The Chicon 8 Masquerade was held on September 3rd, 2022 in the Grand Ballroom of the Chicago Hyatt Regency. As with previous Worldcons, the show began with a presentation of the entries, accompanied by wonderfully entertaining introductions by master of ceremonies, William Dezoma.
The presentation was followed by an amazing performance by local Chicago group Raks Geek, who astounded the audience with skillful light-spinning, spooky contortion acts, and graceful wookies.
The judges presented various awards to the category winners (listed below), culminating with the overall “Best in Show” award.
Hinata Hyuga and Naruto, Sinead Randle and Aine Randle
[Winner: Young Fan Level]
The Predator & Dutch, Amanda Tomaszewski and Brian Tomaszewski
[Winner: Best in Class Novice]
Exterminate, Karen Ann Smith (Made by Terease Anderson and Karen Gunn Smith)
A Tale of the 9 Lives that Sailed the 7 Seas, Janine Wardale, Theresa Halbert, Tina Riggs, and Lisa Satterland
[Winner: Best in Class Master, Workmanship Award for Best Hidden Details: Toe Beans & Judge Bribes]
Tech from The Bad Batch, Betsy Scott
[Winner: Best Novice Workmanship]
Snake Cultist, Jessie Long-Weaver
Post-Apocalyptic Plague Shaman, Snail Scott
[Winner: Best Organic Character, Best Journeyman Workmanship, Chicago Costumers Guild Cement Overshoes Award]
The Ocean Goddess, Courtney Rayle
[Winner: Best in Show Workmanship]
Professor Percival R. Smythe III, Jim Phillips
[Winner: Best Narrative]
Pastafarian, Jim Bridgeman
Steampunky Brewster, Rosemary Williams (Made by Rosemary Williams with electronic programming by James Williams)
[Winner: Best in Class Journeyman]
Lady Olenna Tyrell, Barbara Peterson
Sadric the 86th and his Empress, Pierre and Sandy Pettinger
[Winner: Best Workmanship in Master Class]
Papposilenos, the oldest and first satyr, Sterling Northington
Making Waves, Kevin Roche
[Winner: Best Reproduction]
Arwen’s Lament, Ellen Rustad, Kevin Rustad, Keith Nelson, Jen Curti, Kyle McDonald, Melody Hubertus, Alexander Johnson, George Richard, Bill Hendricks, Rich Schreiber, Amáda Márquez Simula, Frost Simula, and Rae Lundquist (Made by Rae Lundquist, Bill Hendricks, Ellen Rustad, Amáda Márquez Simula, and Kevin Rustad)
[Winner: Best in Show, Excellence in Workmanship for Hobbit Feet, Best Documentation Workmanship]