Anthrocon
{{short description|Pittsburgh furry convention}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{third-party|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox Convention
| name = Anthrocon
| image = 120px
| caption = Anthrocon's official logo
| status = Active
| genre = Furry
| venue = {{Unbulleted list|David L. Lawrence Convention Center|Westin Convention Center Hotel}}
| location = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| country = United States
| first = 1997
| last = 2024
| organizer = Anthrocon, Inc.
| filing = 501(c)(7)
| attendance = 17,639 in 2024
| website = {{URL|https://www.anthrocon.org/}}
}}
Anthrocon (abbreviated AC) is an annual furry convention that takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, each June or July. It caters to furries, which are fans of fictional anthropomorphic animal characters in art and literature. The convention was first held in 1997 in Albany, New York, and moved multiple times before settling at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Since moving to Pittsburgh in 2006, the convention has drawn millions in financing to the local economy.{{cite news |last1=Ellis |first1=Maliya |title=Anthrocon is back in Pittsburgh – and here come the furries |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2022/06/28/anthrocon-2022-pittsburgh-furries-parade-convention-center/stories/202206240102 |access-date=16 October 2022 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=30 June 2022 |archive-date=October 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016012055/https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2022/06/28/anthrocon-2022-pittsburgh-furries-parade-convention-center/stories/202206240102 |url-status=live }}{{cite book|last1=Dale|first1=Joshua Paul|last2=Goggin|first2=Joyce|last3=Leyda|first3=Julia|last4=McIntyre|first4=Anthony P.|last5=Negra|first5=Diane|title=The Aesthetics and Affects of Cuteness|date=December 8, 2016|publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781317331308}}{{Page needed|date=December 2021}}
Anthrocon is among the most attended furry conventions in history, peaking at 17,639 in 2024.{{Cite tweet |user=Anthrocon |title=📈 An absolutely RECORD-BREAKING year! #Anthrocon2024 🤯 👨👩👧👦 🐾 Attendance: 17,639 🐶💰 Charity Donation: Over $100,000 (by attendees)! 🚶😺 Fursuit Parade: 3371 🖼️ Covered sticker boards and 6 foot pizza boxes: ✅ See you next year on July 3-6, 2025 for "Deep Sea Adventures"! |date=2024-07-07 |access-date=2024-07-07 |language=English |number=1810079804781207565 |link=https://x.com/anthrocon/status/1810079804781207565}}
Background and history
Anthrocon was founded in 1997 as Albany Anthrocon (AAC) in New York state, with a membership of about 500. The convention was renamed to 'Anthrocon' and moved to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in 1999 and 2000; then to a larger hotel, the Adam's Mark, on the outskirts of Philadelphia in 2001. Attendance grew each year, Anthrocon becoming the largest furry convention in 2001 with an attendance of 1,457. In 2004 it had climbed to 2,404 attendees in its final year at the Adam's Mark.{{rp|18}}
Due to the unforeseen sale of the Adam's Mark Hotel in November 2004, Anthrocon chose the Wyndham Franklin Plaza in Philadelphia as the site for its 2005 convention. Attendance that year dropped to 2,373. 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 and 18, 2006. Despite concerns that the move to Pittsburgh would decrease attendance, it rose to 2,489, enough to ensure the future of the convention in Pittsburgh.{{cite book |last1=Pattern |first1=Fred |title=Furry Fandom Conventions, 1989-2015 |date=3 January 2017 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=9781476663814}}{{rp|22}}
In 2007 Anthrocon was featured in the Guinness World Records (2008 Edition) as the "largest furry fan club" in the world. In 2008, Anthrocon became the first furry convention to have an attendance exceeding 3,000 members, the official count reaching 3,390.{{cite book |title=Guinness World Records 2008 |date=7 August 2007 |publisher=Guinness |isbn=978-1904994190 |page=222 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=keCMNVyeroYC&q=anthrocon |access-date=16 October 2022 |archive-date=March 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308214230/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Guinness_World_Records_2008/keCMNVyeroYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=anthrocon |url-status=live }} In 2009, attendance rose 11% to 3,776, and the Fursuit Parade count jumped to 640—a 41% increase.{{rp|18}}{{cite web |url=http://anthrocon.livejournal.com/692864.html |title=Anthrocon 2009 – A Final Look Back |date=July 7, 2009 |author=John Cole |website=Anthrocon |via=LiveJournal |access-date=July 14, 2017 |archive-date=June 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620051827/http://anthrocon.livejournal.com/692864.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://anthrocon.livejournal.com/683660.html |title=A Bunch Of Anthrocon News Coverage In One Convenient Post! |author=Karl Jorgensen |date=July 6, 2000 |website=Anthrocon |via=LiveJournal |access-date=July 14, 2017 |archive-date=September 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924052055/http://anthrocon.livejournal.com/683660.html |url-status=live }} Anthrocon 2009 brought approximately $3 million to the Pittsburgh economy.{{Cite news|last=Brandolph |first=Adam |title=Furry Convention $3 Million Cash Cow for City Businesses |publisher=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review |date=June 28, 2008 |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_575023.html |access-date=April 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414201132/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_575023.html |archive-date=April 14, 2009 }}
