you look up your convention name plus the word cosplay, then you might be able to find local groups. Here, you can find out about other meet ups happening. This is also an excellent place to advertise your event.
Setting a date for your cosplay meetup
The most popular day for cosplay meets ups is typically on the Saturday of a convention. If you come from a small town, that may not have a large cosplay community, scheduling your meet up on a Saturday has the highest probability of people being able to attend.
If you find that your local convention has a very busy meetup schedule, then try hosting your event on a less busy day of the con.
Setting a time for your cosplay meetup
A general rule of thumb is to set a time after the first two hours that the con opens. For example, if the convention hours are 10 am-5 pm. You want to set a time between 12 pm -5 pm. The reason we don’t suggest setting a time in the first two hours of the convention is that traffic and getting through the badge pick up lines at conventions can take longer than expected and cause unexpected delays. Giving people a buffer to arrive at the con is always appreciated.
If your meetup is outdoors, then anytime between 11 am and 3 pm can be harsh when it comes to lighting. The sun is typically right on top of you. Cosplayers in thick layers may have a hard time in the heat. These times are acceptable if you find a shady area, an indoor location or another comfortable place for your meet up. Keep cosplayer comfort in mind. If you absolutely have to set a time during these hours and outdoor, posting a disclaimer on your event page or warning others that it may be hot outside and to dress appropriately might be a good idea.
Finding a location for your cosplay meetup
Setting up a location may be difficult if you aren’t familiar with the layout of the convention. Many times it is hard to anticipate the layout of a con and might be best to announce a location the morning of the convention. Once you have properly scoped out a location, you can alert everyone as to the location of the meetup.
It might be best to email the convention directly and ask what location they recommend. Some conventions have dedicated cosplay areas already.
If that isn’t the case at your convention, then here are some tips for finding a good place:
Don’t block exits, block stairways or walkways. This may be a fire hazard and a quick way to have your meet up shut down.
Try to avoid hosting a meet up in a high traffic area. A high traffic area is usually the vendor hall or any area/corridor that people walk through consistently throughout the day.
Be respectful of security staff and heed their instructions.
An ideal location is somewhere with open space (either indoor or outdoor), where people, cosplayers, and convention-goers can move freely around.
How to advertise your event
Creating a Facebook event is a great way to announce your meet up. If you aren’t sure how to do that, click here.
Once you’ve created your event, be sure to check it regularly. People may post questions about the event on the page. Invite people who are interested in the event to set notifications for your event page, so they don’t miss out on any important updates.
You can also advertise your event on any social media platform. You can create graphics and images using apps on your phone like PicsArt or Canva, or on programs like Photoshop. Things to make sure to include in your event are:
- Name of Your Meet-Up (example: Comic-Con St Louis Doctor Who Cosplay Meet-Up )
- Date & Time
- Location (If you haven’t decided just say “location to be announced”)
- Disclaimers (Let people know this is a fan organized event and not an officially sponsored meet up).
- Special Instructions or Information
When choosing an image for your event, do not take photos from events that are not yours. If you have never hosted a cosplay event before, then just use a photo from your fandom. Do not use photos of cosplayers or other cosplay meetups without permission.
Have your friends share the event, flyer, or social media post that you’ve created with people who may be attending the same convention. Asking people to share your event is a great way to reach new people.
When posting on social media use appropriate hashtags for your event. For example if you are attending San Diego Comic-Con. Use the hashtags #sandiegocomicon #sdcc #comiccon
As the convention approaches. Remember that there are many Facebook groups dedicated to cosplay and cosplay photography. If you look up your convention name plus the word cosplay, you might be able to find local groups. You can even try searching your town name and the word cosplay. In these groups, you can find out about other meets ups happening. This is also an excellent place to share and advertise your event.
Finally, on the day of the convention, as you are walking around, if you see someone wearing a costume that relates to your meet up, let them know about it. Go up to them and say something friendly and invite them. “Hello! I love your cosplay. We are having a meet up at (TIME) over at (LOCATION). You should come by.”
We hope that this guide has been helpful. Let us know in the comments if this was helpful. We welcome any tips, concerns or questions you may have.
More Cosplay Resources & Guides
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How to Cosplay Allison (The Rumor- #3) from The Umbrella Academy
CosLifeHAQ | Episode 002 | Basic Convention Etiquette
How to Cosplay MJ from Spider-Man: Far From Home
Portrait of a Fangirl – Utahime Cosplay
How To Cosplay Grunge & Air Force Captain Marvel
Edited by Maddie Morrow
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