FAQ

What's all this about membership?

When you attend Otakon, you're actually getting a membership in a non-profit organization called Otakorp, Inc. Otakorp’s stated mission is “...to promote the appreciation of Asian culture, primarily through its media and entertainment.”

Information about Otakorp, Inc. can be found on the Otakorp, Inc.. The concept of a membership (rather than a ticket), has been around for ages and seems to be the preferred model for fan-run conventions.

Membership, Registration, Renewal?

In order to attend Otakon you must be a member of Otakorp, Inc. Once a member of Otakorp, Inc., you will also need to register to attend Otakon. This seems complicated but we've set it up so that purchasing a membership automatically sets you up with a convention registration, because only members of Otakorp, Inc. may register to attend Otakon. So you only need to take one step to become a member and register.
 

What's with the Members Only area?

As a member of Otakorp, Inc. you get exclusive access to contests, special offers and nifty member surveys.

So I want to register, what do I do?

You will want to go to our registration page, which will have all information regarding registration and answers to many questions.

What methods of payment do you accept for registration?

We accept the following forms of payment for Pre-Registration:

Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express branded debit/credit cards

For at-door registration we accept:

Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express branded debit/credit cards and Cash

If I want to pay for my registration by money order what do I do?

As of 2012 we longer accept money orders as a form of payment for registrations. If for some reason you cannot pay your membership fee with a credit card or debit card, please contact the online registration team through our contacts page so we may work with you.

Why does it look like I got double charged for my membership fee?

Sometimes when you are paying with a debit card, a hold may be placed on your card for the membership fee. A separate charge will then appear shortly thereafter for the actual payment. The held charge typically disappears after 5-7 business days depending on your bank. If you suspect there was some sort of server error that resulted in a double-charge on your card, please wait 14 days before contacting us. As your bank places the hold on the card, there is nothing we can do to remove it.

What about minors? Are there discounts?

Children 8 and under are admitted free with a paid adult membership.  Children 9 to 12 are eligible for a full weekend membership at half-price ($50) with a paid adult membership. Child memberships are available at-door only. Children age 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Be aware that though we are a family-friendly convention, many of our offerings are not intended for young children. However, we offer a special track of programming aimed at a younger audience, called Ota-Chan, which should be listed with the other events.

When do I get my tickets? I ordered them online.

Otakon does not sell tickets. Otakorp allows you to buy memberships in the organization, which allows us to host a very large meeting every year.  When you register, the billing contact on your order will receive an email from Groxtix with a password.  You can log into their My Tickets page at any time to view your order, mailed badge tracking information and print your confirmations.

If you elect to have your badge mailed, it should arrive 2 - 3 weeks before the convention. If you elected to pre-register and pick up your badge at the convention or will be registering at the convention, you'll pick up your membership materials and badge at our Registration Desk in the WEWCC.

I pre-registered. What do I need to pick up my badge?

When you register, the billing contact on your order will receive an email from Growtix with a password.  You can log into their My Tickets page at any time to view your order, mailed badge tracking information and print your confirmations.  The confirmation has a QR-code which can help speed things up when you pick up your badge.  You can either print out that confirmation or display it on your mobile device.

But wait! I don't have a photo ID! What on earth will I do?

Your best bet is to obtain one. Any official photo ID is a valuable resource -- be it a driver's license, state issued ID Card, Passport, school ID with your photo on it, military ID, or even a credit card with your name and a photo of you on it.

That said, remember the purpose of the ID is to help us verify your identity. (We don't want to accidentally give your membership to the wrong person.) Bring whatever you've got that can help you do that.

But you really should get a state-issued photo ID, which are usually obtainable from your state's motor vehicles administration, among other places.

Do I HAVE to bring the confirmation note? I lost mine!

You do not HAVE to bring it, but it speeds things along considerably if you do. We do require a photo ID, or some alternative means of proving your identity. See the note above.

Can I pick up a badge for a friend or someone who registered in my group? What about for a member of my family?

Nope. Sorry, you can't pick up badges for anyone but yourself. The only exception is if you're picking up a free (8 years old and younger) badge for a child you're responsible for. The child must be present to receive the badge. Also it's probably wise to bring printouts for your kids, or for a forgetful significant other.

Does Otakon mail badges?

Yes! If you live in the continental United States you will be able to have your badge mailed to you for a fee. This option will be available to all pre-registrants who select that option through a designated point (around the end of April to mid-May.)  See the details posted with the registration forms.

