Cosplay at LI Retro

Cosplay

Get In The Game by Getting In Character

Cosplayers from all fandoms come to LI Retro to share their passion for their favorite game, anime, comic, film or art. All attendees are welcome to share their passion and dress up as the character or concept of their choice.

All on site registration (if applicable) will be located at the Cosplay Table located in the Marketplace.

Cosplay Fashion Show - Friday August 8th

Want to strut your stuff on the cosplay runway but don’t want to compete? Join LI Retro’s 3rd Annual Cosplay Fashion Show! All video game cosplayers are welcome, ages 14 and up. No competition, no judging, no awards — just the chance to show off your cosplay and start our retro weekend off right!

Anyone can enter, 14+.
Any cosplay allowed as long as it is from a video game series (can be bought, made, commissioned, altered, closet cosplay).
Model’s name, character they’re cosplaying, and the series they’re from will be read as they walk onto the stage. They will do 2-3 poses for photo ops. While they are posing, why they love that character will be read before they walk off the stage. This will continue for each model.
Models can apply online prior to the Expo, or at the Cosplay Table in person on Friday, August 8th.
No nudity allowed.
No profanity or vulgar wording or imagery on your cosplay.
No darkening of your skin.
No shouting or yelling while on stage.
Don’t make a mess on stage; no projectiles, glitter, confetti, etc.
The Cradle of Aviation’s stage has stairs and a small stage space, so please keep that in mind when choosing what cosplay you will be entering with.

Adults Cosplay Contest - Saturday August 9th

1st Place: $400

2nd Place: $100

3rd Place: $50

You can enter the Cosplay Contest online or in person. The Adults Cosplay Contest is for contestants aged 15+. Anyone 14 and younger can enter the Kids Cosplay Contest.
No nudity of any kind. Keep it family friendly.
No profanity, political, or religious statements are allowed to be written on you or your clothes or props. Keep it family friendly.
Any realistic weapon-type props must have clear indications that they are fake.
No projectiles of any kind are allowed on stage. Whatever goes on with you must get off with you.
Do not enter a cosplay that you’ve won an award with within the past year. Be fair to your fellow cosplayers.
Do not alter your skin color to be a real-world culture that isn’t yours. Do not darken your skin for your cosplay. Doing so will result in you being disqualified.
“There is no set percentage of how much of your cosplay must be handmade; anyone can enter our competition. However, cosplays that are handmade will be able to earn more points toward a higher total for having a handmade cosplay over one that was purchased. Please keep this in mind when deciding what cosplay you would like to use to enter!”

• When you arrive at the Expo on Saturday, you can sign up to compete at the Cosplay Info Table. You will be able to register up to an hour before the contest starts; please do not wait, there will be no exceptions as we will need all contestants to go to pre-judging prior to the contest. If you signed up online, you can check-in at the Cosplay Info Table. You will be informed by the Cosplay Team of where and when to go for pre-judging and the competition. The judges will utilize the pre-judging period to ask preliminary questions prior to you taking the stage. They may ask you more questions once you are on stage.

• When you are on stage, keep your answers short and sweet. Do not use profanity or vulgar language when you speak.

• Poor sportsmanship is not allowed. Being disrespectful to the judges, to staff, and/or to your fellow competitors will result in you being disqualified and/or banned from competing in our Cosplay Contest. This includes but is not limited to in-person at the event and online.

• By registering to compete, you acknowledge that you will be filmed and/or photographed for our social media, website, and livestreams. If you are indeed posted on social media, please be sure to comment on the post so we can tag you!

Performance Intermission: Nianyanyan Cosplay singing a collection of songs from Final Fantasy 7-9!

Nian has been cosplaying since 2012, her favorite hobbies include playing video games, singing, dancing and storytelling through movement. She has performed Polynesian dances all over the tri-state area and has been a recipient of multiple awards mainly for cosplay skit performances. She is looking forward to perform at LIRGE for this is one of her favorite local conventions to attend to for its preservation of classic games and gaming consoles.

Kids Cosplay Contest - Sunday, August 10th

1st Place: $75

2nd Place: $50

3rd Place: $25

You can enter the Cosplay Contest in person; there is no online registration. Anyone 14 and younger can enter the Kids Cosplay Contest.
No profanity, political, or religious statements are allowed. Keep it family friendly.
Any realistic weapon-type props must have clear indications that they are fake.
No projectiles of any kind are allowed on stage. Whatever goes on with you must get off with you.
Do not enter a cosplay that you’ve won an award with within the past year. Be fair to your fellow cosplayers.
Prizes will be in the form of currency that can be spent at the LI Retro Marketplace.
When you are called, you can head to the front of the room and share a little about your cosplay. The judges may ask 1-2 questions about it and why you chose it.

Your 2025 Cosplay Judges!

Cuchinta

Cuchinta (@cuchintachan) is a Long Island-based cosplayer with over a decade of experience in the craft~ Over the years, they’ve won awards at various conventions, recently competing at the Crown Cosplay Championship at NYCC 2024 and taking home Best in Show at BrookCon 2025. They cosplay everything under the sun from anime, video games, movies, comics, podcasts, and books. Other than hunching over their sewing machine, they love drawing, putting on solo concerts in their car, rolling for initiative, and yelling about stuff and things that make them happy.

*Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/_eidetic_/

Sir Julius

Michael Julius Ford who is known in the cosplay community as SirJuliusCosplay discovered his passion during his first visit to New York City Comic Con in 2008. Enchanted by the creativity and craftsmanship of fellow cosplayers, he embarked on his own cosplay journey, driven by his innate love for crafting.Over the next decade, Michael has honed his skills in various cosplay techniques, including pepakura, EVA foam crafting, and 3D printing. His dedication to the art form has led him to host workshops, serve as a judge in prestigious cosplay contests, and to spread the joy of cosplay to others!

*Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/christopher_batiz_photography/

Maeviary

Maeviary is an award-winning cosplayer and fashion designer based out of New York City. They have been creating their own cosplays since 2009, and found their calling in garment design and construction through the hobby. Their specialties lie in sewing, tailoring, and patternmaking. They graduated with their BFA in Fashion Design, and have built a career as a technical designer in the luxury fashion market. To Maeviary, cosplay is a world where they can mix their love of craft, performance, and community building, and they love to share that passion with both aspiring and experienced crafters!