Anthrocon
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Anthrocon is the largest furry fandom convention, taking place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania each July. Its focus is on anthropomorphics: fictional animal characters given human personalities and characteristics (see furry for more details).
Founded in 1997 as Albany Anthrocon 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.
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 raised over $50,000 for animal-related charities.
Guests of Honor at Anthrocon in the past have included syndicated cartoonist Bill Holbrook, comic-book artist Dan DeCarlo (creator of Josie And The Pussycats), artist Stan Sakai (creator of Usagi Yojimbo), among others. Peter Laird, co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Timothy Albee, ("Kaze, Ghost Warrior") are scheduled as Guests of Honor for 2005.
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. There has been discussion regarding moving to Pittsburgh in 2007 due to the attendance outgrowing its current venue. A final decision has not yet been reached.
Typical Anthrocon Programming
- Opening and Closing Ceremonies
- Dealers Room
- Art Shows (General and Adult)
- Art Show Auctions
- Artists' Alley
- Stand-up Comedy
- Masquerade
- Charity Auction
- Internet Room
- "The Zoo"
- Supersponsor Lounge
- Supersponsor Luncheon
- Fursuit Dance
- Fursuit Parade
- Role-playing Games
- Dance Dance Revolution Tournament
- Special-interest Groups
- "Story Hour"
- Art Demonstration
- Puppetry Instruction
Themes for Anthrocon
- 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
External links
- Anthrocon (http://www.anthrocon.org/) – official website
- PeterCat's Furry InfoPage (http://www.tigerden.com/infopage/furry/index.html) – Includes schedule and links for other furry fandom conventions
- Anthropomorphic Fandom Convention Information Sheet (http://www.mustelid.com/otterhall/afcis.html) – Historical attendance figures for all furry fandom conventions
- Invasion Of The Furries (http://www.xydexx.com/anthrofurry/furries.htm) – News article about Anthrocon 2001.