Mailed badge will be sent to your US mailing address via United States Postal Service. (Sorry, we can't mail to Alaska, Hawaii, or other US territories.) It will come with USPS tracking. If you are purchasing additional memberships going to the same address, the additional badges can be added to the package. Note: there may be an additional processing charge if you change your mind after the initial registration (going from not mailed to wanting them mailed or canceling the request to have them mailed.)

As with other Otakorp events, you will need to pay full price to replace a lost or forgotten badge if tracking shows that it was delivered to the address provided. Our plan is to have the badges mailed early enough to resolve issues well before people begin flying/driving.

Before you choose to have your badge mailed, be aware that you are responsible for it. Be sure to enter the correct mailing address. We are not responsible if your badge goes missing because you entered an incorrect mailing address, or if you lose it.

Can you mail a child badge? How do I pick a child badge up at Otakon?

Yes badges for children can be mailed. Please keep in mind that those with a child membership must have a responsible adult guardian with them during Otakon to prevent potential issues with unattended minors. 

If you are picking up a child badge at Otakon, please have the child with you and head directly to the Badge Services booth. You do not need to wait in the regular registration line.

I just found out I can't come, and I pre-registered ages ago. Can I pass my registration to someone else?

Prior to their activation, badges may be transferred to a different individual at no cost to the purchaser. As an alternative, refunds and downgrades may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Otakon Registration through our contact us form with your request. Decisions by Otakon Staff in these matters are final. 

While we understand unforseen things can happen, badges are no longer refundable after the badges have been activated or the event has ended.

I'd like to sell stuff at Otakon, but I'm confused by the options. Who can sell what, where?

If you are a commercial retail business, your only option is the Dealer's Hall. The Alley is reserved for individual artists and writers, webcomics, and small-volume craftspeople; anyone expecting to do brisk business should consider the Dealer's Hall instead. If you're just interested in selling a few pieces of art, consider entering them in the Art Show and Auction.

How much does Dealer's Hall space cost, and what does it cover?

Otakon has one of the largest dealer spaces in the business, with thousands of people passing through every hour; with 200+ booth spaces we almost always sell out long before the con, and frequently have a lengthy waiting list. Please check the current posted rates on the dealer's page for a typical 10x10 booth space. The cost of the space includes the booth and basic decorator setup, as well as two dealer badges that offer full membership rights. Dealers may also purchase additional member badges at the pre-reg rate for their employees. While it may seem expensive at first glance, the majority of this fee goes to cover the cost of the hall, its setup, and the union labor rates we must pay. Other decorator services and utilities must be arranged through the WEWCC's official channels; more information will be available in the dealer info packet.

How much does a space in the Alley cost, and what does it cover?

Otakon's Alley is one of the largest of its kind in the entire U.S., and offers artists a unique chance to get their creations seen by Otakon's massive membership. Approximately 250 tables are available and we typically sell out within a few days; however, because most of the people renting tables are not full-time professionals, there is a fairly good chance that space will open up, and thus we maintain a healthy waiting list. The Alley is open only to members, and standard table fees do NOT include any member badges (one membership is included for Pro or Unlimited tables.) Please check the current posted rates on the artist alley's page for a typical 6ft. table space. The fee includes the table itself (larger sizes for Pro or Unlimited,) two chairs, and a table skirt so you can stash your stuff. This does NOT include electricity, but you can order if from the WEWCC for a fee -- see the official packet when it is released for more information.

How much does it cost to enter art in the Art Show, and what does that fee cover?

The Art Show is open to any registered member, and thus your membership is NOT included in the show fees; you are effectively paying a fee to display your art and offer it for auction. If you can't make it to Otakon, but have a friend who's going, there are specific rules that allow you to authorize a member to act as your agent for the show; please see the official rules when they are released for more details.

What dealers will be at Otakon?

Pretty much all the big players, and many small ones. Our dealer's room is large enough to land a plane in. Once the dealers are confirmed, we will post a list of dealers on the website.

What will they have for sale?

Just about anything and everything remotely connected to anime or asian culture. Many dealers have websites; check out their wares online so you know what to expect.

Do the dealers in the dealer's room take credit cards?

Most of them do, though few will say no to cash. In many ways, you're better off using your credit card, because most cards offer you some protection in case there's a problem with your purchase.

What's the sales tax rate in DC?

