The HoshiCon 2023 Weapons and Props policy is a list of rules and regulations applicable to any attendee, trader, volunteer or staff member who attends HoshiCon 2023 with weapons or props. Breaching any of the rules listed here at any stage of the event may result in your removal from the event and serious breaches could result in you being banned from future HoshiCon events.

Please read the entire Weapons and Props Policy before attending HoshiCon 2023. Failure to follow this policy may result in your removal from the convention without refund. If you are unsure about anything please contact the Cosplay Coordinator at [email protected]

Weapons and Props Policy:

1. All HoshiCon 2023 attendees, traders, and staff must comply with all Federal, State, and local laws and regulations regarding weapons, imitation weapons and props, as well as their usage.
2. When traveling to and from HoshiCon, please make sure any weapons or props, which could cause public alarm, are stored in a bag or in a storage container.
3. Under no circumstances are any actual weapons allowed to be possessed or brought to the convention grounds by HoshiCon attendees. For more detailed descriptions and definitions of banned items, please check the government’s weapons act for Western Australia. Unlawful possession of weapons is an offense.
4. HoshiCon attendees are required to have all weapons, imitation replicas and props checked by HoshiCon staff upon entering the event. All weapons deemed unsafe by HoshiCon staff will not be allowed into the event.
5. No metal props will be allowed into HoshiCon including but not limited to: replica guns, blades and anything sharp. A strict weapons policy will be enforced by HoshiCon and the venue staff. If you do not surrender a prop when asked, you will be asked to leave the premises.
6. No items can have sharp points, sharp edges, excessive weight or any other features that could be deemed dangerous to others. If the items are not approved during inspection, they are forbidden on convention grounds. Failure to comply will result in being escorted off the event premises and banned from the event.
7. Misuse of any prop weapon, such as swinging it in a public area or causing a hazard to attendees, will result in the weapon or prop being deemed unsafe for the convention. If a prop is deemed unsafe for the event due to misuse, it must be removed.
8. The following items are forbidden at HoshiCon:

• Functional firearms (including airsoft guns, BB guns, cap guns, paintball guns, and pellet guns)
• Realistic replica firearms (including reproduction, fake, or toy guns that can be confused for functional firearms)
• Functional projectile weapons (including blow guns, crossbows, long bows, silly string, slingshots, water balloons, water guns, and loaded NERF guns)
• Metal bladed weapons (including axes, daggers, hatchets, knives, kunai, shuriken, swords (including iaito), sword canes, and switch blades)
• Explosives (including firecrackers, fireworks, and anything that produces a flame)
• Blunt weapons (including brass knuckles, clubs, nunchaku, kubotans, tonfa, bo staffs, three-sectional staffs, escrima/kali sticks,)
• Hard prop weapons (including props made of metal, fibreglass, and glass)