Anthrocon 2010 had an attendance of 4,238, the first furry convention to exceed 4,000 members; and by 2012 saw 5,179 attendees, with a Fursuit Parade exceeding 1,000. The admission price was also set overall at $60 for a four-day pass, though pre-registered attendees paid $50.{{cite web |title=Are Furries Really So Bad? |last=Notopoulos |first=Katie |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/are-furries-really-so-bad |website=BuzzFeed |date=June 20, 2012 |access-date=June 21, 2012 |archive-date=June 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622034053/http://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/are-furries-really-so-bad |url-status=live }}
In 2017, Anthrocon lost the title of "World's most attended furry convention", as Midwest FurFest in Rosemont, Illinois, claimed the title with an attendance of over 8,700.{{Cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/how-will-you-react-when-a-loved-one-tells-you-they-are-1823227647 |title=How will you react when a loved one tells you they are a furry? |last=Purdom |first=Clayton |website=The A.V. Club |date=February 22, 2018 |language=en-US |access-date=2019-01-28 |archive-date=January 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129010635/https://www.avclub.com/how-will-you-react-when-a-loved-one-tells-you-they-are-1823227647 |url-status=live }}
The chairman of the convention since 1999, Samuel Conway, oversees the operations of Anthrocon with the assistance of convention staff and volunteers who donate their time and energy throughout the weekend to assist the multitude of small tasks which arise. Since 1997, Anthrocon has raised more than $200,000 for animal-related charities.{{cite web |title=Anthrocon History |url=http://www.anthrocon.org/history |website=Anthrocon|date=March 29, 2006 |access-date=April 14, 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070404162720/http://www.anthrocon.org/history |archive-date= April 4, 2007 |url-status=live}}
= Fernando's Café =
Since the convention's presence in Pittsburgh, Fernando's Café, a fast food restaurant located near Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh, is one of several restaurants that cater to furries during Anthrocon weekend. However, in 2012, Fernando DeCarvalho, the owner of the restaurant, called Conway informing him that he had gone into debt as a result of the Great Recession. In response, Conway initiated a fundraising campaign which resulted in the restaurant receiving $20,000, a move HuffPost reports would "alleviate some of [DeCarvalho's] debt and allow him to keep his doors open long enough for one last Anthrocon."{{cite web|title=Anthrocon Furries Aid Fernando's Cafe in Pittsburgh|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/17/anthrocon-furries-fernandos-cafe_n_1603768.html|website=Huffington Post|date=June 17, 2012|access-date=August 21, 2017|archive-date=July 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701211825/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/17/anthrocon-furries-fernandos-cafe_n_1603768.html|url-status=live}}
Typical programming and events
There are areas open most of the day to accommodate sales by Dealers and Artists as well as an area to congregate and socialize.
Anthrocon provides a number of specialized 'tracks' of programming with similar furry based themes and scheduled 'events'.{{cite web |url=http://www.anthrocon.org/files/anthrocon/active/0/Anthrocon%202009%20schedule.pdf |title=Events |website=Anthrocon |access-date=June 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916165809/http://www.anthrocon.org/files/anthrocon/active/0/Anthrocon%202009%20schedule.pdf |archive-date=September 16, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}{{cite web |url=http://www.anthrocon.org/node/36149/our-2017-schedule |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708160510/http://www.anthrocon.org/node/36149/our-2017-schedule |archive-date=July 8, 2017 |title=Our 2017 Schedule |website=Anthrocon |access-date=July 14, 2017 }}
The programming tracks involve discussions and work groups focused on the application of furry in Art, Comedy and Improv, Computer Gaming, Costuming (Fursuits), Music, Puppetry, Role-Playing (both gaming and real-life), and Writing.
Scheduled events that take place have included a Charity Auction, Masquerade, Fursuit Parade, nightly dances, Art Show Auctions, and special presentations by Uncle Kage and "2 the Ranting Gryphon".{{cite web |url=http://www.ranting-gryphon.com/ |title=News |website=Ranting Gryphon Studios |access-date=June 25, 2016 |quote=2012 Touring Information - June 14–17: Anthrocon, Pittsburgh, PA |archive-date=July 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706232839/http://www.ranting-gryphon.com/ |url-status=live }}{{better source needed|date=November 2022}}
Every year the convention has several Guests of Honor, who are prominent individuals who are compensated for their attendance and travel expenses. Past Guests of Honor at Anthrocon have included Rob Paulsen and Mark Evanier.{{cite web |url=http://anthrocon.livejournal.com/218272.html |title=Anthrocon's first guest of honor named |author=Uncle Kage |website=Anthrocon |via=LiveJournal |date=August 19, 2006 |access-date=July 14, 2017 |archive-date=May 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506033753/https://anthrocon.livejournal.com/218272.html |url-status=live }}
{{cite web |url=http://www.anthrocon.org/node/317 |title=Anthrocon's 2007 Guests of Honor announced |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928004138/http://www.anthrocon.org/node/317 |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |author=Uncle Kage |website=Anthrocon |date=November 12, 2006}}
Anthrocon by year
This table includes the locations of each convention as well as attendance figures, charity donations, convention themes, and guests of honor by year.{{rp|18}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category|Anthrocon}}
{{furry fandom}}
{{Pittsburgh}}
{{Authority control}}