[Canada] Doll North at Anime North May 23-25, 2025

Hello everyone! I'm Moira_VonHelson aka Nadeestar BJD and I'm one of the staff members at this year's Doll North, held at the Toronto Congress Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada!

Dates for the convention are May 23 - 25, 2025

Passes are now on sale and are limited, please visit the Anime North Website here:
Home

Hotel booking information is available, and Convention hotel bookings open Monday, January 13.

I will be updating this thread as more information for Doll North becomes available, but for now, here are some of the confirmed events:

Costume and Photography Contests! - Plants & Flowers

Costume Contest - We are accepting nearly all doll types (some size restrictions apply) so enter your BJD, your Barbies, your Monster High, action figures and More! The Rules page has not been updated to 2025 yet, but the rules should stay the same as previous years. Please find that page here: Doll North Costume Contest

Edit: UPDATE
You can find the rules and registration information for the costume contest here: Doll North - By Anime North | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Photo Contest - The Doll North Photo contest is back! Do you like staging your dolls for photography? Set the scene, adjust the lighting, and go. Here’s your chance to win a cool prize for doing so!

Rules for Photo Contest:

• Participants may enter ONE photograph only.
• Photographs must be 8x10 mounted on firm card or cardstock. No frames will be accepted.
• Each entrant must have a valid Anime North badge, valid badges include General Day and Weekend Admissions, Exhibitor, and Dealer passes.
• Awards will be granted for both Fan Favourite and Best Execution of Theme. Additional awards may be added during the convention.
• Entrants are not required to be present during judging.
• Entrants are required to drop off their photos for display in the Doll North Costume Contest area; the deadline is before noon on Sunday, but given the Fan Favourite judging, the sooner you drop off your entry, the greater your chances of winning!
• All participants will be required to label their entry on the back of the card with their entry # and name.
• Participants may not reuse photos previously entered in a Doll North competition or in any other judged competition, this includes but is not limited to conventions, online competitions, and company competitions.
• Participants are encouraged to use minimal amounts of digital enhancements to the photo, the focus of the image should be your dolls with creative props, backdrops, costumes, locations etc. to depict the theme. This is a photography contest, not a photoshop contest.
• Please keep photos PG in theme. Entries that are deemed explicitly gory or overtly sexual may be removed from the contest.
• All dolls are valid for this contest, so long as they are not recasts or other illicit reproductions. Art Theft hurts.

The Twinning Contest will be returning, more information will be posted soon

Game Show - Name that Sculpt! (BJD Focused)
Do you think you are doll-crazy enough to identify a doll’s company and name just by a photo? Test your knowledge with Name that Sculpt! You will be competing against your fellow doll enthusiasts for prizes! Hosted by Nadeestar BJD.


Please Stay Tuned for more updates!

Please Note that we are currently in the planning stages, and if you would like to be a vendor or host a panel/gameshow/event for Doll North, Stay tuned and I will post information as soon as it is available to me.

 

Doll North Twinning photo Contest Information Update

Description for Twinning Contest:

The Doll North Twinning contest has returned. Have you ever tried to dress the same as one of your dolls? Submit a photograph of you and a doll in matching outfits for a chance to win! There is no theme for the Twinning contest, so feel free to dress yourself and your doll however you like, as long as you match as closely as possible. Twinzies!


Rules for Twinning Contest:



● Participants are limited to one entry.
● To Enter, either upload an image to instagram with the tag DNTWIN25 or come to the Doll North contest display area and a staffer there will take your photo and upload it for you
● Winner will be chosen by a small panel of volunteer judges.
● Noon on Sunday is the absolute deadline for submitting your photos, but participants are encouraged to submit entries as soon as possible.
● Entrants are not required to be present during judging.
● Participants may not reuse photos previously entered in a Doll North competition or in any other judged competition, this includes but is not limited to conventions, online competitions, and company competitions.
● Please keep photos PG in theme. Entries that are deemed explicitly gory or overtly sexual may be removed from the contest.
● Please keep use of image-editing programs to a minimum.
● All dolls are acceptable for entries, so long as they are not recasts or other illicit reproductions. Art Theft hurts.

 

Panel and Workshop Applications are now open!

We are looking for panels, for non toxic workshops (no, holding your breath does not count ).
Panel space for Doll North is limited so the sooner we hear from folks, the easier it is to plan.

You may apply for your panels here: ANPanels.com
As always, panel submissions are not approved on a first-come, first-serve bases; so draft your proposals carefully.

