Zenkaikon aims to create a friendly, safe, and welcoming environment for all of its members. For this reason, it is important that all convention attendees read and follow

the policies below.

Also, please remember that anything illegal outside the convention is illegal inside the convention. All federal, state, and local laws apply.

• General Policies
• Disruptive Behavior
• Harassment Policy
• Accessibility
• Lines
• Minors
• 18+ Programming
• Cameras and Photography
• Dances
• Autographs
• Dress Code & Cosplay Policies
• Signs
• Weapons Policy
• Page a Chair
• Disclaimer

General Policies

• A Zenkaikon membership badge is issued to a single individual. The sharing of badges is not permitted. Any badge found being used by an individual other than the person to whom the badge was issued may be revoked.
• Please have your convention badge visible at all times. If you are at any time asked to present your badge by a Zenkaikon Staff Member, a Zenkaikon Volunteer, or a Convention Center Staff Member, please do so.
• Zenkaikon does not allow open alcohol within convention spaces. If you would like to consume alcohol, you may do so in one of the hotel bars, local restaurants, or your hotel room. Under no circumstances may alcohol be given to someone less than 21 years of age.
• All sales of goods or services within the convention center must be pre-approved by Zenkaikon (for example, vendors and artists within the Exhibit Hall, and the official Zenkaikon photo booth). All other sales or panhandling fall under the convention center’s “no solicitation” policy and are not permitted.
• We like the Convention Center, and the Convention Center likes us. We’d like to keep it that way. Please respect Convention Center and Zenkaikon property, and follow any policies the Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott set forth.
• Also, please remember that the Convention Center, hotels, and local businesses are not dedicated completely to Zenkaikon throughout the weekend. Please be considerate and respectful of non-convention individuals at all times, as you represent more than just yourself, but the entire fandom community.

Disruptive Behavior

While we want everyone to have fun at the convention, disruptive behavior interferes with the enjoyment of our fellow members, and is not permitted. Examples of disruptive behavior include, but are not limited to: running; yelling or using disruptive noise makers; rough-housing; profanity; public intoxication; blocking traffic flow; or any other behavior which is deemed disruptive, dangerous, or that common sense dictates you should not do.

Some behaviors such as theft, vandalism, assault, or any other action deemed highly disruptive or illegal may be grounds for immediate removal from convention spaces, revocation of a member’s membership and badge, and/or notification of the proper authorities.

Harassment Policy

Zenkaikon is dedicated to providing a friendly, safe, and welcoming experience for everyone in both our in-person and online spaces.  In-person spaces include all convention center and other meeting rooms where our annual event takes place. Our online spaces include Discord, Zoom, Twitch, YouTube, other video conferencing interfaces, associated chat/messaging areas, social media accounts, etc., related to Zenkaikon.

Harassment of any kind, including, but not limited to: verbal or physical assault, deliberate intimidation, stalking, or unwelcome physical or online attention, will not be tolerated. If someone tells you “no” or to leave them alone, your business with them is done. If you continue to attempt to have contact with that person, you may be removed from the premises or from our online spaces.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to:

• Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, body size, age, race, or religion, or other lifestyle choices and practices.
• Deliberate misgendering or use of ‘dead’ or rejected names.
• Gratuitous or off-topic sexual images or behavior in inappropriate spaces.
• Simulated or actual physical contact (e.g., textual descriptions like “*hug*” or “*backrub*”) without consent or after a request to stop.
• Threats of violence, including encouraging a person to commit suicide or to engage in self-harm.
• Deliberate intimidation.
• Stalking or following.
• Taking video recordings or screenshots without prior consent and for purposes of harassment.
• Unwelcome sexual attention.
• Continued one-on-one communication after requests to cease.
• Deliberate “outing” of any aspect of a person’s identity without their consent.
• Sharing of non-harassing private communication without consent.

 Zenkaikon reserves the right not to act on complaints regarding:

• Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you.”
• Communicating in a ‘tone’ you don’t find congenial.
• Criticizing racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions.

Zenkaikon is not responsible for solving disagreements and interpersonal problems between individual members outside of the convention.

Our harassment policy applies to everyone – including but not limited to Zenkaikon standard and VIP members, staff, volunteers, contractors, guests, panelists, vendors, and artists. 

Reporting: 

At Con/In Person

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please notify a member of Zenkaikon Staff immediately so that they may address it. Zenkaikon Staff can be identified by their blue “Zenkaikon Staff ” T-shirts and “STAFF” ribbons on their badges. If you feel our staff has not been able to meet your needs, or if you have further concerns, please Page a Chair.

Online

If a participant of Zenkaikon’s online spaces is harassing you, you notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact the Code of Conduct Team (#moderators) on the Zenkaikon Discord. If the person who is harassing you is on the team, they will recuse themselves from handling your incident. We will respond as promptly as we can.

 If you do not feel comfortable addressing your concerns directly with our staff, you may also use our contact form, and select ‘Zenkaikon Online’ as the category.

Consequences

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior,  Zenkaikon Staff may take any action they deem appropriate, up to and including expulsion from all Zenkaikon online and/or in-person spaces and other measures as seen fit by the convention chairperson and Board of Directors.

