FAQ

This page is a compilation list of frequently asked questions in order to help you prior to and on the day.

When does the festival take place?

Our next event is TBC.

Is there an age limit to the festival?

No, we have no limit at the day event, however the after party is held in a bar so will be 18+ only.

What events take place at the festival?

You can view details about all events taking place over the day on our events page Events.

Closer to the event we post the event timetable on both our home page and event page and make it available on all our social media accounts. A printed plan will be available to pick up at the door of the event along with a venue map.

Where can I buy tickets to the festival?

Please visit our Registrations page for all tickets and information.

Please be aware all of our tickets are non-refundable.

When do online ticket sales finish?

Standard Day Tickets will be sold up to 11.00pm on TBC, for the Sunday event we have extended the sales until 11.00pm on TBC.

What are the ticket costs and availability on the day?

• Standard weekend ticket - entry to the event from 11:00am for one person on both TBC: bought in advance only: £20 not available to buy on the day.
• Standard Saturday ticket - entry to the event from 11:00am for one person on TBC only: bought in advance: £12.50 bought on the day: £15, we have many tickets available on the day and will unlikely to run out as the venue has a large capacity.
• Standard Sunday ticket - entry to the event from 11:00am for one person on TBC only: bought in advance: £10.00 bought on the day: £10, we have many tickets available on the day and will unlikely to run out as the venue has a large capacity.
• Group standard weekend tickets - entry to the event from 11:00am on both TBC for a group of people (we do not sell discounted tickets for single days). Bought in advance 5 people £80, 10 people £160, and are not available to buy on the day.
• All tickets are non-refundable. Children 11 and under get in free when accompanied by a paying parent or guardian! The Child must be 11 and under on the day of the festival to gain free entry.
• Anyone with a Carers ID for disabled can't buy in advance but can get in the day/weekend event for £10 on the door, this is the same for a single day or the full weekend.
• All tickets are subject to Event Brite fees.

What carer ID do you accept?

You will need to provide either the National Carers Card with ISA standard or government CredAbility or Nimbus card or the equivalent to get the carers discount.

When are my tickets posted to me?

All tickets bought in advance are e-tickets and therefore no printed tickets will be posted out. You will need to bring a printed copy of the receipt with you to gain entry to the festival. If you do not have the facilities to print you can show the e-ticket on your phone at the door.

What do I do if I have bought tickets online but have not received anything?

Please check your spam folder first. If you cannot find the email, please make sure you check the email address you used to purchase the ticket with. If you are still having difficulty please contact event brite.

Where are the venues for the festival?

• Daytime event: Sugden Sports Centre, 114 Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HL
• After-party: The Sandbar, 120 Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HL

Do you have car parking spaces?

The venue does not have parking however there are many NCP carparks in Manchester and some a very close to the venue, please visit their website NCP Manchester for information.

Which is the nearest train station?

Manchester Oxford Road is 5 minutes walk from the venue, Piccadilly is 15 minutes away, Victoria is 20 minutes away. All train stations have a free shuttle bus service directly outside the station one of the shuttle buses drop off outside Oxford Road train station.

Are there toilets, disabled access and lockers at the daytime event venue?

The venue is a sports centre. They have toilets, changing facilities and coin operated lockers.

For disabled access 100% of the venue is wheelchair accessible. The sports hall reception staff will be there to assist anyone who has disabled issues.

Can I come and go from the venue on the day of the event?

You will be given a wrist band at the festival so you can come and go as you please. Our 2nd venue is over the road and will be using wrist band access also.

Are you responsible for all traders and artists at the event?

We are responsible for enforcing the following policies; we have a policy of NO fake or unlicensed goods and NO mass produced fan art of characters protected by copyright being sold at Doki Doki. We are okay with one off commissions made on the day.

We are not responsible for disputes between stall prices and other sales related issues. We can intervene only if it affects the safety and welfare of other festival visitors.

Are you still taking trader and artist applications for the festival?

You must be 18+ to get a stall at our event. Please email to register for our event info@dokidokifestival.com.

Are cash machines available at the festival?

The venue doesn’t have a cash machine. There are a number located on Oxford Road in the vicinity of the sports centre. Most larger stalls do have card machines, the smaller stalls may not. It is always better to bring cash on the day.

What food is available on the day of the festival?

We do have food stalls at the event selling both vegetarian and meat Japanese style meals. They may not meet every dietary requirement and if you have allergies or certain requirements we recommend you bring your own food. We do have seating areas available to eat in.

If you can’t find what you are looking for at the event, the area the sports centre is located in is a minute walk to various take-aways, restaurants and a large vegetarian café located on Oxford Road just round the corner.

What are the different Cosplay competitions at the festival?

We run a Cosplay Championship and an Open Cosplay Masquerade.

The 'Doki Doki Cosplay championships' is sign ups beforehand. Please email info@dokidokifestival.com for a cosplay form prior to the event. The last entry will be submitted two days before the festival.

The Doki Doki Open Masquerade is sign up on the day.

What are the rules for the Cosplay competitions?

The basic rules for the Cosplay Championship are as follows:

• Legal weapons/prop (see prop policies below)
• 2 min or less skit/performance
• 80% of the costume must be made by entrant, if not anything not made by them must be disclosed on form.
• Music provided beforehand
• Age 16+

The Open Cosplay Masquerade is open to everyone on the day and allows all kinds of cosplay bought or made. Due to the quicker nature of this event, skits and dances must be kept to a maximum time of 30 seconds. Legal weapons/prop (see prop policies below)

What are your Cosplay weapons and props policies?

Prohibited Items, any items not listed is at our discretion:

• Firearms – this includes BB guns, cap guns, paintball and pellet guns
• Bladed metal or wooden weapons such as axes, daggers, hatchets, knives and swords, pocket blades, and ninja stars.
• Bokken- a type of hard wooden (or toughened plastic) training sword.
• Projectile weapons of any kind is not permitted.
• Explosives and chemical weapons – this includes firecrackers and pepper spray.
• Protruding nails or other sharp items.
• Heavy gas canisters.
• Blunt weapons – wooden or metal bats, clubs, brass knuckles, mallets, martial arts weapons, whips, golf clubs and paddles.
• Large Items that will cause issues in crowds. If it is a large item we can hold on to this for photo opportunities and the cosplay competitions.

At the discretion of security and staff, the following may be permitted:

• Toy guns that look to be 100% toys and cannot fire anything; cannot be possibly confused with a real weapon.
• Plastic and metal shields (metal shields must demonstrate no sharp edges).
• Lightweight plastic, lightweight wood, PVC props; must be clearly and visibly a prop.
• Bows that are loosely strung and incapable of shooting arrows.
• Plastic, cardboard, paper mache or foam props.

Any large and dangerous items prohibitted in the lists above but are essential for use in the Cosplay Competitions may be stored through the day with our team at the entrance area.

I would like to run or demonstrate an event at the festival what can I do?

If you would like to run an event related to any aspect of Japanese culture at the future festivals, please send us an outline of your proposed event or an indication of your area(s) of expertise to info@dokidokifestival.com.

My question isn’t answered here, what can I do?

Please You can get in touch with us at info@dokidokifestival.com and we will try our best to answer your question. This FAQ is a work in progress and will be built upon.