The District has a tiered sales tax rate depending on the item being purchased.

• The general rate is 5.75% (as of 1/1/2017) for most retail sales and taxable services. Prices posted generally do NOT include this sales tax unless they say otherwise, and dealers are supposed to mark the tax separately on your receipt regardless of how you pay.
• Restaurants charge 10% for meals.
• Commercial parking lots charge will charge 18% for storing your vehicle.
• Hotel rooms follow a slightly different rate, which works out to 14.5% for downtown-area hotels, and less for hotels in the outlying areas (MD/VA suburbs.) This will be spelled out on your bill, but if you're concerned, you should ask the hotel to tell you what the total per night is with the tax included.

When will you announce guests?

Otakorp doesn't comment on any guest with which we have not yet signed a contract or otherwise have a firm commitment. We will announce guests as soon as negotiations are finalized. Note that guests are ALWAYS announced first on the official Otakon sources: the website, mailing list, and forums.

I heard that [name] is going to be a guest this year. Is that true?

Until we announce it officially, it's just a rumor. We generally don't comment on that, and guest stuff is strictly need-to-know until we've got a firm commitment. (See "when will you announce guests?" for more info.)

[Name] has posted on his website that he's going to be a guest, but you haven't announced it yet. What's up with that?

Again, we only announce guests when we've got a serious, usually written, commitment in hand. The guest may be certain he's coming, but until we announce it, it's not official. Period.

What's the difference between a guest and a panelist?

Panelists are there to participate in panels. Guests are there for a variety of reasons, and generally offer something unique beyond participating in panels; in addition, they often have a committed fanbase, which means people will come just to see them.

Why can't you get Rumiko Takahashi? Hayao Miyazaki? Jackie Chan? (Etc.)

Oh, there are so many guests we'd love to have, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. Most often, it's because the guest simply isn't available; sometimes it's because the guest isn't willing to travel by plane for 14+ hours. A few guests (more often, their management) make demands we're unable or unwilling to satisfy. And remember, we do have a limited budget. That said, we hope to surprise and amaze you every now and then! (After all, who else could bring you L'Arc~en~Ciel?)

How safe is Washington, DC?

Wow, that's a loaded question. The District, like most cities, has some rough areas. Our home, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, is right next to a well-patrolled tourist area, just North of the National Mall and near many schools. That said, there are always those who will attempt to prey on tourists, and you should use your street smarts. Don't travel alone, especially at night; don't flash money or flaunt your purchases; don't give money to anyone on the streets; don't take shortcuts through alleys or darkened streets. Keep your wits about you and you'll be fine.

Why is your weapons policy so strict?

The policy is strict to ensure your safety and for compliance with the rules and laws we must follow. Our weapons policy is developed in conjunction with the WEWCC and with local law enforcement. Unfortunately, we live in a world filled with real dangers, and the last thing anyone needs to worry about is trying to tell whether your gun or sword is real or fake. Public safety is more important than cosplay aesthetics.

What can I do about panhandlers and homeless people who bug me?

Besides the general advice above, your best bet is to simply say "Sorry, I can't help you today" and move on. For safety reasons, you should not actually offer any cash to panhandlers; some are up to no good.

How can we help everyone stay safe inside the convention buildings?

We have a few rules that you will want to look at before attending. These rules help ensure the safety of everyone.

When will dates, hotels, and pre-registration be announced for next year's convention?

The answer varies from year to year, but a safe answer is "as soon as we can". As you can probably imagine, it takes a lot of planning to run this convention, and it can take time to negotiate with our venue and various hotels. When we've got enough settled to make the announcement, it'll be on the website and other official Otakon sources.

When they are ready, you can find our next meeting dates at the top of the page, with Registration here and Hotels here.

When will you post the convention schedule?

Generally, we post the schedule a week or so before the convention. Sometimes we are not allowed to post the names of the videos we're going to show, and sometimes we have to make last-minute changes.

Why is all the good stuff scheduled at the same time?

Because we don't have one room that can hold over 30,000 people. Thus, we try to have really cool stuff scheduled opposite other really cool stuff, so if you miss out on one Cool Thing, there's another Cool Thing that you can enjoy. (We've never been a one-event convention!)

What happened to MAT3K (Mystery Anime Theatre 3000)?

At the end of 2003, the group behind MAT3K announced that it would be the last.  For Otakon's 20th Anniversary in 2013, the MAT3K crew returned to help celebrate one final time.

