Please join us in welcoming the first of our judges for the mainstage cosplay contest – Hamster Daydream!

Hamster Daydream (Theo) is a multi-award winning cosplayer from Nebraska. They aim to highlight the intricate details you can add to a cosplay, from beading to weathering, in order to make your cosplay one of a kind. For them, no detail goes unnoticed. They also strive to be as transparent as possible about the cosplay building process: from happy surprises to the oh no’s. As a self taught crafter in all aspects, from sewing to 3D printing, all mistakes are opportunities to learn. When Theo isn’t fighting their 3D printer, they are spending time with their hamsters and playing video games.
Feel free to follow at:
Instagram @hampster.daydream

Online sign-ups are CLOSED! If you missed online sign-ups, we have a very limited number of spots available at con. Please note that no personalized audio will be accepted and no performances will be accepted for at con sign-up. Thank you all for your excitement and can’t wait for the contest!

Celtic Honey is a cosplayer, performer, consent educator from the Iowa/Illinois border known as the Quad Cities! Located on the mighty Mississippi! The Yin Yang of the Midwest Plains.
A long time con attendee starting way back with Gen Con in 1997, Honey has always had a passion for all things cosplay, gaming, anime, sci-fi, you name it! Honey loves hosting panels for cosplay, burlesque/nerdlesque, body positivity, consent education, martial arts and enjoys anything to do with art and inspiring creativity.
Find it all on linktr.ee/celtichoney to keep up on all the various genres that keep faer oh so busy! Honey wouldn’t change it for anything as it has provided so many ways to express creativity and unique qualities as well as lasting friendships that are irreplaceable and undefinable. Each new place leaves a new home and new family!

Thank you all for the excitement about the mainstage cosplay contest! We are OVER half way full on our online sign up spaces, so if you wanted to enter, please remember we are closing the form when we reach 40 entries or on July 9th, whichever happens first. Again, we want to thank you all for your enthusiasm to join our contest this year and can’t wait to see your costumes!

Mainstage Cosplay Contest sign ups are live! The form will be open from sigMay 14th to July 9th, or until all 40 online sign up spots have been claimed.

Please be sure to read the new rules on the website and reach out to the cosplay contest coordinators if you have any questions!

Find the rules and sign up here:

Excited to cosplay at Anime Iowa? Share with us what you’ll be wearing at the convention using this template created by none other than one of the cosplay contest judges @hamster.daydream ! Feel free to download the image, add your costumes, and share it across your socials! Happy cosplaying!!

Big News Anime Iowa!! Cosplay Contests are in abundance at this year’s Anime Iowa featuring a chibi parade, hall contest, and the mainstage cosplay contest. With these contests come rules – NEW RULES! Please be sure you have brushed up on the new rules on our website and if you have any questions, reach out to the cosplay contest coordinators at Cosplay@animeiowa.com

Online sign up for the mainstage cosplay contest will open on May 14th and will close July 9th or once all 40 online spots have been claimed. A select amount of spots will be saved for at-con sign up.

You can find the new rules for all three contests at https://animeiowa.com/animeiowa-events/cosplay-events/

The Site is back up, but registration will not be online till tomorrow night. Thank you for your patience.

The Hotel Room Block information is up.

– the Anime Iowa staff.