Holiday Matsuri: costume, prop and weapon rules

Last checked against the con's own rules on 2026-10-21.

A plain-language summary of Holiday Matsuri's costume, prop, and weapon rules for cosplayers attending the convention.

Holiday Matsuri requires every costume prop to be inspected each day at a Prop Check Desk before you enter any venue. Once Public Safety clears your prop, they attach a tag that must stay visible for the rest of that day. Props may not exceed five feet at their longest point, except for large contest pieces that have been pre-approved, and those approved contest props cannot be carried on the show floor. Restraints, leashes, and chains must be no longer than three feet and also need Prop Check approval. Stilt costumes must be approved at the same desk, and all costumes must fit through a standard seven-foot doorway. Oversized costumes may be asked to leave the Exhibit Hall during busy periods, and realistic cosplay of first responders, military, police, or security personnel is not permitted. On the weapons side, no firearms of any kind are allowed, and no props or weapons with functional or sharp edges. Replica projectile props such as airsoft guns must be made permanently inoperable before you arrive. Any prop that resembles a firearm must have a permanent orange tip. Real arrows must have their tips removed and be bundled and zip-tied to a quiver. Some props may need to be secured to your costume so they cannot be drawn. For makeup and body paint, nudity is not permitted at any Holiday Matsuri venue. All attendees, regardless of gender, must have opaque material that fully covers nipples, genitals, and buttocks. Opaque bodysuits designed to simulate nudity are also not allowed. The convention's own policy reminds everyone that a costume is never an invitation for unwanted attention, comments, or contact, and asks all attendees not to touch anyone, their costume, or their props without explicit permission first. Rules like these are reviewed and updated by the convention team, sometimes year to year. The details above come from the policy page at holidaymatsuri.com/policies, which is the authority on what is currently permitted. Check that page before you pack for the event, because what applied last year may have changed.

Full details at Holiday Matsuri →