 

The webpage for Doll North has been updated: Doll North

MARKETPLACE & SWAP Information!

We will be having a Swap Meet and a Marketplace for doll vendors once more. The swap meet does not require any sort of advanced signups, but will require a $5 fee for table space. Table space will be divided and limited, so please do not plan to bring a marketplace worth of things to offload - if you have a large amount of items you are trying to rehome, consider buying a marketplace table instead.

Marketplace is expected to be Saturday morning to afternoon, and Swap is expected to be Friday, but may be shifted to later in the weekend, the schedule at this time is not confirmed.

Rules
The swap will run slightly differently this year, to keep things fair to everyone. Remember the swap is meant to feel a bit like a garage sale - if you have a lot of items or higher value items, consider becoming a Doll Marketplace Vendor instead.

• No recast/bootleg items allowed. Art theft hurts everyone.
• Only one person may take up one ‘spot’ at a table. Tables will be divided into equal parts so that everyone has a similar amount of space.
• Table spaces are available on a first come first serve basis, and will cost a fee of $5.
• There is no fee to browse or swap with anyone who has a table space. We strongly encourage swapping overselling, but cash sales are allowed.
• You are required to clean up after yourself before you leave. Failure to do so may result in a ban from future swap events.
• If there is a disagreement regarding the fairness of a swap, either cancel the swap or engage a Staff Member.
• When Staff advises that it is time to pack up, all swap activities are to cease.
• Store extra items or totes under the tables to keep the floors clear to allow everyone to access your swap items.
• No rude or discourteous behaviour will be tolerated towards Staff or fellow con attendees.
• Staff are not responsible for any lost or damaged items. You are responsible for keeping an eye on your own swap space.
• This is an all-ages event, please be mindful of this if bringing 18+ items.
• Items suggesting illegal behaviour (ex: substance paraphernalia) are not permitted.
• Have Fun and Happy Swapping!

Information
We expect the marketplace to be Saturday early morning through the afternoon in the front of the TCC South building (Southerland rooms) once again, but this has not been finalized. Tables will be 2*6 and come with 2 chairs. Table coverings will not be available and we advise you to bring your own. Electrical hookups will not be available.

Each vendor is allowed 1 (ONE) table helper - helpers must be registered ahead of time via your application form. Vendors and helpers must possess a valid Anime North 2025 pass. (Staff and Single Day passes are acceptable)

If you are interested in a vendor table but are unsure about the timing, we suggest emailing us to secure your space as it is first come, first serve. You will be invoiced once we have the schedule confirmed, so if there is a conflict you will be able to relinquish your table to another on the waiting list.

Signups must use your legal name as written on your Government-Issued ID. You must have a valid email address and Government Photo ID for sign in purposes.



Cost:
Payment of $50 CAD per table ($44.25 + 13%HST) must be within 1 week of receiving your invoice. No late or same-day Payments will be accepted

You may donate new or like new items as prizes for our contests in exchange for credit on your table. These donations must be approved in advance by the Doll North staff, and not all donations will be accepted.




Code of Conduct

• Doll North Staff reserve the right to remove merchandise they deem unacceptable or prohibited. Staff may ask a vendor to leave if their conduct is deemed unacceptable as per Anime North policies.
• Anime North reserves the right to revoke an attendee badge for misconduct.
• You must read and accept the Anime North Convention Policy as posted.

Merchandise allowed for sale in the Doll North Market Area.
The Doll North Market Area is designated for the sale of ball-jointed, vinyl, and fashion dolls and merchandise intended for use with said dolls such as doll clothing, wigs, shoes, eyes, artist’s materials, and doll related services (restringing, face-ups, photography). Recast dolls are expressly not allowed.

All 18+ materials must not be openly visible and ID is required to view these materials.

Items that are not related specifically to dolls (manga, cosplay, figures, etc) are not intended for this marketplace. If your table is not 80% doll related, you may be asked to leave the market and you will not be refunded your table cost.

If you wish to participate in Doll North’s Marketplace, email [email protected] with your preferred name, your legal name, and if you are a storefront or secondhand seller.

 

The return of Project Runway!

At Doll North's most anticipated gameshow, you are provided with tape, glue, plastic wrap, Kraft paper and MYSTERY MATERIALS!
Within a given time frame, you must create an outfit for your doll using the mystery materials!
Prizes are awarded when the buzzer rings and judges are done their deliberation!

So, don't forget to bring a doll to dress up!