The Fourth Annual Kenai Performers Cosplay Costume Contest last weekend celebrated both the art of costume-making and fandom.
Held at Parker Park during the Soldotna Progress Days Block Party, the contest drew costumes representing various mediums and characters both mainstream and obscure.
Sarah Anne Sulzer and Zoe Nelson took Best in Show for their duo costume representing characters from “Heaven Official’s Blessing,” a Chinese novel and animated series that they said doesn’t have a widespread following in America — “especially in Alaska.”
They said the relative obscurity of their characters — compared to figures like Kim Possible or “Star Wars” icon Ahsoka Tano — makes their win testament to how much the judges enjoyed their costumes.
Sulzer’s costume was a long tunic with dark with gold accenting, topped by a black wig, pale makeup, long nails and reptilian contact lenses.
Nelson’s seemed to be akin to a kimono and was brighter, hued in whites and blues with a long and intricate design down the front. She was also carrying a fan.
Sulzer said the costumes had been assembled from material purchased at stores in Washington, as well as Amazon. The pair had recently gotten into the series and were taken by the detailed illustrations in the novels, leading to the decision to create cosplay of the characters.
“I dyed my hair for this,” Nelson said.
“We really enjoy cosplaying,” Sulzer said.
Other awards went to Sean Prisk’s Ahsoka for best sci-fi; a “Bloodborne”-inspired Hunter for best gaming; Cyndle Madrid’s Kim Possible for best anime or manga; Pip Frost’s King Pip the Dragonslayer won best student; and a father-daughter pair won best group for their cosplay of Lucifer and Charlie Morningstar from “Hazbin Hotel.”
For more information about the contest and the Kenai Performers, find “Kenai Performers” on Facebook.
This story was edited on Aug. 5 to correct the spelling of Sulzer’s name.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
Cyndle Madrid shows off her Kim Possible cosplay during the Kenai Performers Cosplay Costume Contest at the Soldotna Progress Days Block Party in Parker Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A cosplayer shows off their “Bloodborne”’-inspired hunter costume during the Kenai Performers Cosplay Costume Contest at the Soldotna Progress Days Block Party in Parker Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Sean Prisk shows off cosplay of “Star Wars” character Ahsoka Tano during the Kenai Performers Cosplay Costume Contest at the Soldotna Progress Days Block Party in Parker Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Queen Pip the Dragon Slayer slays a dragon during the Kenai Performers Cosplay Costume Contest at the Soldotna Progress Days Block Party in Parker Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion Winners of the Kenai Performers Cosplay Costume Contest stand with their prizes at the Soldotna Progress Days Block Party in Parker Park in Soldotna on Saturday, July 27.
Zoe Nelson and Sarah Anne Sulzer show off their cosplay from Chinese novel/animation series “Heaven Official’s Blessing” during the Kenai Performers Cosplay Costume Contest at the Soldotna Progress Days Block Party in Parker Park in Soldotna on Saturday, July 27. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
