Convention Policies
Alcohol: This is an all ages family event, no alcohol will be permitted on site, and if you are suspected of drinking, you will be asked to leave the convention.
Badges/Wristbands: Must be displayed at all times, non-transferrable and no refunds if lost.
Costumes: Costumes deemed to be offensive may result in expulsion from the convention.
Hotel Guidelines: Please treat hotel staff courtesy and respect. We want to remind all members registered with the hotel that they are responsible for any and all damages they may incur in any part of the hotel.
Photographs and Video/Audio Recording: Filming at select events (our Tron 2 preview, or Walking Dead preview, for example) will not be permitted, at all. You will be removed from the convention without permission for re-entry.
Otherwise – we ask all attendees to follow “Wheaton’s Law.” Be considerate and respectful of your environment, and of the other attendees who may be in your film. If you are filming costumes – ensure you get permission from that individual before taking their image.
Photography during the autograph sessions may be prohibited where noted.
Filming should be for personal use only. Any photography, film or audio released (via any medium) for personal gain or profit is not permitted.
Refunds: There will be no refunds on lost/stolen tickets or wristbands, no refunds if you are removed from the convention by staff or security.
Weapons Policies
Hal-Con wants everyone to have a safe convention. We want to encourage people to have fun with their costume designs while keeping the safety of the public and fellow convention members around them in mind.
The following items are forbidden from being brought into the convention:
- Any weapons that may cause a mess (silly string, filled water guns, water balloons, etc.).
- Explosives (including firecrackers, caps, and fireworks)
- Chemical weapons (including mace and pepper spray)
- Metal-bladed weapons (including axes, daggers, hatchets, knives, kunai, shuriken, swords, sword canes, and switch blades), regardless of sharpness, must remain sheathed at all times or else they will be forbidden.
- Live ammunition firearms are not permitted. This includes those firearms that have no loaded ammunition or the firing bolt or pin removed.
- Functional replica firearms (including air soft guns, BB guns, cap guns, paintball guns, and pellet guns) are permitted only for display during the costume contest. Please mark your prop firearms with an orange tip if possible for security reasons.
- Functional projectile weapons (including blow guns, crossbows, long bows, slingshots).
- Blunt weapons (including brass knuckles, clubs, and nunchaku)
- Hard prop weapons (including props made of metal, fiberglass, and glass)
- Any other weapon prohibited by Canadian law.
Should people be entering with any of the above, they will be stored backstage until the time of the costume contest.
Any items purchased at the convention, once removed from their packaging, are regarded the same as any prop weapon brought into the convention and must comply with these rules. If your costume prop takes up a significant amount of space – enough to obstruct hallways or walking areas – or is so cumbersome so as to impede your movement, we recommend you only have it for the costume contest.
