Event Policies

GENERAL RULES

• Please observe all signs.
• Seating is first-come, first-served. Due to fire regulations, sitting in aisles and seating beyond the room’s capacity is not allowed.
• Be courteous during presentations. Keep noise level to a minimum.
• Ghost Coast Festival reserves the right to refuse admission to Panels/Workshops/Viewing rooms to those under 18 during videos and/or panels with adult content.
• Be careful with Laser pointers. They are not harmless toys; they are capable of inflicting serious eye damage. Irresponsible use of a laser pointer will result in loss of membership and expulsion from the event.
• Water guns and projectiles are not allowed in convention space, any use of them in public will result in loss of membership and removal from the event. All involved parties will be required to pay the cost of any property damages suffered by individuals, dealers or the venue.
• Respect cosplayers and your fellow attendees. Cosplayers, including participants of Ghost Coast Festival Cosplay Contests are representatives of the community and are looked up to. Positive behavior is expected from all attendees. Any kind of harassment towards cosplayers, including but not limited to harassment on social media, will not be tolerated and will be grounds for dismissal from the convention as well as possible criminal charges
• Failure to follow the rules may result in loss of membership and expulsion from the event.

COSTUMES

• Cosplay is one of the main features of the Ghost Coast Festival . We kindly ask all Cosplayers to be tasteful with their choice of costumes.
• Be careful with large and bulky costumes or costumes that have large or bulky accessories especially in high traffic areas.
• No indecent exposure. Please abide by public decency laws and customs

CHILDREN BADGES / WRISTBANDS

• Custom Wristbands are your access to the event.
• You cannot be in the event without a wristband. In case of loss, please report to registration immediately. You may be required to wait in line again & pay for a new wristband so be careful with your wristband.

CHILDREN (12 YEARS AND BELOW)

A parent or guardian MUST accompany children 12 years and below at all time. It is their responsibility.

SMOKING IS PROHIBITED THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT.

Ghost Coast Festival is a non-smoking event.

ALCOHOL, DRUGS, THEFT, VANDALISM

• Legal drinking age of Texas is 21.
• Drugs, theft and vandalism are illegal and will result in prosecution.

By attending Ghost Coast Festival’s Main Events or Concerts, you understand and agree to the above rules.

PHOTOGRAPHY FOR PERSONAL USE

Photography is allowed for personal use in Cosplay Contest, or Parties

No Flash Photography

By attending the festival you agree to be photographed and recorded and those materials can be used by Ghost Coast Festival in any manner.

ADDITIONAL RULES

• No Smoking in the Main Events Arena
• No over-sized bags or cosplay props in the audience
• Everyone in the convention space including the Main Events Arena must have a valid wristband.
• You must obey security rules and respect security personnel at all times
• No climbing on stage at anytime

Ghost Coast Festival understands that carrying props and replicas is important to many fans as part of the convention experience. Fans of prop weapons or other items permitted below must understand that they use and carry them at their own risk and assume all risks of liability to and from anyone injured or otherwise harmed directly or indirectly by the fans acts or inaction and property damaged. Ghost Coast Festival shall not be liable for injury, harm, property damage, or other liability associated with any person`s use of any weapon, permitted, or banned, at Ghost Coast Festival.

You may not be permitted to carry any kind of functional projectile weapon. This includes individuals who possess a weapons permit or concealed weapons permit. Keep them at home. Anyone found in possession of such a weapon will immediately have their membership revoked. Individuals caught in the illegal possession of a functioning projectile weapon will be reported and turned over to the proper authorities. All other items that could be used as a weapon MUST be peace bonded.
Swords, Axes, Spears, Pikes, Staves, etc. should be made out of wood, PVC, foam, plastic, cardboard, or paper. ABOSOLUTELY NO METAL weapons will be permitted on convention grounds.

Weapons should never be waved around in a manner that may be construed as use of the weapon (this is considered brandishing).

Brandishing any weapon-like item is NOT permissible. Brandishing is defined as drawing, exhibiting, or using any weapon whatsoever in a rude, angry, or threatening manner or using a weapon in any fight or quarrel.

Gun replica or other replica projectile weapons should not be pointed at anyone at any time. Replica pistols need to remain in a holster; replica rifles need to be slung.

No functioning projectile weapons or props will be allowed. This goes for Airsoft, Nerf, bows and arrows, pellet guns, etc.

Weapons such as Airsoft, Nerf, etc. may be permitted IF and ONLY IF the tip of the guns are obviously orange AND the gun is no longer capable of firing projectiles. This means that leaving the CO2 canister at home does not count as disabling the airsoft gun. Barrels must be filled and made solid, firing mechanisms must be removed, triggers must be removed, bows must be without string, or something along these same lines to make the weapon incapable of use without doubt.

Weapons check will ultimately have the last say with whether or not a weapon is deemed too dangerous to be permitted onto conventions grounds.

Exotic weapons will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Do not bring weapons that Ghost Coast Festival Staff, Convention Security, Hotel security, Houston Police Dept., and Galveston County Sheriffs cannot tell are fake from ten feet away.

Weapons that are purchased in the dealers room at Ghost Coast Festival must be kept wrapped and then immediately removed from the convention following purchase.
Drawing a weapon in the convention space, including parking lots, may result in immediate revocation of convention membership. Keep in mind, police will assume all drawn weapons are functional, and will act accordingly. .

These rules are for your safety and the safety of Ghost Coast Festival attendees. We are posting and enforcing these to protect you the event-goer, and our staff from harm be it physical, or legal. The rules are NOT open to interpretation nor will they be a point of argument. The rules are final and if they are broken, your wristband can and will be removed and you will not be allowed to participate in any future Ghost Coast Festival events.