There were many reasons, but chief among them was a desire to quit while they were still funny, rather than see the quality degrade. While we'll miss them too, we respect their decision.

I want to volunteer for Otakon, what can I do?

Otakon (and Otakorp, the organization that runs Otakon) are run entirely by volunteers.  We have two "levels" of volunteers:

1. "Volunteer Staff" who help manage and prepare things year round.  They tend to be dedicated to a single department.
2. "Gofers" who volunteer during the convention days and help throught the entire convention. 

Joining our Volunteer Staff requires an invitation, but anyone who is registered for the convention can sign up to volunteer as a Gofer.

How do I get on staff?

To become staff for Otakon, you must be recommended by two current staffers and be approved by our chief of staff. The most reliable way to earn such recommendations is to work as a gofer and show your dedication.

Are Otakon's staff paid?

Nope -- not one penny. Otakon has never had paid staff. The entire organization is volunteer-run, though we do contract out for certain things such as legal and accounting services. Additionally, whenever there is a membership rate increase, our staff pay that increase as well.

Otakorp, Inc. isn't "owned" by anyone. Its funding comes from memberships and fees (primarily from Otakon, which is also where most of the money goes), and its officers are elected from among the ranks of voting members. By the terms of our bylaws, members can earn the right to vote by working in support of the organization (generally as volunteer staff), paying dues, and attending meetings.

No. All of our officers must be volunteers, and may not receive material compensation for their efforts on behalf of the organization. In accordance with usual practices for officers of a corporation, they are eligible to be compensated for travel expenses, but in practice this seldom happens.

No. The only people who have a direct say in how Otakorp conducts its affairs, or how it runs the convention, are the voting members. Neither are there any industry reps on our board of directors, and it would be difficult for industry reps to satisfy the requirements to be a voting member in the first place. We do work closely with the industry and maintain good relations with them, but they don't pull the strings or pay the bills.

How do I get there?

The District has three major airports within driving distance, and US Route 1 (a major North/South highway on the East Coast) goes within a block of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. You can even get there by boat!

Driving by car? Our main Location page has the address and map information to get you there.

DC has a robust public transit system that we highly reocmmend making use of over driving.  Check out our All Roads Lead to OTAKON! page, which has been updated for DC and contains lots of information for alternative methods to get into the city.

You can also check out the official DC Events page.

What will the weather be like?

Hot and humid. Anywhere from 75 to 110 is possible in a District summer, and the humidity is about the same. Rain is a distinct possibility. Prepare for the worst, especially if you have a long walk to your hotel, or plan to wait outside for the convention to open.

What advice would you give about how to dress for the convention?

Dress comfortably, and remember that while you'll be outside in blistering heat occasionally, most of the time you'll be in a nice cool building. It can actually get pretty chilly in the WEWCC. If you tend to get chilly, bring a lightweight shirt in case you need it. Perhaps most importantly, wear comfortable shoes, and ideally bring a pair for each day. You'll be spending a very long time in them, and doing a lot of walking. A hat and/or umbrella is probably a good idea, too.

Where should I park, and how much does it cost?

Don't park on the streets--it's generally going to cost far more in the way of tickets than it's worth. Parking is available in many nearby lots, but if you're not used to downtown prices, prepare for sticker shock. Many places charge upwards of $35/day. Hotels tend to be the most expensive. However, you can often find parking for about $15-20 a day if you get there early and are willing to walk a bit, or less if you use mass transit. Important: make sure you note the closing time of your garage--many close earlier than programming ends.

Keep an eye out for our Special Deals page, we are sometime able to get deals for discounted parking rates.

Are there ATMs around?

There are, but expect the ones in the immediate vicinity of the WEWCC to run out of cash. Most hotels have a cash machine these days, but it's a good idea to come prepared.

We have a huge number of people coming, we eat up most of the convention area's hotel space. And because the cheap seats always sell out first. We generally negotiate our room blocks at the same time in advance as our event schedule. If you book ahead of the officially announced hotel availability block, you won't have the protection of our contract should the hotel be oversold.

Otakorp has worked hard to establish good relationships with all the nearby hotels, and pretty much every downtown hotel works with us to give a good convention rate. If the hotel doesn't offer one, it's not from lack of trying on our part.

