Rules

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All attendees are assumed to have read and understand the rules and policies and agreed to them upon receiving a badge. Ignorance does not excuse breaking these rules. Anyone who accepts a membership badge agrees to indemnify and hold harmless HarmonyCon from any claim for personal injuries or other damages or equity arising out of any individual's activities at HarmonyCon or its events, even if such injury or damage is caused by negligence by or on the part of HarmonyCon.

HarmonyCon seeks to make its staff members available to all its attendees. Staff members will be wearing special badges to indicate their status. If you have a problem, please alert a staff member to the issue.

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The following behaviors are prohibited in any public area:

• Public displays of affection that go beyond "family friendly"
• Disrespect of hotel staff or damage to hotel property including attaching or hanging things on hotel walls (stickers, posters, etc.)
• Excessively loud volumes
• Failure to wear appropriate attire up to and including shirts, pants/shorts, and footwear (HarmonyCon staff may require attendees to alter attire if it is determined to be inappropriate)
• Sleeping
• Consumption of alcoholic beverages anywhere other than the hotel bar and hotel restaurant.

All public areas of the hotel are non-smoking. This includes e-cigarettes and similar vapor-generating devices. The hotel has designated areas where smoking is permitted.

Any usage, sale, or possession of illegal or non-prescribed controlled substances will constitute cause to revoke membership of those involved and will be reported to the local authorities.

All parties at which alcohol is served or consumed must verify that every person attending the party is 21 years of age or older by checking government-issued photo IDs. Any party found serving alcohol to or allowing consumption of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21 will be shut down immediately and will be remanded to the authorities.

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Any attendees engaging in behavior which endangers life or property (such as, but not limited to, pulling fire alarms or creating hazardous situations) will have their membership revoked immediately and may be asked not to return to future events. If warranted, law enforcement may be called.

HarmonyCon accepts no liability for whatever may occur within the confines of private hotel rooms. Incidents that occur in these rooms are the sole responsibility of the individual(s) to whom the room is rented. This includes payment for any and all damage, responsibility for complaints levied against the room, and any other issues that may arise. Please note that if a situation should occur that may present a threat to the convention and/or its attendees, HarmonyCon has a responsibility to report it to the proper authorities.

While HarmonyCon wholeheartedly endorses get-togethers, meet-ups, and other gatherings, it is imperative that any materials used to advertise these events be tasteful and posted in an acceptable area and in such a manner wherein no damage will be caused to the hotel. This includes limiting such posts to designated areas. HarmonyCon reserves the right to remove any posted notices deemed inappropriate. Minors will be in attendance therefore all attendees must help us maintain a safe, family-friendly environment and refrain from cursing, violence, and other inappropriate behavior.

The following behaviors are also prohibited in any public area: display of adult-themed subject matter, running, and the selling of goods or services at the convention without prior approval from HarmonyCon staff. HarmonyCon is a family friendly convention, which is to be considered at all times and in all areas of the convention, unless expressly stated otherwise.

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HarmonyCon has a strict no harassment policy. Your safety is a top priority and we take pride in being a safe and welcoming environment for all of our attendees. As such, offensive or harassing behavior will not be tolerated. Harassment can include: physical or verbal threats, unwelcome attentions, stalking, annoying, pushing, shoving, use of physical force which in any way creates a disturbance that is disruptive or dangerous, any boisterous, lewd, or generally offensive behavior or language, using sexually explicit or offensive language or conduct, profanity or obscene gestures, or racial, religious, or ethnic slurs. If people tell you NO, your business with them is done. If you continue to attempt to have contact with such people, you may be removed from the premises and your membership revoked without a refund. Remember: "No" means NO. "Stop" means STOP. "Go away" means GO AWAY. Also remember: cosplay is NOT CONSENT. You must receive permission to take pictures of others, make physical contact with others, etc.

It is very important that if you are being harassed or are in any way endangered, you should report it to staff immediately. We cannot address anything that we are not aware of, and we need whatever details can be provided, such as names, badge numbers, or other descriptive information. If a member of the safety team is not in your immediate vicinity any other staffer will be able to call one for you. If at any time you feel your personal safety or the safety of others is in jeopardy, please contact the police department via 911.

