Halloween Party Props and Costume Policies
As our event is hosted at a community centre and is an all-ages event, we kindly ask all attendees to follow the guidelines below to help keep the event safe, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone. All costume props and weapons are subject to mandatory security inspections upon entry.
General Rules
🏹 No REAL Weapons! Props must NOT be capable of firing, launching, or projecting anything.
🗡️ Props must NOT have sharp, pointed, or exposed edges.
👻 Costume or makeup must NOT depict sexually explicit content, excessive exposure, graphic violence, or extreme gore.
🕯️ Costume and Props must NOT contain hydrogen gas, chemical, explosives, or other hazardous materials.
🕸️ Costume and Props must NOT create a tripping or obstruction hazard for other attendees.
🐈⬛ Anvil Center does NOT allow general pets inside the facility, permitting only certified service animals
🎃 Thank you for helping us make the event welcoming for everyone!
Event staff reserve the right to inspect all props and weapons at the check-in desk upon entry. Any item deemed unacceptable or hazardous must be stored at the front desk and can be retrieved upon your departure.
1. Ranged Props
Real firearms of any type are strictly banned from the building. This includes real guns that are broken, disabled, or no longer work.
Gun replicas made from hard materials are NOT allowed. This covers metal, wood, rigid plastic, resin, and similar heavy materials.
Gun replicas made from soft materials ARE allowed. Good examples include EVA foam, paper, cardboard, and pipe cleaners.
Prop blasters that look completely different from real firearms are allowed if they are static and cannot fire anything. They must NOT shoot water, foam darts, or pellets.
Our team will inspect all props at the check-in desk. If our staff decides your prop is unacceptable, you can store it at the front desk and pick it up on your way out.
Functional bows of any kind are NOT allowed in the building. Mechanical crossbows with working triggers or cranks are also strictly banned.
Prop bows and crossbows must NOT be able to shoot anything. The bowstring must be completely unstrung, hanging completely loose, or made from a soft elastic cord with zero shooting power. You must never pull back the string and let it snap loose inside the venue.
Arrows must have NO sharp points. Arrows with metal or wooden tips are strictly prohibited. Arrows must have blunt tips or soft foam padding. If you carry arrows inside a quiver, keep them tied or taped together so they cannot be pulled out in crowded areas.
Aiming a bow at anyone’s face or body is strictly forbidden. Posing with an arrow on the bow is only permitted during static photos in open areas, and the string must never be pulled back under tension.
2. Close-Combat Props
Any weapons made primary by metal, knives, daggers, and metal chains are strictly banned from the venue. We do NOT allow any blades even if they are tied inside a sheath.
Close-combat props made from hard materials are NOT allowed. This covers solid wood swords, hard plastic bats, heavy wooden clubs, thick resin blades, etc.
Props made from lightweight, soft materials ARE allowed. Good examples include EVA foam, lightweight crafting foam, cardboard, foam board, and soft rubber. Props must NOT have sharp points, cutting edges, or dangerous exposed corners.
Heavy blunt items are NOT permitted. For example, Baseball bats, metal poles, iron rods, and lead pipes.
Props should NOT exceed 2.1 meters long.
Swinging props, play-fighting, dueling, and running through aisles are completely forbidden. You may draw or hold your prop sword only when taking static photos in open areas.
3. Costume Policies
Cosplay is all about creativity, and we love seeing everyone dress up! Because our event takes place in an all-ages community centre, all costumes must be family-friendly and suitable for a public setting.
Nudity is strictly banned across the entire event. Excessively revealing, sheer, or overly sexualized outfits are strictly prohibited. Swimsuit-style or form-fitting cosplays must properly cover private areas at all times. Bodysuits or skin-tight suits that simulate or mimic nudity are also NOT permitted.
Footwear is mandatory throughout the entire venue. Bare feet are not allowed inside the building under any circumstances, even if your character walks barefoot. Please wear clear shoes, sandals, or wrap your feet securely.
Costumes must NOT cause safety or movement hazards. Outfits with sharp metal spikes, wet paint, messy powders, or loose parts that drag across the floor and create tripping risks are not permitted.
If your costume includes oversized armor, wings, tails, or large inflatable elements, it must not obstruct event traffic or block exits. You must be able to move independently through standard doorways, navigate crowded vendor aisles without knocking over artist displays. Costumes and attached accessories must fit within a maximum size of 2 meters tall, 60 cm wide, and 60 cm long.
Hate symbols, realistic military tactical uniforms without fictional styling, and outfits that copy real-life emergency responders (such as local police, security, or paramedics) are strictly banned. Costumes must NOT contain words or images that are racist, obscene or derogatory.
Event staff reserve the right to ask anyone to adjust, cover up, or change an outfit that is deemed unsafe or inappropriate for an all-ages community space.
If you are unsure whether your prop or costume meets our safety standards, please send us an email with clear photos and details prior to the event, and our team will be happy to review it.