Bring your favorite fandom character to life! York Cosplay is a program for teens that’s all about fostering authenticity, inclusivity, and confidence through creative self-expression.
Through expert-led workshops and events, you’ll learn about costume design & fabrication, creating props, applying special effects makeup, and more – all with the goal of helping you put together your own cosplay look for the teen fashion show on June 24!
2023 Schedule
Teen Fashion Show: June 24, 2-4pm
Show off your creativity during the Teen Fashion show at Martin Library on June 24! No experience necessary to participate; however, participants are invited to attend any of the workshops to prepare for the show.
Registration is required – Sign up here!
What happens at the York Cosplay: Teen Fashion Show?
- Teens will arrive an hour and a half early to dress, touch up makeup, take photos, and participate in a dress rehearsal before doors open to the public.
- Teens will enter the room, one-by-one, like models in a runway show.
- An MC will introduce them by name and tell the audience a bit about their cosplay costume while the teen walks and poses in character.
- Once all teens walk the runway, they will enter the room together for the big finale.
- After the show, there are refreshments, green screens, and lots of opportunities to pose for photos.
- The Martin Teen space invites everyone (including families) up to play pool, ping pong, board games, and video games.
- Audience members of all ages are welcome to wear costumes too!
Guidelines to Participate in York Cosplay: Teen Fashion Show
- Ages 12-18
- York County Resident
- Register by June 8, 2023
- All participants agree to being photographed and videotaped for Internet usage
- All cosplay props must be obviously fake and non-functioning. (Example: a bow cannot shoot arrows)
- No glitter, confetti, pyrotechnics, live flame, or smoke generators of any kind
- No electrical power connections will be provided. Power must be part of costume design.
- Costume and props can be handmade, adapted clothing and found objects, rented, or bought.
- York County Libraries is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
What Teens Learned About Cosplay
All workshops were held in the Martin Library Teens Area.
The Teen Cosplay Workshops below provided opportunities to learn more about elements of cosplay.
- January 28 – Choose Your Character
- Find out how to choose a character; do research about their clothing, hair, special effects makeup, and props; learn what you’ll need to make your character come alive!
- February 25 – Fabrics & Fabrication
- Learn about choosing fabrics, how to alter clothing, how to add a variety of details to make your costume complete, and more!
- March 25 – Cosplay Prop Making
- Your cosplay character needs props. Learn how to use a 3-D printer, foam, cardboard, found objects, and more!
- April 22 – Special Effects Makeup & Hair
- What do you need to finish your look? Let an expert teach you tips and tricks for special effects makeup and hair!
- May 27 – Costest: Pulling Together Your Look
- “Costest” involves testing your cosplay before an event. In this workshop, an expert cosplayer will help you Costest your look and suggest changes if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Cosplay is the creative interpretation of fictional characters and pop culture influences through costume and props. Some people choose to cosplay by reproducing characters from their favorite work of fiction, while others cosplay as original characters of their own creation.
York Cosplay Workshop Series and York Cosplay Teen Fashion Show are for all fandoms—comics, anime, manga, role-playing games, tv series, books, and movies, as well as original characters created by teens.
We can help you with this! Martin Library, Kreutz Creek Library, and Guthrie Memorial Library have workspaces available with sewing machines, 3d printers, computers, cameras, and multimedia equipment for you to use. You're welcome to come into any of the libraries above and work on your cosplay whenever they're open.