If something you have done or said has inadvertently offended someone, the best practice is to genuinely apologize for the offense and then walk away from the situation. Prolonged explanations frequently lead to worsening conditions. “I'm sorry I offended you” sums it up nicely and gives you a graceful line to leave on. Best of all, everybody's dignity is left intact. Likewise, if somebody offers you a heartfelt apology and walks away, don't shout after or pursue them, or else you may inadvertently become the harasser after their indiscretion. Accept their apology and move on. Please note that apologizing does NOT excuse a person from the policy on harassment. It is just an important step to help prevent the need for convention/security intervention in cases of genuine accidental offenses.

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Photography is welcome at HarmonyCon. Journalists and press members must obtain and display an official HarmonyCon press badge. Commercial photography, video recordings, and interviews with staff, guests, or attendees are prohibited without a press badge. To obtain one, send a request to info@harmonycon.org. Please consider disabling your flash while projectors are in use, as it is distracting.

Many people will be taking videos and photos during the convention, so you may find yourself in photos or video recordings. HarmonyCon may photograph or video record events for promotional purposes. By attending the convention, you consent to being recorded and photographed in convention spaces. If you would like to take a picture of someone or their art, ask permission first. If they say no and you disregard them, this is an act of harassment and could result in action being taken by our staff or safety team.

Panelists and artists may ask that no photographs or video be taken of their panels and artwork. All attendees are expected to comply with these requests.

Any notices, flyers, or other items attached to unapproved surfaces will be immediately removed upon discovery by a staff member.

You may request a refund up to 30 days after purchase or until January 9th, whichever comes first.

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HarmonyCon staff members will make every attempt to be exercise fairness, leniency, and understanding in the case of infractions, though issues will be dealt with in accordance to their severity. If you feel that you have been treated unfairly by a member of our staff or security, you may take the matter up with the head of security or the convention chairmen.

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Convention attendees must wear their official convention badge at all times while in public convention areas, and it must be shown on request to any member of convention staff, security, hotel staff, or law enforcement. Your badge will contain a badge name of your choosing (subject to staff approval). Altering convention badges in such a manner as to obscure any of these elements renders the badge unusable. If your badge becomes unusable or lost, it will be replaced at a rate of $10 US per badge. Any person found using a counterfeit badge, using a badge not belonging to them, or making copies of their badge for others will have their membership revoked and be barred from returning this year and subsequent years.

HarmonyCon reserves the right to deny or revoke membership at any time for any reason. In the event that HarmonyCon staff deem it necessary to revoke any attendee's membership, one of the safety department heads or a con chair will be contacted. Should the decision be made to revoke the attendee's badge, that attendee must surrender their convention badge to said safety department head or con chair and leave HarmonyCon convention spaces immediately. Said attendee will not be entitled to any manner of refund or compensation for the price of their membership. This includes all levels of membership.

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All attendees of HarmonyCon (not including minors accompanied by a parent or guardian) must present a single, government-issued photo ID at registration which clearly states their full legal name and date of birth (military ID, driver's license, passport, etc). School or employee IDs are NOT acceptable forms of ID. Any person who does not present an acceptable form of ID will not be allowed to complete registration or be granted a convention badge of membership. Any person who provides a forged ID will be remanded to the custody of the local police.

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Minors who will be ages 16 or 17 at the time of registration check-in may attend HarmonyCon without a parent or guardian if they present a government-issued photo ID which clearly states their full name and date of birth. Minors who will be 16 or 17 who are unable to provide an acceptable government-issued photo ID must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times in any official convention spaces. Parents and guardians will be held responsible for damage or problems caused by their minors. Any minor who provides a forged photo ID will be remanded to the custody of the local police.

Children who will be age 15 or below at the time of registration check-in do not need to provide a government-issued photo ID, but must register with a parent or legal guardian. The children must be accompanied by their parent or guardian at all times in any official convention spaces. Parents or guardians will be held responsible for any damages or problems caused by their children.

