At Fandomonium, we want everyone to have a great time! But to make sure everyone has a great time, we have a couple of rules for costumes.
Your costume must obey the basic dress code of the Alachua County Library. Shoes with soles are required at all times. You must be able to safely enter, walk around, and exit the library without striking another patron with any part of your costume. Please consider whether your armor, headgear, wings, clothing, props, or other costumes pieces can safely and easily pass through a traditionally sized door before you bring your cosplay to Fandomonium. Full face masks, helmets, or fur suit heads must allow you to see and be easily removable for security reasons.
Additionally, your costume should be family friendly. This will be a family event, and the library will also be open to the public during Fandomonium. Try to keep blood to a minimum and gore nonexistent. While we understand that some characters are designed with revealing costumes, if your costume is unduly shocking to other patrons, we might ask you to change. The decision to ask you to change is at the discretion of any library or Fandomonium staff member at any time.
Real weapons are not allowed. This includes metal weapons of any kind: swords, shuriken, aluminum bats, etc., and any kind of gun or gun-looking prop regardless of material including but not limited to nerf guns and airsoft guns. A gun is defined as anything with a trigger, muzzle, or projectile. Foam weapons, plastic weapons, and the like are encouraged. No prop of any material may have sharp edges or points. If your weapon violates our rules, or looks like it could hurt people, we will ask you to remove it from the grounds. The decision to remove any props from the grounds is at the discretion of any library or Fandomonium staff member at any time.
Remember: cosplay is not consent. If you want to hug, touch, or take a picture of a cosplayer/attendee, you must ask for permission. A costume is not an invitation to be touched in any way, and every library patron and attendee retains the right to their personal privacy, no matter what they’re wearing. If anyone crosses this line with you, Fandomonium staff, library staff, and library security will all be happy to help.
Rules Summarized:
- Shoes must be worn at all times.
- All parts of any costumes and props should easily fit through a traditional doorway.
- Masks and helmets must be removable.
- Your vision and movement must not be impeded.
- Minimal blood, no gore.
- No metal weapons or props of any kind.
- No gun props or gun-looking props of any kind.
- No sharp edges on any props.
- Ask permission before touching/hugging or taking photos of another person.
- Any Library and Fandomonium staff reserve the right to ask anyone to change their costume or remove a prop from library grounds at any time.