Anthrocon

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Anthrocon is the world's largest furry convention, taking place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania each July. Its focus is on anthropomorphics: fictional animal characters given human personalities and characteristics.

Contents

[edit] Background

Founded in 1997 as Albany Anthrocon (sometimes abbreviated simply as "AC") in New York State, with a membership of about 500, the convention moved to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in 1999 and to a larger hotel, the Adams Mark, on the outskirts of Philadelphia in 2001 as its attendance continued to grow. Membership in 2003 was announced as 1,949. In 2004 it was 2,406, making it by far the largest furry convention at that time. Attendance in 2005 dropped slightly to 2,373, due in part to higher parking fees, a different and unfamiliar hotel (the Wyndham Franklin Plaza in downtown Philadelphia), and possibly due to Hurricane Dennis's effect on the southern United States which closed many airports and prevented people from travelling.

Due to the unforseen sale of the Adams Mark Hotel in November 2004, Anthrocon chose the Wyndham Franklin Plaza in Philadelphia as the site for its 2005 convention. In June 2005, a contract with the Westin Convention Center Hotel in Pittsburgh was signed, and Anthrocon was scheduled to be held at the adjoining David L. Lawrence Convention Center between June 15-18, 2006. Despite concerns that the move to Pittsburgh and temporary date shift would decrease attendance, it actually rose to 2,489, which was enough to ensure the future of the convention for July 5-8, 2007.

The chairman of the convention, Dr. Samuel Conway (nicknamed "Kagemushi" or "Uncle Kage" among attendees), oversees the operations of the Anthrocon with the help of a small staff and a number of volunteers who donate their time and energy throughout the weekend to assist the multitude of small tasks which arise. Since 1997, Anthrocon has donated more than $66,000 to animal-related charities.

Guests of Honor at Anthrocon in the past have included:

For the 2007 convention, Anthrocon has announced voice actor Rob Paulsen as a Guest of Honor. [1]

[edit] Typical Anthrocon programming

A photo of the fursuit dance at Anthrocon 2005.
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A photo of the fursuit dance at Anthrocon 2005.

[edit] Themes for Anthrocon

  • 2007: Looking to the Future
  • 2006: Making History
  • 2005: Heroes
  • 2004: Summer Games
  • 2003: Creatures of the Night
  • 2002: Inventions
  • 2001: Furries in Flight
  • 2000: Furries of Myth and Legend
  • 1999: Join the Furry Revolution
  • 1998: Here There Be Dragons
  • 1997: An East Coast Furry Convention

[edit] Charities

Every year, Anthrocon chooses a local charity that is animal related to be the beneficiary of its charity auction.

Past charities, and amounts raised:

  • 2006: The Western Pennsylvania National Wild Animal Orphanage - $5,845
  • 2005: Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue - $6,470
  • 2004: Forgotten Felines & Fidos - $7,100
  • 2003: Support Our Shelters - $8,300
  • 2002: Canine Partners for Life - $13,200
  • 2001: Reins of Life - $7,200
  • 2000: National Greyhound Adoption Program - $6,500
  • 1999: Great Valley Nature Center - $3,600
  • 1998: Whiskers - $3,200
  • 1997: Therapy Dogs - $2,200

[edit] The "Zoo"

A photo of the Zoo at Anthrocon 2004.
Enlarge
A photo of the Zoo at Anthrocon 2004.

The Zoo is a customary area of the Anthrocon convention space in which attendees may lounge freely, eat and drink, rest, draw, chat, and generally "decompress" from the bustle and crowding of the rest of the convention events going on around them.

The Zoo has existed as such in Anthrocon programming since 2000, except in 2005 as there were no rooms available to dedicate for the space, and because the hotel lobby bar was available for essentially the same purpose. There were also an open hotel restaurant and adjacent sitting areas throughout the lobby, ballroom, and mezzanine floor balconies which served as de facto Zoo space during the 2005 convention.

As attendance of Anthrocon grows, it will become more and more crucial to provide adequate loitering space for congoers to congregate which is not immediately around doorways, elevators, and other public hotel-space which must be shared with hotel staff and guests not attending the convention.

As a large part of the 'experience' of Anthrocon is interpersonal socialization, the more customary convention programming is ultimately unable to suffice by itself. This, combined with the effects of jet lag (due to attendees traveling from across the country and even as far away as Japan), and sleep deprivation due to attempting to attend as many events as possible and meet as many people as possible within the general 4-day timeframe of the convention, gives rise to a definite need to have space more or less devoted to small-group socialization, and relaxation without the need to return to a hotel room (an increasingly arduous and lengthy endeavor as the ratio of attendance to convention space goes up).

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Anthrocon's first guest of honor named, Uncle Kage, Anthrocon LiveJournal, 19 August 2006

[edit] External links

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