All persons attending, participating or otherwise present during ATG Expo, including attendees, exhibitors, volunteers, event staff, talent, sponsors, contractors, agents, licensees, invitees, guests, and other individuals (collectively, “All Persons”) are required to observe and adhere to this Code of Conduct at all times as a condition of their admission and continued participation at ATG Expo, January 21 – 22, 2023 at the Waco Convention Center in Waco, Texas. As used in this Code of Conduct, the term “Management” shall mean ATG Expo, LLC, its sole member, authorized agents, successors and assigns.
All Persons who experience or observe an incident, injury, unsafe condition, in appropriate behavior, or other violation of this Code of Conduct are directed to contact the nearest security guard or Management immediately.
Badges/Passes
All Persons are required to have and display an official event credential at all times. Adult passes are required for attendees 13 and up; a Children’s pass is available for those attendees under 13.
Badges/passes are non-transferrable. All Persons agree not to share, sell, trade, or transfer their badge for any duration of time to anyone for any reason.
Badges/passes are non-refundable. Celebrity guest appearances and event programming are subject to change or cancel without notice. If a celebrity guest should cancel, only pre-sold autographs, photo ops and Speed Passes specific to that guest will be refunded – not the event admission badge/pass.
ATG Expo passes can be purchased online or at the door. Badges/passes purchased in advance are sold at discounted prices. Badges/passes, VIP Passes, Speed Passes and some specialty passes grant admission to ATG Expo and to the many activities, including vendor hall, panels, programming screenings, gaming, music and other entertainment, and special attractions. These badges/passes do not include photographs or autographs with celebrity guests.
While a badge/pass is required for entry, it does not guarantee access to the event, panel, room or session if the venue has reached capacity, as all programming and event space have capacity limits set by the Fire Marshall.
Behavior/Personal Conduct
All Persons must be courteous to and tolerant of others; respectful of personal property; and abstain from conduct causing or likely to cause damage, harm or offense to anyone. Activity of any kind preventing free movement of others; causing a nuisance; or otherwise disrupting ATG Expo – such as throwing items, use of projectiles, fighting, assault, sexual harassment, loud shouting/amplified sound, stalking, vulgarity, lewd conduct, non-consensual photography/recording, and abusive profanity or behavior – is prohibited. All Persons should report any observed, experienced, or otherwise apparent incident of harassment immediately to ATG Expo, the nearest-available uniformed security guard, or at the information booth located in ATG Expo,
Children
Children are defined as any person under the age of 13. All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. All Children are required to have and display an official event credential – available at a lower cost than the adult badge.
Commercial Activity
Selling, offering for sale, promoting, soliciting, fundraising, distributing (novelties, samples, literature, publications, flyers, cards, coupons, etc.), and all other commercial or charitable activities are prohibited, with the exception of licensed exhibitors during approved hours within their assigned exhibit/activation. Guerrilla marketing and other unauthorized advertising or branding is prohibited. Market research, surveys, petitions, polling, or other information/signature-gathering activities are prohibited. No solicitation of tips or donations is allowed for any reason or cause.
Compliance with Law
All Persons must comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and orders of governmental authorities as a condition of their admission and continued participation at ATG Expo.
Cosplay/Costume Rules
As ATG Expo is a family-friendly event, All Persons must ensure that their costumes are appropriate in all respects. Nudity, thongs, body paint/sheer material in lieu of appropriate clothing, and hate symbols (such as swastikas) are prohibited. Shoes must be worn at all times. Military, law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, government agents, or similarly themed costumes must be easily distinguishable from modern, official uniforms. Oversized costumes and props are strongly discouraged; prohibited in autograph/photo lines, on elevators/escalators and general assembly audiences; and may result in expulsion from the event due to obstruction of an entrance/exit or interference with the free movement of others.
Cosplay Prop Inspections
All cosplay props/objects are subject to inspection prior to entry. Pre-entry inspections will be conducted on the ATG Expo. All Persons approved will be issued a wristband and have their checked item physically tagged. Any Attendee who removes their wristband or tag during the event will be required to leave and will not receive a refund. Cosplay props/objects must be inspected in the same manner EACH DAY of ATG Expo prior to entry. Fake or replica bladed/pointed/blunt weapons must be easily distinguishable from real weapons and be constructed from safe, lightweight material, such as plastic, rubber, foam, cardboard, or papier-mâché.
