Policies | Phoenix Con

General Information

Phoenix Con is held in the convention center at the Hilton Paper Valley in Appleton, WI.

333 West Collage Ave, Appleton WI 54911

The dates for 2024 are Thursday, August 13th - Sunday, August 18th.

Metered parking can be found along Collage Ave. For those staying multiple days, the Red Ramp connected to the Hilton Paper Valley may be another parking option.

W Lawrence St, Appleton WI 54911

General Rules and Regulations

Adhesive stickers are prohibited in the Convention Center. Exhibitors are liable for all costs and expenses associated with sticker removal.
Exhibitors must comply with, and be bound by, all laws, ordinances, and regulations of the country, state, county, city, facility, and, whenever applicable, police and fire departments.
No exhibitor or member of an exhibit may promote, display, or behave in a manner considered offensive to decency or good taste as determined by Show Management.
Aisles may not be obstructed at any time. Exhibitors may not conduct activities of any kind that lead to congestion of aisle traffic.
Music volume must be appropriate as determined by Show Management.
Attendees and exhibitors are expressly prohibited from carrying weapons and/or weapon replicas. Weapons on display must be secured to tables or display for safety. Weapons purchased in the Exhibit Hall must be safely contained or packaged by the seller in such a manner that all edges are covered securely, and the purchaser must remove purchased weapons from the convention site to a safe location (hotel room or vehicle) at his or her earliest opportunity.
No one will be allowed into the Exhibit Hall during closed hours. All needed items and valuables must be taken with the exhibitor before the Exhibit Hall closes each evening. Exhibitors will be allowed into the hall one hour before Exhibit Hall opens and may stay up to one hour after it closes.
Security personnel will be present during all hours of the show and after hours; however, Phoenix Con is not responsible for property loss, so please arrange your exhibit to discourage shoplifting. Show Management strongly encourages all exhibitors to take reasonable precautions to prevent theft and damages. If an incident occurs, please inform security staff immediately.

Behavior Expectation

Profanity - The gratuitous use of profanity and symbols considered vulgar by contemporary standards of a product's target market is not acceptable unless integral to a character or story. At the sole discretion of Show Management, such material may not be advertised, displayed, or sold at Phoenix Con.
Violence and Gore - Products depicting lurid scenes of excessive bloodshed, gory or gruesome crimes, depravity, lust, filth, sadism, or masochism, presented editorially or graphically, are unacceptable. Products featuring depictions of unnecessary violence, brutality, physical agony, and gore, including but not limited to, extreme graphic or descriptive scenes presenting cannibalism, decapitation, evisceration, amputation, or other gory injuries, may not be advertised, displayed, or sold.
Sexual Themes - Displays containing items and/or sexual themes are not permitted. Products depicting rape and graphic lust may not be advertised or sold.
Products featuring sexual perversion and/or sexual abnormalities are unacceptable for advertising, display, or sale.
Nudity - Displays or advertising containing nudity are not acceptable. Degrading or salacious displays are unacceptable. Explicit depictions or facsimiles of reproductive organs are not permitted.
Affliction - Advertising or selling items containing disparaging graphic or editorial references to physical afflictions, handicaps, or deformities are not permitted.
Supremacy - Advertising or selling products that depict minority and/or nationalities as inferior to other races is not permitted.
Religion and Mythology - Actual, current religions are not to be depicted, ridiculed, or attacked in any way that promotes disrespect. Ancient or mythological religions, such as those prevalent in ancient Greek, Roman, and Norse societies, may be portrayed in their historic roles. Satanic symbols, rituals, and phrases are not permitted in any advertisements or displays.
Addictions - Addictions of any kind should not be presented as glamorous or entertaining. Addiction or the encouragement of addiction should be shown as a dangerous habit with harmful effects.
Wearing and Selling Costumes or Weapons - Advertising, wearing, and selling costumes is permitted if they are in good taste and do not present a hazard to others such as sharp edges or protrusions (measured by contemporary standards/values). All twentieth-century costumes or uniforms are prohibited from the convention. Uniforms of those currently on active duty in the military are exempt, assuming they are properly attired. No one may carry weapons or weapon replicas. Weapons for sale must be inoperable and/or locked and/or encased and/or have a limited range of motion so that customers do not have access to them.
Video reproductions - you must be officially licensed to sell videos. Sales of reproductions (bootlegs) will not be tolerated.
Compliance - All exhibitors and advertisers are obligated to comply with these standards. Failure to comply will result in the refusal of advertising materials, alteration or removal of unacceptable products/activities, or closure of exhibits/displays found to be in noncompliance. In this case, no refunds will be issued for exhibit space or badges.

