What happens when convention season pauses and the real work begins.

cosplay between conventions

Hello, friends. We're in that particular stretch of the year when convention season feels both close and far away. Spring events are just starting to appear on the horizon, summer plans are still forming, and if you're anything like many cosplayers we know, you're somewhere between finishing one costume and starting another. This is the season of "cosplay between conventions," where the work happens quietly, where ideas take shape in living rooms and workshop corners, and where the community finds its rhythm outside the bright lights of the main stage.

We wanted to start this week by talking about what that in-between time means, and how it shapes not just the costumes we make, but who we become as makers.

There's a particular kind of quiet that settles over the cosplay community in late winter. The holiday rush is gone. Spring conventions are weeks away, not months. And that's when Sarah, a longtime maker from the Midwest, found herself standing in front of a half-finished armor piece, wondering if she'd made a terrible mistake.

She'd committed to a character she loved but had never attempted before. The construction method was unfamiliar. The materials were new. And she had six weeks before Castle Point Anime Convention in New Jersey, which meant six weeks to figure it out, or six weeks to panic. She chose the former, but just barely.

What happened next wasn't dramatic. It was the opposite of dramatic. Sarah posted a photo of her work-in-progress in a cosplay Discord server. Someone replied with a technique she'd never considered. She watched a three-minute video tutorial. She tried it on scrap material first. She failed. She tried again. She succeeded. Then she moved to the next problem, and the next one after that. Between her day job, her family, and her other commitments, she'd work on the costume for an hour or two on Tuesday nights, or a few hours on Saturday mornings. No livestream. No big announcement. Just the quiet, steady work of learning something new because she cared enough to try.

By mid-April, when she walked into that convention, the armor was finished. It wasn't perfect. There were small imperfections only she would notice. But it was hers, and it was made with her own hands, and it represented something she hadn't known she was capable of before she started.

What struck her most, though, wasn't the compliments she received at the convention. It was the conversations that happened in those in-between weeks. The person in the Discord who shared their technique. The friend who let her test materials in their workshop. The small moments of generosity and problem-solving that had nothing to do with the spotlight and everything to do with the craft itself. That's when she realized the real convention was happening between conventions. The real community was built in those quiet weeks when nobody was watching.

The in-between season is where cosplay becomes less about the event and more about the process. It's where we learn, ask for help, and discover what we're truly capable of making. But every cosplayer's in-between looks different. Some of you might be in the thick of construction right now. Others might be in the planning phase, sketching ideas or gathering materials. Some might be taking a breath between conventions, recharging before the next push.

We'd love to hear where you are right now. What are you working on, or thinking about working on? Have you ever had a moment where the real learning happened between events, not at them? And if you're stuck on something, or just need a little encouragement, this is the place to say so.

The spring and summer convention calendar is filling up fast, and there's something for every corner of the cosplay community. Whether you're planning your next big debut or just looking for a day out with fellow makers, here are some events worth marking on your calendar.

Castle Point Anime Convention, Secaucus, New Jersey, April 25-26, 2026. Student-run anime convention with art, merchandise, and cosplay community.

Awesome Con, Washington D.C., March 13-15, 2026. Large pop culture celebration with comics, movies, TV, and geek culture across three days.

Anime Expo, Los Angeles, California, July 2-5, 2026. The largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America with four days of programming.

Otakon, Washington D.C., July 31-August 2, 2026. Convention of Otaku Generation with a long tradition of community and celebration.

If this resonates with you, we'd love for you to share it with one cosplay friend who's in their own in-between season right now. Forward this email to someone who's working on something quietly, or who needs a reminder that the real magic happens between the big events. They'll appreciate knowing they're not alone in this part of the journey.

And please, hit reply and tell us what you're working on. Are you deep in construction mode? Are you planning something ambitious for the spring? Did you learn something unexpected during your last in-between stretch? This newsletter works best when it's a conversation, not a broadcast. Your stories, your questions, and your small wins are exactly what this community needs to hear.

We're here, listening, and genuinely excited to know what you're making next.

Reply with your stories, photos, and questions for a future issue.