Cosplay
Contest.
YAMA-CON × Knox Pop Con 2026 · Knoxville, TN
YAMA-CON — East Tennessee's largest anime convention, based in Pigeon Forge — brought their cosplay contest to Knox Pop Con 2026. Five awards. A stage full of contenders. The crowns were claimed.
The stage was set.
They delivered.
The YAMA-CON team organized, judged, and ran the Knox Pop Con 2026 cosplay contest — certificates, a photo wall, and a stage full of characters. Here's how it went down.
The 2026 contest is a wrap — and the community is just getting started.
Knox Pop Con 2027 →賞 — Awards & Prizes
Five ways they won.
Winners received custom rosettes by Hodges Badge Company plus award-specific prizes. All winners were recognized on stage.
部門 — Contest Awards
Five ways they won.
YAMA-CON's cosplay contest featured five award categories — from handmade armor to closet cosplay, there was a way to win.
採点 — Judging
How you're scored.
Judges evaluate every contestant on three key criteria during pre-judging and the stage walk-on.
審査 — Your Judges
Meet the panel.
The judges for the YAMA-CON Cosplay Contest at Knox Pop Con 2026 were experienced cosplayers who know the craft inside and out.
当日 — Contest Day
Your craft. Your stage. Your moment.
YAMA-CON has been running cosplay contests since 2012. Pre-judging started when doors opened at 3 PM and stopped 30 minutes before the stage show (~5:30 PM). Entries could cap day-of.
山 — About YAMA-CON
Born in the mountains. Built for fans.
YAMA-CON is East Tennessee's largest anime, gaming, and Japanese culture convention, held at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge. Since 2012, YAMA-CON has welcomed over 5,000 fans from across the Southeast for a weekend of panels, concerts, Artists' Alley, gaming tournaments, and — of course — their signature cosplay contest.
Named after the Japanese word for “mountain” (山 / yama), the convention pays homage to its Smoky Mountain roots while celebrating the global reach of Japanese pop culture. Their cosplay contests are known for a welcoming atmosphere that celebrates all skill levels — whether you built your costume from scratch or put it together the night before.
YAMA-CON brought their cosplay contest to Knox Pop Con 2026 — a first-of-its-kind collaboration between two East Tennessee conventions that share a love for Japanese and Asian pop culture.
体験 — What to Expect
It wasn't just a contest. It was an experience.
A YAMA-CON-hosted cosplay contest at an Asian pop culture festival. The stage was set. The judges were ready. Five awards. LoFi vibes. And Knoxville showed up.
必見 — That's a Wrap
YAMA-CON × Knox Pop Con 2026.
- YAMA-CON's official cosplay contest — at Knox Pop Con for the first time
- Five awards — Best in Show, Runner-up, Judge's Choice, Crowd Favorite, Best Prop/Armor
- Winners received YAMA-CON badges, coins, custom rosettes & more
- All fandoms and costume types welcome — made, bought, or closet cosplay
- May 2, 2026 — Doors opened at 3 PM, Stage Contest ~5:30 PM