Security and Liability

Exhibitors are solely responsible for paying all applicable city, county, state, and federal taxes on sales and promotional activities at Phoenix Con.
Phoenix Con will arrange for personnel to control access to the Exhibit Hall but is not responsible for any injury to exhibitors' agents, servants, employees, or damage to or theft of property from any cause prior to, during, or subsequent to Phoenix Con. Exhibitors hereby expressly agree to indemnify and hold harmless Phoenix Con against any and all claims for such loss, damage, or injury.
Exhibitors are required to insure their own exhibits, display materials, merchandise, and personnel. Exhibitors agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Phoenix Con against any and all claims for loss, damage, or injury associated with exhibitor's vehicles, property, personnel, events, and general conduct at the event. In the event that Phoenix Con or the owners of the convention site are held liable for reasons caused or aggravated by exhibitor's action or failure to act in any manner whatsoever, said exhibitors shall reimburse Phoenix Con and/or the convention-site owners for all costs incurred.
Exhibitors are fully responsible for any loss, damage, or injury to the convention-site owners or personnel resulting from exhibitors' displays or actions.
Exhibitors are fully responsible for any loss, damage, or injury to Phoenix Con attendees resulting from exhibitors' displays or actions.
Exhibitors are liable to the convention services firm for any and all damage, from whatever cause to rented or leased booth equipment and shall indemnify, defend, or hold harmless Phoenix Con against any and all claims or suits for such damage.
Phoenix Con reserves the right to cancel arrangements or contracts or close an exhibit whenever it is deemed necessary for the safety or comfort of those attending Phoenix Con whenever the exhibit, activity, or material sold is objectionable or offensive to the average person attending Phoenix Con, whenever legal conditions, convention policies, or requirements of the convention site so dictate, or whenever portions of the convention site are destroyed or damaged.
Likewise, Phoenix Con reserves the right to cancel arrangements, contracts, or exhibits if Phoenix Con fails to take place as scheduled, is interrupted and/or discontinued, or access to the premises is prevented or interfered with by reason of any strike, lock out, act of war, act of God, emergency declared by a government agency or Phoenix Con Management, or for any other reason that terminates this contract.
Exhibitors will comply with all laws of the United States as well as all applicable state or local ordinances, rules, and requirements of police and fire departments or other authorities of such jurisdictions, will obtain all necessary permits and licenses with respect to their activities, and will not do or suffer to be done anything during the term of this agreement in violation of any such laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations. If the attention of said exhibitors is called to any such violation committed by said exhibitors, or committed by any person employed by or admitted to the premises by said exhibitors, said exhibitors will immediately desist and correct, or cause to be corrected, such violation. Exhibitors agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Phoenix Con from any and all costs, suits, and legal proceedings alleging violations of any such law or regulation.
All matters and questions not covered by this application and these terms are subject to the decision of Phoenix Con Management.
Exhibitors agree to abide by and conform to all additional rules and regulations from time to time adopted or prescribed by Phoenix Con for the management of Phoenix Con and the exhibit areas.
Exhibitors acknowledge that they have read the preceding terms and conditions, expressly agree to comply with them, and authorize Phoenix Con to enforce them.