San Diego, CA

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September 11-13, 2026

San Diego, CA ★ September 11-13, 2026

This year's JemCon will feature a truly outrageous in-person Cosplay Pageant — complete with crowns, sashes, and a celebrity judging panel!

Everyone at JemCon is invited to dress up and compete in our cosplay pageant Saturday night, September 13th at the start of the masquerade. Contestants will model their outrageous costumes live on stage and be scored by our panel of celebrity judges.

Celebrity Judges & Hosts

Hosted by:
Tivia & Belle Pepper

Judged by:

Samantha Newark
Jimmy Sherfy
Plus one MORE surprise celebrity guest

Two Categories

All In The Style
Jem-themed outfits and fashions inspired by the cartoon, dolls, comics, or original designs that capture the spirit of Jem and the Holograms.

Misfits Mashup
Jem combined with something else! Mashups, crossovers, and creative combinations are encouraged.

How to Enter

Entry Deadline: SEPTEMBER. 1, 2026

This is a runway-style contest with no pre-judging

To enter the pageant, you must:

Complete the entry form (available below)
Provide a brief description of your costume that the emcee will read during your appearance on stage. This may describe the details of the costume or provide a story about the character portrayed. You may offer details about the construction process, materials, number of work hours, or anything that might impress the judges and fans. This description is limited to 100 words.
have a valid JemCon membership to participate.

Rules:

Each person may enter one time only — either as an individual OR as part of a group, not both. Group entries count as one entry (no costume changes)
In-person only — no virtual entries this year
At least 60% of your costume must be handmade or altered.
Costumes cannot be obscene, offensive, nor endorse any form of hate or hate group. Nudity not allowed.
Do not incorporate anything dangerous, damaging, or disruptive.