Depends on the hotel, but generally no more than four. Yes, we've heard of people cramming 10 or more people into a standard double room, but it's unwise and violates your hotel's rental agreement (and the fire code), and they're perfectly within their rights to kick you out, or charge you for the extra people. They are less likely to worry about your extra body or two if you don't make a nuisance of yourself -- so don't put extra demands (towels, pillows, key cards) on the hotel for your extra people. But we encourage you to follow the rules.

Ask your hotel about its party policy, and please follow it. Otakon has a good reputation with hotels because our guests are generally well-behaved. Please don't jeopardize our ability to continue to get good rates.

Convention room rates are negotiated with the local hotel based on how many rooms we guarantee to fill. There are any number of reasons why a hotel might be able to offer a room at a cheaper rate than they offer the convention, and they're all beyond our control. If you can get a cheaper rate outside the room block or the hotel's loyalty program, then congratulations! But you're unlikely to get more than one or two rooms at that rate, and Otakon has to work out rates for thousands of rooms at over a dozen hotels.

The short answer is that staff have to stay somewhere, and you can't have a convention without them. One of the few perks of being on staff is that you don't have to worry about where you're going to stay, but putting up nearly 800 people for 3-5 nights doesn't come cheap. It's in the best interest of the convention to put the staff up in the cheapest, closest hotel that we can fit into, and there are only so many rooms available.

Inside the WEWCC, Centerplate is the premier catering partner.  Additionally, there are plenty of nearby locations within easy walking distance, and a map will be provided with your convention materials. DC's nearby Chinatown area is filled with restaurants, and there are many nearby fast-food and takeout places. Another option is to bring your own food and keep it at your hotel room or in your car. Remember,  outside food and beverages are not allowed inside the WEWCC.

All concessions are handled through Centerplate.  Some things like Pocky and Ramune are available at the Centerplate concession stands.

Make sure you get at least one good meal in every day -- a real meal with real nutrition. (Ramen won't cut it, not by itself.) And make sure you drink plenty of water, not just fruit juice or sodas or coffee. If you pass out on us, we'll be annoyed.

If Otakon's your first convention, expect to be just a bit overwhelmed. There's so much to see, so much to do, you may not know where to start. So try to sample a bit of everything. Just go with the flow, have fun, make friends, and share in the celebration.

Nah. You should dress for comfort. But quite a lot of people do dress up, and if you're feeling creative, feel free to show off your skills.

How much do you plan on spending? Plan on spending at least $20 a day on food and drink, plus your portion of travel and hotel costs. Make sure you have enough money to get home!

Primarily because of our venue; the 24-hour convention is something limited to conventions that fit in a single hotel, and is generally something you do with a single track of programming. When we last ran in a hotel for 24 hours, very few people actually stayed up watching the videos; they used the video rooms to sleep.

Otakorp tried a four-day con some time ago, when Otakon was a fraction of the size we are now, and it nearly killed us. Remember that all of our staff volunteers their time to run the convention, and most staffers are already sacrificing an entire week of vacation (or taking the time off without pay) to put on a three-day convention. By the end of the convention, the staff are utterly exhausted. If by some miracle we had an abundance of staff, we'd still have to work out a large number of logistical and funding issues to start earlier (or stay later). So don't expect to see a four-day Otakon anytime soon!

We've tried. Trust us on that. But not all escalators are able to put up with the heavy use that Otakon and its atendees inflict on them. There are some escalators that only have a top step weight restriction of 193 lbs while others have 450 lb weight restriction. We will do our best to make sure as many escalators as possible are running. However the ones we and the WEWCC have flagged as being unable to handle the stresses our members put on them will be turned off. If you cannot climb stairs for the course of the weekend, please ask to be directed to the Member Accessibility booth at registration where you can receive a sticker that will allow you access to the elevators. However rest assured that we have your safety and comfort the foremost in our minds when planning Otakon.

All of the escalators have a built-in safety feature that stop them when the railings and the stairs travel at a separate speed. Which is why you will see some escalators working one time and then not another time. If you see this, report it to the information desk and we will do our best in conjunction with the WEWCC to get it up and working again.

Don't contribute to the problem. Anytime you have a lot of people in one place, and it's hot out, you're going to get the occasional whiff of B.O. Please shower (with soap!) at least once every day and change your clothes. No matter how cool your outfit is, the acrid smell of pleather and human sweat will ruin the effect by the second day, we guarantee it. Make sure your sleeping arrangements allow for proper hygiene.