Page a Chair Program

If you are uncomfortable about how a policy is enforced or how you are treated by a Zenkaikon staff member or volunteer, you can ask for a Chair to be paged. The Zenkaikon staff member or volunteer will call for the Zenkaikon Chair Person on duty. The Chair will come to your location to assist as soon as possible. 

Accessibility

Service Animals

• Only ADA-recognized service animals are allowed at Zenkaikon and the Marriott Penn Square/Lancaster County Convention Center. Pets are prohibited.
• “Service Animal” means a dog/mini-horse trained to perform a specific task(s) for the benefit of an individual with a disability, such as retrieving objects, alerting to low blood sugar, or providing deep pressure therapy during a panic attack.
• Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support by mere presence alone, a.k.a. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), are prohibited.
• Owners must control the movement of their service animals at all times (i.e. via harness, leash, tether, or voice commands). 
• Service animals must be housebroken.
• Service animals that exhibit aggressive or disruptive behavior are prohibited. Such behavior includes but is not limited to: biting, snapping, growling, barking, jumping up on other guests, or any other behavior not explicitly for the purpose of alerting others to assist its owner.
• Failure to abide by these rules may result in being asked to vacate the premises by either Zenkaikon or convention center/hotel staff.
• Be advised that the Lancaster Convention Center is considered a private business, while hotels are considered public accommodation, and thus may enforce separate rules while still abiding by the ADA. Please contact the hotel you will be staying at for information on their accessibility accommodations and animal policies.

Lines

• It is unavoidable that there will be lines for some events. We recommend bringing a book, Nintendo DS, or another hand held gaming device to pass the time while waiting in a line.
• All lines will start a maximum of 30 minutes before the event or seating for the event takes place, no exceptions.
• Please follow all directions given by staff members, as their number one priority is making sure you have a safe and fun weekend at Zenkaikon.
• The 3 simple steps of line “etiquette” .
  • Please make sure that your badge is out and visible. (It should always be out, but we understand you may have put it away for a cosplay picture)
  • Please make sure the badge artwork is facing forward.
  • As you make it to the door, please lift your badge to the person at the door’s eye level so they can check it. If you are going to an 18+ panel, please use the hand the wrist band is on.
• V.I.P. members have priority access to the Exhibit Hall and first of line privileges for Main Events and ONLY Main Events. If you have a V.I.P. badge please let the line staff know.
• Cutting in line and “holding” spots will not be tolerated.  All those caught will be sent to the back of the line. Repeat offenders may face expulsion from Zenkaikon. 

Minors

• Anyone under the age of 13 is required to have a parent or guardian with them at all times. Accompanying parents or guardians must also be registered for the convention.
• We do not charge membership fees for children age 9 and under.

18+ Programming

Some Zenkaikon programming will be labeled as 18+ only. Anyone who wishes to attend 18+ programming must be at least 18 years of age on the day of the event, and must obtain an 18+ wristband from the wristband booth prior to the program.

• Only a valid, government-issued photo ID will be accepted as identification for issuing 18+ wristbands.
• 18+ wristbands will be available at Registration at designated times and locations. 
• An 18+ wristband will grant an attendee access to 18+ programming for an entire weekend, no need to line up for a new one each day

Cameras and Photography

• Use of stationary photography setups (e.g., lighting, backdrops, and tripods) are limited to the official Zenkaikon Photo Booth, attendees with a Photographer badge, and members of the press who are approved by the Communications Department.
• All sales of goods or services within the convention center must be pre-approved by Zenkaikon (for example, vendors and artists within the Exhibit Hall, and the official Zenkaikon photo booth). All other sales or panhandling fall under the convention center’s “no solicitation” policy and are not permitted.
• Please be considerate when stopping to take photos in the hallway by making the photo stop quick, and not blocking the main flow of traffic. Do not take any photos in stairwells, elevators, or in front of doorways.
• Out of respect for our members’ privacy, we also request that you get permission before taking photos of attendees or guests.

Dances

• “Stringing”/”poi” of glow sticks (swinging around glow sticks on strings or lanyards) and moshing will not be allowed during dances due to space and safety concerns.
• No bags, food, or beverages will be permitted in the dances.
  

Autographs

• Lines for autographs will start 30 minutes before the autograph session.
• Unfortunately, we can not guarantee everyone an autograph so we have to limit attendees.
• A limited number of tickets will be distributed to people in line on a first-come, first-serve basis, based on the length of the session. If you do not have a ticket, you are not guaranteed to get an autograph at that session.
• For any guests who are offering them, free autographs are limited to 1 item per person/weekend, free autographs are limited to 1 item per person. At the guests’ discretion, guests may choose to sign additional items for a fee. (For more details, please see our Autograph Sessions page)
• Guests will not sign any bootleg or illegal items. Please bring licensed items only.
• Please have whatever item you want autographed ready to be signed by the time you reach the front of the line. (e.g. Remove CD sleeves/DVD cover from their cases before you get to the guest.)
• Out of courtesy to those in line behind you, please try not to take up a lot of the guests’ time when you reach the front of the line. To save time, you can think of what you want to say to the guest as having a 30 second limit, and try writing it down before you get there. If you can’t catch your guest at their table to ask a question, you are welcome to ask them questions at their panels also.

