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Celebration & Party Expo
The Ultimate Trade Show for the
Events and Party Industry
Telford International Centre, UK
Sunday 22nd March - 09:00 - 17:00
Monday 23rd March - 09:00 - 16:00
Competition Time
We’re excited to unveil the CAP Expo competitions, a standout opportunity for creative businesses to showcase their skills, gain industry recognition and truly stand out. With three headline competitions detailed below (and more to be revealed soon), CAP Expo offers one of the most prestigious platforms in the industry to be seen, celebrated and remembered.
This is your chance to become an award-winning company at a respected industry event, putting your work in front of peers, suppliers and decision-makers. And it’s not just about first, second or even third place – our graded awards system means every competitor has the opportunity to walk away with an accolade, from Gold, Silver and Bronze, recognising skill, creativity and professionalism at every level.
Whether you’re an established name or an emerging talent, CAP Expo competitions are designed to inspire, elevate and reward excellence across the industry.
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"My Favourite Place"
Competition 1​
Theme: My Favourite Place - Backdrop & Photo Opportunity Competition​
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1st Place: Award Certificate & £500 Cash
2nd Place: Award Certificate & Sponsored Goodies + 6 months BAPIA Membership*
3rd Place: Award Certificate & Sponsored Goodies + 6 months BAPIA Membership*
(6 months BAPIA membership only applies to UK or ROI residents)
Ready to build something that stops people in their tracks?
We’re inviting creatives to design and build a visually exciting backdrop and photo opportunity inspired by “My Favourite Place.”
This could be anywhere your imagination takes you — a tropical island, under the sea, a magical forest, Paris, New York, a cosy garden, a fantasy world — as long as visitors can quickly recognise and connect with your theme.
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​£50 Entry Fee- max 10 entries​
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Competition 2
Realms of Imagination
Small Sculpture
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1st Place: Award Certificate & £250 Cash
2nd Place: Award Certificate & Sponsored Goodies
3rd Place: Award Certificate & Sponsored Goodies
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This is a live creative competition celebrating artistic skill in balloon twisting and design. Competitors will be given a space 1.22m long and 0.76m wide, this can be on a table top or on the floor. Competitors must produce an small sculpture inspired by the theme “Fantasy” While the focus is on balloon twisting, additional décor elements may be incorporated to enhance the final presentation.
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£25 Entry Fee - max 10 entries
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Fantasy Realism
Face Painting Competition 1​
Theme: Fantasy Realism - Face, neck and decolletage painting competition
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1st Place: Award Certificate, £250 Cash & Goodie Bag
2nd Place Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
3rd Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
Professional Technique-Based Competition:
​A high-level face painting competition designed exclusively for professional artists, celebrating technical excellence, refined brush control, and imaginative realism.
The Fantasy Realism theme invites competitors to blend believable anatomy and structure with fantastical elements, creating designs that feel immersive, cohesive, and visually powerful while remaining grounded in strong face painting technique.
This category is not about cartoons, costume characters, or theatrical special effects. Instead, it celebrates illusion, depth, and refined painting technique, where fantasy emerges through realism rather than exaggeration.
Licensed, trademarked, or copyrighted characters, designs, or recognisable properties are strictly prohibited.
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£25 Entry Fee - maximum 10 entries
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Fantasy Colour Competition Face Painting Competition 2
30 minute face only painting competition
Theme: Fantasy Colourparty is a celebration of pure colour, movement, and creative energy.
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1st Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
2nd Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
3rd Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
This theme is unapologetically bright, bold, and vibrant, designed to burst with life the moment it’s seen. Artists are encouraged to push colour to the forefront, using confident combinations, striking contrasts, and dynamic placement to create fantasy designs that feel joyful, expressive, and alive.
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This is not a subtle category.
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Think colour explosions, high-impact palettes, and fantasy concepts brought to life through fearless use of pigment rather than realism or fine detail.
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Free to Enter​- maximum 20 entries
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15 Minute Face Only Painting Competition
Competition 3
​Theme: Heroes and Princesses​
1st Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
2nd Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
3rd Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
A fast-paced, themed face painting competition celebrating creativity, speed, and technical skill.
Heroes and Princesses challenges artists to create a striking, themed design in just 15 minutes. This competition emphasises clear concept, confident brushwork, and instant visual impact, rewarding artists who can interpret the theme creatively while executing clean, polished work in a limited time.
Heroes and Princesses is a playful, imaginative theme inspired by classic storytelling archetypes.
Artists are encouraged to create designs that capture the essence of a heroic or regal character through:
Bold colour and expressive details
Symbolic elements (crowns, masks, shields, magical motifs)
Distinct personality or character essence
This competition is about evoking a character, mood, or story, rather than replicating a specific licensed figure.
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​Free to Enter​​ - maximum 20 entries
10 Minute Face Only Speed Competition
​Theme: Animals with a Twist
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1st Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
2nd Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
3rd Place: Award Certificate & Goodie Bag
A fun, high-energy face painting challenge celebrating creativity, humour, and technical skill under extreme time pressure.
Animal with a Twist invites artists to reinterpret animals in a whimsical, unexpected, and playful way, for example, a monkey with sunglasses, a tiger with a red clown nose, or a frog blowing a party horn. The focus is on speed, creativity, and instant visual impact rather than realism or intricate detail.
This competition rewards artists who can deliver maximum personality and humour in just 10 minutes while maintaining clean, confident brushwork.
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​Free to Enter​​ - maximum 20 entries