FAQs

Table of content

General FAQs

What is Castle Point Anime Convention?

The Castle Point Anime Convention, or CPあC, is a 2-Day anime convention organized and operated by the Anime Critics United, Inc. Founded in 2008, the purpose of CPあC is to provide quality programming and social opportunities for anime and manga fans.

Like any other convention, we have a team of dedicated and enthusiastic staff, all of whom contribute year-round toward the success of the convention. All officers and department heads are current students of Stevens Institute of Technology, but we also have volunteers from other student organizations in the NJ/NYC area as well as alumni from the Stevens Anime Club. We focus on being family-friendly (not to mention just friendly in general) and providing a social space that fans can come to and enjoy.

Where does the name ‘Castle Point’ come from?

The name ‘Castle Point’ refers to the highest point at the Stevens campus and in Hoboken. CPあC was founded and is still run by students at Stevens Institute of Technology, therefore Castle Point Anime Convention.

How big is CPあC?

CPあC started in 2008 and first welcomed 400 attendees. In its last year at Stevens, CPあC welcomed 5,000 attendees. To support its growth in future years, CPあC moved to the Meadowlands Exposition Center and Holiday Inn Meadowlands in 2018. As of 2022, we are located in the Meadowlands Exposition Center.

Where is CPあC?

CPあC 2024 will be at the Meadowlands Exposition Center Meadowlands located right across the convention center in Secaucus, NJ.

Do I need a Ticket / Badge?

All attendees above 6 years old need a badge to attend CPあC. Badges must be worn at all times and must be able to be presented to CPあC staff and volunteers upon request for verification.

We recommend all children under the age of 18 to attend with an adult. All children 13 and under are required to have an adult with them while attending the event. Both parties will be required to have a badge during the event.

Where do I get Ticket / Badge?

Tickets/Badges can be bought through our site on our GrowTix page. You can also purchase a ticket at the door (pending availability) during the event.

How much does a Ticket / Badge cost?

Ticket/Badge prices change based on our pre-registration time. Pre-registration ends on April 1st.

Pricing during pre-registration:

Saturday: $35
Sunday: $30
Individual 2-Day: $50
Group Pricing 2-Day: $40 (5 badge minimum)

Pricing after April 1st (including at the door):

Saturday: $40
Sunday: $35
Individual 2-Day: $60
Stevens Institute of Technology Students 2-Day: $10 (with student ID)

Can I cosplay?

Of course! Cosplay is a huge part of what makes CPあC what it is and we have a wide variety of events for cosplayers and fans alike. Please review our policies to make sure your outfit and/or props fall within our guidelines to ensure CPあC is a fun time for everyone.

What if I’m uncomfortable or harassed?

CPあC is committed to promoting an environment that all attendees can find safe. If you are harassed or see any harassment that you feel comfortable to report, please report it to any CPあC staff member who can bring the issue to the attention of our security team.

What if I have a wheelchair or other special needs?

Accessibility is important to us at CPあC, and we will attempt to make any accommodations we can for those who need it. Attendees that anticipate requiring any special accommodation should send an email to info@castlepointanime.com.

Currently, CPあC cannot directly provide special services including, but not limited to, wheelchairs or motorized vehicles for attendees. Both venues are wheelchair accessible but in some cases, specifically those in the hands of the venue, accessibility may be out of our control. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The Meadowlands Exposition Center, featuring Main Events and Exhibitors, has a wheelchair-accessible ramp to the front entrance and exit.

What other accommodations are there besides the ones listed on the site?

Other hotels in the area can be seen on the Meadowland Exposition Center website.

What if I have a question?

For all general questions, please feel free to contact info@castlepointanime.com. To contact a specific department, please refer to the list below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Press, Tableswaps and Advertising: publicity@castlepointanime.com

Artists Alley: artists@castlepointanime.com

Dealer’s Room: dealers@castlepointanime.com

Panels, Cosplay, Workshops and Arcade: programming@castlepointanime.com

Guests and Musical Performances: guests@castlepointanime.com

Vendor FAQs

What kind of vendors are we looking for?

The Castle Point Anime Convention, or CPあC, includes a wide variety of vendors, including artists, merchandise tables, and food stalls.

Applications are typically opened in the middle of October and close in the middle of December. Decisions are usually to be finalized by the end of January.

Forms will be posted on our website and on all social media platforms.

What does it take to be a vendor?

CPあC is a family-friendly convention, and we cannot consider any vendor who intends to sell 18+ merchandise.

Please also take note that any and all food sales are subject to a revenue tax from the Meadowlands Expo Center (MEC).

We also bar the sale of any items that violate our Props and Weapons Policy.

Our most popular items include posters, keychains, plushies, clothes, and any other merch themed around Japanese or gaming culture.

Vendor Specific Information

Artists Alley

Artists Alley tables are 6x2 ft.

Artists typically sell posters, buttons, keychains, pins, and anything else that is primarily focused around drawn or hand-made merchandise.

Artists may request to be seated next to other artists on the convention floor.

Requests will only be accepted and processed after decisions are finalized. This usually happens sometime in January.

Dealer’s Room

Dealer’s Room spaces are 10x10 ft. and contain two 6x2 ft. tables.

Dealers typically sell figures, clothes, books, toys, and licensed and imported merchandise.

Dealers may pay an additional fee to secure a corner space.

Food Vendors

Food Vendors’ spaces have no defined size and are subject to negotiation.

Food cooked on-site is preferred to the sale of pre-packaged food.

Food Vendors are required to bring their own stall equipment, either in the form of tables or a food truck.

All vendors are able to receive electricity drops where needed, as negotiated with the MEC.

Who do I reach out to?

For artists, please contact artists@castlepointanime.com

For dealers, please contact dealers@castlepointanime.com

For food vendors, please contact foodvendors@castlepointanime.com

For general questions, please contact aha@castlepointanime.com

Panel FAQs

What are panels?

Panels are smaller interactive events during the convention held between fans. These events can be DIY tutorials on cosplay, game shows, informationals, and much more. The main purpose of panels is to let CPAC attendees share their knowledge and connect with the other members of the community.

What are we looking for?

This year, we are open to any ideas as long as they fall under the rules! We very strongly encourage panels that contain a high level of interactivity with its audience. If you wish to submit multiple ideas to test the waters, you are free to do so.

What are the rules?

Panels will be 50-90 minutes long (depending on the activity that the panelist(s) choose). Moderators have to be 18 years of age by the date of the convention and will be required to present an ID validating their age prior to their panel. This is a family friendly convention, so make sure your content abides by that. We will provide information on the rooms and available equipment to the best of our ability once that information is available.

When are panel applications released?

See here for panel application dates

There are three statuses that you’ll receive for your panel application: Approved: Your panel was approved and will be scheduled for the convention! Waitlisted: Your panel was not approved off the bat, but keep an eye out for future emails in case it does get approved! Rejected: Your panel was not approved.

When will I find out when my panel is scheduled?

When the panel schedule is released publicly, you will be able to find the schedule on our social media and our website.

Some tips for panels

Have an exciting and unique name possibly phrased as a question. Try to keep people engaged by asking questions, doing activities, or starting discussions.

Castle Point Anime Convention