Dress Code & Cosplay Policies

Attendees of Zenkaikon are encouraged to dress and cosplay in ways that express themselves and celebrate imagination.

While we always love seeing new takes on characters and fun outfits, for the safety and security of our convention as well as our diverse all-ages audience, we ask that you follow the guidelines below:

• Functioning wheels, including but not limited to rollerblades, Heelies (with wheels inserted), hoverboards, and skateboards, are not permitted due to safety and space concerns.
• Stilts or other similar mechanisms are not permitted due to safety and space concerns.
• Masks covering an attendee’s face should be easily removable upon request by Convention Center Staff or Zenkaikon Staff.
• Costumes, cosplay, and clothing should cover all private parts at all times and prevent public visibility.
• Costumes, cosplay, and clothing must not contain depictions of sexual acts; this includes cropped pictures of sexual acts such as ‘ahegao’ clothing.
• We forbid any representation or iconography of any hate group. Zenkaikon does not tolerate discrimination or prejudiced behavior.
• Cosplay or costumes that may be confused with American law enforcement, emergency response personnel, first responders, emergency medical personnel, or government agencies are not permitted at Zenkaikon. Any cosplay or costume that falls under a military- or police-style uniform will be allowed only at the convention’s discretion.

Zenkaikon has the Sole and Absolute Discretion to decide what costumes, cosplays, and clothing are permitted at the convention and to request the attendee to change or otherwise remove, modify, or cover their cosplay, costume, or clothing. Refusal to cooperate may lead to expulsion from the convention.

Signs

Solicitation signs are prohibited (“Glomps for Free”, “FreeHugs”, “Glomp Me”, etc.). Included in this rule are shirts and other clothing with solicitation phrases used in lieu of physical signs. Other types of signs are allowed only if they are an integral part of a costume (such as the sign carried by Genma the Panda in Ranma 1/2, or Phoenix Wright characters).

Cosplay Props

In all cases, final decisions on what constitutes an inappropriate prop belongs to the Zenkaikon Staff and the Lancaster County Convention Center. If your prop is deemed inappropriate or dangerous to others, you will be asked to remove it to your car, room, or somewhere else outside the convention.

Please use common sense when bringing prop weaponry to Zenkaikon. If you would not carry your item in public, in plain sight, then you should not have it at the convention.

• All prop weapons must be easily identified as being replicas.
• All props must be inspected and approved by a Zenkaikon staff member at a designated prop check location, which is Registration this year.
• The maximum prop size is six feet (6’) in any direction.
• Misuse of your prop, by swinging it or endangering others with it, will result in Zenkaikon staff asking you to remove the prop from the convention space.

Weapons Policy

• Weapons, which include swords, daggers, or paddles that have been purchased in the Dealer’s room, must remain boxed and immediately removed to your car, room, or other private quarters. Zenkaikon does not store members’ items.

Types of Weapons or Props NOT Allowed

• Any weapon that can shoot a projectile or has moving parts will not be permitted. Prohibited examples include, but are not limited to: Water guns/pistols/rifles/blasters, BB/Pellet guns, Crossbows, dart guns, or blow guns.
• Live steel: Live steel is defined as any object made of metal that is capable of taking an edge, whether or not the object is actually sharp, and whether or not the object is sheathed.
• Nunchaku
• Explosives or chemicals of any kind
• Handcuffs
• Airsoft guns
• Paddles

Props, resin casts, and toys simulating the appearance of firearms will be allowed only if they:

• Are easily identifiable as toys or props
• Have no moving parts
• Are marked with a non-removable orange tip
• Are checked by staff at one of Zenkaikon’s prop check locations

Types of Weapons and Props Allowed

• Wooden swords including boken, bo sticks, and shinai.
• Anything made of paper mache or other material that is not dangerous to others (e.g. has no sharp edges, or parts sticking out that might trip people as they walk by).
• Any metal chains less than three feet (3’). This includes, but is not limited to, chain wallets or chains on non-costume clothing. While you can have chains, you cannot hold the chain like a leash and lead others around the convention.
• Bows will ONLY be permitted if they are not strung with any tension.

Disclaimer

Attendance is subject to the rules and regulations of Zenkaikon. A badge may be revoked and a member ejected from the convention for disorderly conduct, a violation of the law or rules, or in the sole discretion of a Zenkaikon official. A member acknowledges that by appearing at Zenkaikon he or she may be recorded (by video, sound, or otherwise) and consents to such recording and its publishing and re-broadcasting. In exchange solely for this license, the member, in accepting a badge: (i) releases Zenkaikon from any liability for loss or damage to persons or property, infringement of any right, or any other claim or cause of action of any kind; (ii) authorizes and permits Zenkaikon and its designees to use for any and all purposes his or her name, voice, and likeness and all reproduction thereof in any and all forms and in all media now or hereafter known in perpetuity; (iii) agrees to comply with all Zenkaikon rules and regulations.