Fan Faire is rapidly approaching and there's one very important part of the festivities that we have yet to highlight!

The ever-popular SOE Fan Faire Costume Contest will be returning this year, and it's going to be better than ever.

We'll be doing a few things differently this year. All contestants will need to be pre-registered at the Information Booth in the Grand Bally Room. Sign up will start on Thursday, July 7th, after 6:00 p.m. and will continue until 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 9th.

Once contestants have confirmed their registration, they will need to show up (in costume!) at the Information Booth at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 9th, for the pre-judging. At this time they will be given a number, have their photograph taken, and be presented to the judges. After the pre-judging is finished, contestants are encouraged to resume their normal pre-banquet activities. No new contestants will be accepted after 7:00 p.m.

After the banquet starts, Brasse will announce when contestants should start heading up to the stage. Contestants will be helped to line up on stage left in numerical order. An attendant will be on hand to answer any questions.. There will be some walking and stairs involved, so please keep this in mind when you're designing your costume!

Remember, the Information Booth will be the central location for the Costume Contest. The Fan Faire schedule can be foundbelow:

• Thursday at 6:00 p.m. – Sign up opens.
• Saturday at 5:00 p.m. – Sign up closes.
• Saturday at 6:00 p.m. – Pre-judging starts.
• Saturday at 7:00 p.m. – No more entries will be accepted.
• Saturday at 8:00 p.m. – The Grand Banquet starts.
• Saturday at 9:00 p.m. – Contestants will be called up to the stage.

There are four categories for judging:

• Best in Show
• Master Crafter
• Humor
• Crowd Favorite

And don’t forget the best part of the contest! Prizes!! They're a surprise though, so you'll just have to enter to find out what they are.

You can check out previous years' Fan Faire pictures (including Costume Contest photos) at our2009and 2010 Flickr pages! Check back after Fan Faire to see pictures of the 2011 Costume Contest.