You can't, as a rule. While it's true that we record and archive several aspects of Otakon, there are layers of legal and intellectual property rights issues that would prevent it being available for distribution, even if we didn't charge. The problems with AMV rights ought to be obvious (fan-assembled content with multiple rights holders involved). For concerts or masquerade performances, broadcast or resale rights must be negotiated separately and there are additional fees involved that can add up very quickly. (You'd have to sell a lot of DVDs to generate enough income to cover those costs.) Individual panelists sometimes allow their panels to be recorded and shown, but most don't because it diminishes the value of their appearance. In the case of Mystery Anime Theatre 3000; however, there's simply no way Otakorp could ever release those shows. The people who put on that show retain the rights to their commentary and skits, but the anime they riffed on isn't theirs to redistribute -- not to mention Best Brains owns the format for MST3K, the obvious inspiration. For those reasons, we didn't make archive copies of the performances.

Try checking our lost and found (located in Salon F). If it is not there, you will need to purchase another membership. We will not be replacing lost or stolen badges this year.

It's located in Salon F, on Level One between the Business Center and the Registration area.

All unclaimed items are handed over to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center at the end of Otakon. You can contact WEWCC with questions regarding lost items at: 202-249-3000

Yes and no. It depends on what you mean by sponsorships.

Yes, we can accept donations, but no, we don't use the traditional trade show model for such things, mostly because we are not a trade show.

Otakon takes great pride in being entirely fan-run, and our membership has traditionally been suspicious of a too-cozy relationship with corporate interests. Because the bulk of our budget comes directly from membership fees, the needs of our membership will always come first, and large donations never come without strings attached.

Thus, we do not accept direct sponsorships from anyone -- by which we mean that while we frequently work with our friends in industry on specific projects, we do so within very specific boundaries. For example, we do not allow industry to sponsor rooms ("The MyCorp Theatre" or "MyCorp Presents The Video Gaming Hall") or control programming content as a rule. Generally speaking, we do not allow any corporate logos (other than ours) on official convention merchandise, or allow anyone to advertise in a way that implies a preferential relationship. (You can't be "the official hotel of Otakon", for example.)

However, we are happy to accept paid advertising in our program book, and you may pay to place items in our registration bags, and there are other opportunities available for our friends in the industry to support the convention and reach out to our membership. If you are interested in this sort of thing, contact our industry coordinator via the contact form; if you're simply looking to buy ad space, check out the advertising section on our website for details and current pricing.

Individual vendors who wish to donate prizes should coordinate through the Dealers Hall Coordinator.

As an 501(c)3 educational non-profit, Otakorp, Inc. is a legitimate charity and we will gladly accept no-strings donations from individuals. We'll even send you a nice letter thanking you for the donation. For more information on making a donation to Otakorp, please use the 'Contact Otakorp, Inc.' option on the contacts page.

Due to restrictions at Otakon's venues and because we value the safety of our members and their pets, animals - whether part of your cosplay or not - are unfortunately not allowed inside of any convention areas. Please leave them at home where they will be safe and sound!

Registered service animals, with their vests and signs, are always welcome!

Our web ninjas update information when it's ready to be released -- that usually means that it's been reviewed by the apppropriate people. We've got a new system now that makes it much easier to update the website, and that should improve the frequency of updates.

Most often it's because your browser has been told to rely on cached pages rather than get a fresh copy when you visit the site. You can adjust this by ensuring your browser is set to always get a fresh copy of the page, every time you visit the site. (Where this is depends on your browser, but it's usually in the "tools" or "preferences" areas, and it can always be changed -- even if you're using AOL.)

In some cases, you may be viewing the site from behind a proxy server, in which case you need to let your network administrator know there's a problem.

Ah, that's a fun one. Your best bet ANYTIME you get an error message is to immediately write down the error and the page you were on, and what you were trying to do. We can't figure out what happened without that. (Incidentally, if you're using Internet Explorer, you should make sure that your browser is set to NOT display "friendly" error messages. For some reason the default is to show messages that are utterly useless -- and while "Error 404" may mean little to you, it's impossible for us to figure it out without such information.)

(By the way: the most frequent error we encounter at present is when people overload the fields in our online forms. We'll get that fixed eventually, but in the meantime, keep it brief!)

Errors can be reported using the web contact form, or you can email a webmaster.

otakon.com (this site) has all the information about our main event, Otakon, held in Washington, DC.

otakorp.org is the site of Otakorp, Inc., the non-profit organization that runs Otakon!