Firearms/Weapons/Explosives
ATG Expo supports and defends your constitutional right to bear arms. Unfortunately, in an environment such as our event, the mixing of actual firearms and prop replica /costume weapons with live action role playing creates a potential for confusion and misunderstanding; which could lead to irreversible consequences. As such, the open and concealed carry of firearms at ATG Expo is prohibited. Therefore, possession, display, sale, storage, or distribution of firearms, ammunition, bullets, bump stocks, silencers, tasers, stun guns, gun powder, explosives and incendiary devices is prohibited – even if it is fake, disabled or inoperable. The only exception recognized by Management is for firearms carried by licensed peace officers. For purposes of this prohibition, the term “firearms” includes all items that are or appear to be handguns, rifles, shotguns, automatic rifles, assault-style rifles, machine guns, airsoft guns, tasers, stun guns, ballistic knives, pepper spray, pellet guns, crossbows, or any other device capable of expelling a projectile through a barrel or cylinder. No weapons deemed inappropriate or unsafe by Management are permitted.
All prop firearms must be incapable of firing projectiles, have an orange cap on the barrel and be clearly identifiable as fake, both from up close and from a distance. All permitted items must be marked by security at the weapons/prop check desk and have their triggers zip-tied to ensure that the gun is incapable of firing. Projectiles or any type of ammunition are forbidden.
Food & Beverage
No food or beverage purchased outside the Waco Convention Center is allowed at ATG Expo with the exception of baby formula, toddler’s snacks and medically-necessary supplies. Concessions are available on event premises and from several restaurants operating within the facility. Eating and drinking is restricted to designated areas.
Limitation of Liability
All Persons hereby WAIVE, RELEASE, ACQUIT and FOREVER DISCHARGE Management from any and all claims, liabilities, demands, losses, expenses, penalties, or costs of any kind for or related to any and all personal or bodily injury, illness, exposure to COVID-19 and any other communicable or infectious disease, disability, death, or loss, damage, or destruction of any property, caused by, resulting from, or arising out of attending or participating in the Event, even if caused in part by the negligence of Management. Any claims made in connection with the Event shall be subject to Texas law and brought individually in McLennan County, Texas. All Persons acknowledge that Event Management shall not be liable for indirect, consequential or punitive damages.
Pets/Animals
Pets and other animals are prohibited at ATG Expo without written permission in advance. The only exception is for authorized, documented service animals.
Photo Ops
Photos with the celebrity guests are available for purchase separate from admission passes. No admission pass/ticket/badge includes a photo op with a celebrity. Each photo op may include up to four people maximum. Approved show props are often allowed and many celebrities will accommodate special poses; however, they are not guaranteed. All requests are subject to approval by the guest/talent and/or the photographer.
Prohibited Items
Skateboards; hoverboards; skates; rollerblades; bicycles; helium balloons; drones/UAVs; illegal narcotics; drug paraphernalia; confetti; firecrackers; explosives; bullets; ammunition; flammable liquids; incendiary devices; scooters/wheeled vehicles other than ADA mobility assistance devices and strollers; handcarts; lasers; stilts measuring 24 inches or more; luggage; roller bags; coolers; and other items likely to create a nuisance or cause injury or damage to persons or property (as determined by Management) are not allowed at ATG Expo.
Recording/Filming
Non-commercial photography and filming for personal use, including social media, is allowed only when it is not disruptive to the event or movement of others; however, photography or recording of any kind or type is prohibited during panel discussions and other activities/events as determined by Management. Commercial photography and filming are only permitted by those with approved media credentials obtained in advance of the event.
Risk Assumption
All Persons acknowledge that there are inherent risks and dangers associated with attending or participating in the event and assume all such risks, including bodily injury, death, personal injury, emotional distress, exposure to COVID-19 and other infectious or communicable diseases, as well as the loss, damage or destruction of property.
Sleeping/Camping
Sleeping or camping is prohibited on the premises during ATG Expo. Possession of tents, sleeping bags and other camping equipment is prohibited.
Smoking/Vaping/Tobacco
Smoking, vaping and use of smokeless tobacco products is prohibited.
Use of Image
All Persons acknowledge that they will, and expressly consent to be, filmed, photographed or otherwise recorded as a condition of attendance during ATG Expo. By entering the event premises, each Attendee relinquishes any reasonable expectation of privacy and grants to ATG Expo, LLC an irrevocable, royalty and attribution-free right to use, publish and otherwise exploit (and allow others to use and otherwise exploit) any photograph, video, image, recording, or any other record of attendance during ATG Expo, in whole or in part, in perpetuity throughout the universe, in all media and means, now known or hereafter developed or discovered, for any promotional or other commercial purpose.
Violation
Any violation of this Code of Conduct, as determined by Management in its sole direction, is grounds for immediate removal from the event, whether observed personally by event staff or reported by a third party. Management may, but shall have no obligation to, allow an offending attendee the opportunity to immediately correct their behavior before requiring their removal. Any attendee removed from the event will not receive a refund or be allowed to reenter the event.