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Don't publicly ask us to ban people. We do not make bans public because doing so can instigate the issue further and potentially increase risk for victims and attendees. We will not respond to questions about other people's convention statuses.

Our role as volunteers does not include conflict resolution, nor are we professionally trained to do so. We ask that a reasonable attempt to resolve or prevent further escalation of personal conflict be made before involving volunteer staff. If the issue cannot be resolved or continues to escalate, tell a volunteer and we will make our best attempt to help resolve the issue or escalate it to authorities. If you are in danger, find safety, contact authorities, or find someone who can help you get to safety and contact authorities.

If you are being harassed, tell the harasser clearly to stop and not to bother you anymore as long as doing so will not put you in immediate danger; if you are in immediate danger, contact the authorities. If they persist, then contact us at conchair@harmonycon.org with information on the situation, and we will assess how best to move forward so that you are safe within our convention spaces.

If you believe someone attending HarmonyCon is a potential threat to other attendees, you can also contact us at conchair@harmonycon.org and we will look into the situation.

HarmonyCon is committed to the safety of all attendees and will work to ensure the best possible solution for all involved.

HarmonyCon reserves the right to amend these rules without prior or posted notice.

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There are no strict mandates for health guidelines this year. HarmonyCon encourages everyone to stay up-to-date with flu and covid vaccines. Anyone who wishes to wear a mask is welcome and we will have plenty of masks onsite in case anyone needs one.

The only case where we may require the use of a mask is if anyone is demonstrating contagious symptoms (excessive coughing, sneezing, etc.). If any HarmonyCon staff ask you to wear a mask, you will be required to in con spaces.

It is flu season and conventions run a risk of spreading viruses. If you are sick right before or during HarmonyCon – DO NOT COME. Email us at info@harmonycon.org and we will work something out! You are responsible for your own health, but please keep in mind that you affect everyone's health!

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HarmonyCon welcomes all cosplayers! We want to provide a fun and safe environment for everyone, so there are a few requirements when it comes to dressing up:

• Nothing that looks like a weapon! The Dallas Hyatt has police onsite and we do not want any issues or altercations with them!
• No sharp protrusions
• No projectiles
• No laser pointers or lights that can hurt or damage eyes
• Keep costumes family-friendly (swimsuit areas well-covered, no profanity or offensive symbols)
• Nothing representing hateful/discriminating organizations. If we see this happening, the cosplayer will have their badge revoked.
• No bare feet.
• Your costume should not obstruct views or bump into people due to size, visibility, or maneuverability during panels and events.
• All costumes must comply with local laws.

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The HarmonyCon Cosplay Contest will be held Saturday, February 1 at 3 PM. There is mandatory pre-judging beginning at 1:00 PM in the Autograph Room. Contest registration forms will be available at the Registration Desk.

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• In order to compete, all entrants must complete an entry form and appear at both prejudging and stage presentation to compete.
• All skill levels and cosplays are welcome from closet cosplay to fully crafted.
• All cosplays must remain G rated, all private parts are fully covered; no offensive cosplays.
• No stage effects such as smoke, flash bombs, glitter bombs, or anything noisy, messy, or seizure risk.
• Cosplayers are responsible for their own safety and the safety of those around them, handlers are permitted if needed.
• Cosplayers are to respect each other and the judges' decisions. Inappropriate behavior towards fellow contestants or judges may ban participants from future competition or further action taken as necessary.
• All ICG guidelines will be followed for fair and equitable competition, etiquette, and procedures.
• Closet Cosplays and cosplays from outside MLP are allowed.
• Purchased or commission cosplays or those made by another must be indicated as such, and the maker must be present to win.

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• Youth: 17 and under regardless of cosplay experience level
• Novice: new to cosplay or unawarded 1st in any previous competition
• Intermediate: experienced cosplayer or have won 1st in Novice previous but not in Intermediate, Advanced, or Masters, or best in show
• Masters: experienced cosplayer with previous 1st in Intermediate or Best in show or previous Master level competition entries