Furry Convention Overview

What is a Furry Convention?

• A formal gathering of members of the furry fandom interested in fictional non-human animal characters with human traits.
• Originated in California in the mid-1980s.
• Over 50 furry conventions are held worldwide annually as of 2016.

Purpose of Furry Conventions

• Provides a space for fans to meet, share ideas, transact business, and engage in entertainment and recreation.
• Includes volunteer-led programming focusing on anthropomorphic art, crafts, music, and literature.
• Often raise money for charity.
• Attendees may dress in fursuits or wear artistic badges for identification and purchase art from amateur and professional artists.

History

• Started in mid-1986 with parties at science fiction conventions.
• First exclusive convention, ConFurence, held in 1989.
• Attendance and the number of conventions have doubled from 2000 to 2006.

Convention Activities

• Features presentations, panels, workshops, and tutorials on a variety of topics.
• Offers stand-up comedy, filk music, gaming, roleplaying, puppeteering, and performing arts.
• Usually has an art show and Dealers' Den for art sales.
• Features fursuit-friendly dances and private parties.
• Hosts events like the furry games, races, or critterlympics.
• Charity auctions are common, raising substantial funds for wildlife and animal-related causes.

Attendees

• Include artists, dealers, and people there for programming or socializing.
• Many publish a con report detailing their experiences.
• Attendees receive convention books with themed artwork and event information.

Organization and Staffing

• Run mostly by volunteers, often incorporated as non-profits.
• Large conventions may need up to a hundred volunteers.
• Typically held over a weekend to facilitate attendance and reduce costs.

Misconceptions and Incidents

• Misconceptions exist around furry conventions as being overly sexualized, partly due to media representation.
• In 2014, Midwest FurFest was disrupted by a chlorine gas attack.

Major Conventions

• Anthrocon in Pittsburgh is the largest, with over 17,000 attendees in 2024.
• Other prominent conventions include Midwest FurFest, Eurofurence, and Further Confusion.

Additional Information

• Conventions vary in theme and size, adapting as the community grows.
• They play a significant role in the social and cultural life of the furry fandom.