Code of Conduct

 

FallsCon is meant to be a weekend of gaming, community and fun! We want everyone to feel safe, welcome, and comfortable. If you have a question about a specific policy or guideline, be sure to read through all our policies, but if that still doesn’t answer your question, email admin@fallscon.net

Be Safe

  • Follow all show policies, venue rules, and staff directions.

  • No running, jumping, throwing, or other unsafe behaviors.

  • Support each other in maintaining a safe environment.

  • Report concerns to: FallsCon volunteers (Blue FallsCon Vests), or the registration table.

Play Nice

  • Don’t harass other attendees, volunteers, or vendors.

  • Respect everyone's physical and social boundaries and their personal property.

  • No stealing, cheating, trolling, or griefing.

Have Fun

  • Remember to eat, sleep, and shower daily.

  • Make friends.

  • Play some games.

  • Explore.

Everyone should observe common sense rules for behavior, personal interaction, courtesy, and respect. Harassing or offensive behavior will not be tolerated. FallsCon reserves the right to revoke, without refund, the membership and badge of any participant not in compliance with this policy.

The following are prohibited from the convention center:

  • Drones, helium balloons, and other airborne objects or devices.

  • Skateboards, roller skates, non-mobility scooters.

  • Pets, with the sole exception of service animals.

  • Smoking and vaping are prohibited, as well as alcohol and any illicit substances.

Advertising

Any non FallsCon advertising is prohibited, unless authorized by the FallsCon Board. 

 

Costumes

Please note that exceptions may be made to items in bold when participating in the cosplay contest, but only for the period in which you are on stage.

  • Costumes, cosplays, and general attire must provide the same level of body coverage expected at an all-ages public beach, but no speedos or thongs.

  • Footwear is required at all times.

  • Costumes should not impede your movement, or the movement of others around you. They must fit through a standard American doorway.

  • Costumes should not have any functional sharp edges or points that could be a risk to yourself or others.

  • Costumes may not include smoke, odors, or fog.

  • Cosplay may not include:

    • Words, images, or symbols that convey racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise prejudiced, discriminatory, or bigoted messages or sentiments.

    • Obscene or offensive language or images, including uncensored profanities and pornographic content

  • Costumes should not represent or incorporate the iconography, uniform, or appearance of persons or objects associated with prejudice or bigotry (e.g. Nazi imagery).

  • 20th and 21st-century uniforms may not be worn as costumes. These include any uniform that can be construed as a military uniform from any country or a uniform worn in an official capacity, such as security guard, police officer, deputy, fire marshal, paramedic, etc. Active duty military personnel are permitted to wear their government-issued uniforms.

  • Costumes and cosplays may incorporate audio or lighting elements of reasonable volume or intensity. Sounds and lights must be able to be turned off easily if they become disruptive to nearby attendees or events.

Weapons and Props:

  • Costumes and cosplays cannot include historical or modern weapons or items that could be confused for actual weapons. This includes (but is not limited to): self-defense equipment like pepper spray or tasers; recreational weapons like Airsoft, paintball, water, cap, or BB guns; sharp-edged tools like knives or scissors; or martial-arts weaponry including wooden practice weapons.

  • Fantasy or sci-fi/futuristic weapons are allowed so long as they do not resemble actual historical or modern weapons and are handled with respect for other attendees' safety and personal space.

  • No live steel or weapons that can fire projectiles.

  • Weapons and props must not exceed the height of a standard American doorway.

  • Any weapon or prop that makes noise must be able to be turned off and must not be excessively loud.

Questionable items can be brought to the Registration table in the convention center during operating hours to be checked for compliance with this policy. 

FallsCon volunteers may inspect any item or costume, or request that an attendee remove a mask at any time during the convention. Failure to comply with these policies or the instructions of FallsCon volunteers may result in immediate removal from the convention without a refund.

 

Exhibit Hall

To maintain a safe and navigable environment inside the Exhibit Hall, the use of wagons, carts, rolling luggage, dollies, hand trucks, and stroller wagons are not permitted during hall hours. Standard occupied strollers are allowed only when a child is present. Strollers may not be used to transport merchandise or serve as shopping carts.

Attendees with accessibility-related needs may request exceptions to this policy through the registration desk.

Aisles must remain accessible at all times. Sitting on the floor or stopping for cosplay photos in the aisles is not permitted. Please use the designated cosplay photo area outside the main event hall for cosplay photography.

Event Spaces

FallsCon reserves the right to clear each room after an event. Attendees will not be allowed to remain in the room for the next event. Items cannot be stored in event spaces. If found, items may be moved or discarded.

Lost and Found

The FallsCon registration desk will serve as the center for lost and found items during the convention. Unclaimed property will be turned over to the convention center security office at the close of the convention. You can help protect your belongings by including identification tags with mobile phone numbers in wallets, purses, backpacks and other loose items. Labeling belongings helps us attempt to return recovered items to their rightful owners

Children

The convention requires children aged 12 and under to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Children younger than 6 must stay with adults at all times. Children aged 13 and above can attend events without adult supervision, although it is encouraged. Family-friendly events are open to all ages, while adult-themed events are restricted to those 18 and above. Parents are responsible for determining the appropriateness of individual events and ensuring that children adhere to behavior standards. Convention staff will assist lost children and hold parents accountable for any damages caused by their children. This policy aims to make the convention as enjoyable as possible for all guests.

 Anti-Harassment Policy

FallsCon is committed to providing a safe environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Harassment or unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical, visual, or in any other form, is strictly prohibited. FallsCon anti-harassment policy applies to all persons involved in the operation or attendance of the convention. FallsCon will not tolerate harassment of any kind from any person or group, including participants, vendors, hosts, or FallsCon volunteers.

FallsCon defines harassment as any behavior threatening a person or group or producing an unsafe and/or non-inclusive environment. Harassment includes but is not limited to: offensive verbal comments or non-verbal expressions related to race, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, ethnicity, age, or religious beliefs; sexual or discriminatory images in public, private, and online spaces; intimidation; stalking; following, unwanted photography or recording; sustained disruption of talks or other events; inappropriate physical contact; and unwelcome sexual attention. Harassment may take the form of comments, epithets, slurs, discriminatory or insensitive jokes, teasing, display or discussion of written or graphic material, repeatedly standing too close to or brushing up against a person, or giving gifts of an unwanted or sexual nature. Advocating or encouraging any of the above is also considered harassment.

FallsCon reserves the right to alter or broaden its definition of harassment at its sole discretion.

No one should tolerate any conduct of this type. Should you experience or witness harassment, you may choose to take any of the following actions:

  1. If you feel safe and comfortable doing so, ask the offender to stop. Whether the offending behavior is intentional or unintentional, expressing your discomfort to the offender directly may put a stop to that conduct.

  2. Leave the area. While this may seem unfair, it is sometimes best for your safety and well-being if you leave the area, especially if you feel uncomfortable around the offender or their conduct. Make sure you find an area with people you know, a public area, or an area with a FallsCon volunteer. After separating yourself from the conduct, you may wish to take additional actions.

  3. If you are comfortable doing so, ask a FallsCon volunteer for help. You can find FallsCon volunteers (wearing blue vests) at the registration desk, at the entry doors, and roaming the halls.

  4. Contact the police or other appropriate authorities. Your health and safety are our most important concern. If you require immediate assistance from law enforcement, medical services, or other governmental entities, please do not hesitate to contact such services directly.

Based on any informal or formal complaint or report of harassment, FallsCon may take the following steps. Note that this list is not exhaustive, and other appropriate action may be taken as necessary.

  1. Read and investigate all reports. Reporting parties may be contacted for further clarification of information unless they have submitted a report anonymously or asked not to be contacted further. Note that FallsCon will not share the results of these reports with anyone, including the person who filed the report unless required by law.

  2. Intercede if and when appropriate. FallsCon volunteers may take immediate action to address harassment concerns, including but not limited to escorting participants to a location in which they feel safe, refunding tickets, canceling events, moving event locations, requesting participants leave a specific area, removing offenders from the event, or banning offenders from the show. Bans and removals may be on a temporary basis, for the duration of the show, or permanent.

  3. Contact police and medical authorities when appropriate. If, upon review, FallsCon finds that relevant local government officials should be notified, FallsCon may contact such entities and/or share confidential information as required by law.

  4. Sanction participants based on our investigations. FallsCon participants found to have violated the Code of Conduct may be subject to sanctions, including but not limited to:

    • Verbal warning.

    • Requiring the participant to avoid any interaction with and physical proximity to the party or parties involved.

    • Temporary suspension from any FallsCon events.

    • A permanent ban from any FallsCon events.

    • Immediate expulsion from the convention without refund.

    • Reporting of the incident to the appropriate authorities.

FallsCon’s Code of Conduct applies in all physical and online spaces within FallsCon’s control. This includes, but is not limited to, event venues, FallsCon social media pages, streamed programming, and FallsCon forums (Discord, etc). Occasionally, FallsCon is made aware of behavior by participants (or potential participants) that has occurred outside of FallsCon, either online or offline, and is a gross violation of our Code of Conduct. These actions need not occur in FallsCon event spaces to be considered for sanctions by FallsCon. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Individuals who have not attended FallsCon but have a history of abusive behavior and/or known incidents that took place outside FallsCon that may cause risks to a participant’s safety, or which may contribute to a hostile or non-inclusive environment at the convention.

  • FallsCon participants who have been reported for outside incidents, including, but not limited to, conduct at other conventions, threatening or abusive behavior online, or assault.

We understand that, at times, participants will have disagreements or interpersonal conflicts that do not necessarily escalate to the point of harassment or abuse. FallsCon will not arbitrate such disagreements; we ask that you please leave these conflicts at home.

FallsCon continuously strives to create a safe and welcoming space. Should you have any suggestions for how we can improve, please email us at admin@fallscon.net