Anthrocon
The Anthrocon is the world's largest convention for the furry movement and takes place annually in June or July in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania .
The focus of the fair is the exchange between fans and creators of fictional animal characters, such as those shown in cartoons. The artistic spectrum ranges from graphics, cartoons and literature to live performances. Some visitors also slip into the role of their characters and dress up as them. The name "Anthrocon" is derived from the anthropomorphic character of the animal figures.
The first Anthrocon took place in 1997 in New York State . It now has more than 7,000 visitors annually, including around 2,100 participants in costumes. The fair's economic power is estimated at 6.2 million US dollars. It is one of the 10 most important trade fairs in Pittsburgh.
History and background
The convention was founded in 1997 under the name Albany Anthrocon. In the following years she was in New York in Albany and in Pennsylvania in the cities of Valley Forge and Philadelphia held. The Anthrocon was recognized in the Guinness Book of Records 2008 as the “largest furry fan club”. Since 2006 the venue has been the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. The guests are accommodated in cooperation with seven hotels.
The convention has been led by Dr. Samuel Conway (artist name "Uncle Kage" [ ˈkaːɡə ] or "Kagemushi", see web links). In addition to a small management staff, the bulk of the work is borne by a large number of voluntary helpers.
Another aspect of the Anthrocon is the charity work . Since the convention was founded, donations for animal projects have been collected in charity auctions. Funds passed on total over $ 170,000. The organizations supported include the Fayette Friends of Animals, the Equine Angels Rescue, the Animal Rescue League Wildlife Rehabilitation and the Animal Friends.
Program and areas of Anthrocon
Programming
In addition to the all-day bazaar for artists and dealers, there are event halls and spacious areas for getting to know one another ( see below ).
The supporting program provides for discussions and workshops that deal with the lived furry culture in graphics and literature , improvisation and puppet theater , comedy , computer games , fursuits and music .
Other fixed items on the program are an auction for charity, the "masquerade", a furry parade (Fursuit Parade), the nightly discotheque program, artist auctions and the entertaining lectures by Samuel Conway and "2 dem Nörgel-Griff" (" 2 the Ranting Griffon ").
The zoo"
Traditionally, there has been an area at Anthrocon since 2000 where visitors and artists can get to know each other away from the hustle and bustle of the exhibition. This so-called “zoo” offers space for cozy conversations and serves as a snack corner and relaxation area. The current location of the "Zoo" is the ballroom of the Westin Hotel .
As a place for personal encounters in the furry culture community, the “zoo” is an essential part of the Anthrocon. On the other hand, it is a logistical solution to keep the number of visits to your own hotel room and thus the route occupancy low.
Mottos, guests of honor and social engagement
For each Anthrocon a specific motto, a list of guests of honor and an institution is determined, which the proceeds from the charity auction and fundraising will benefit. The following table provides an overview.
| year | motto | Guests of honor | Funded institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | At East Coast Furry Convention | Artist Daphne Lage Artist Watts Martin |
Therapy Dog Relay K9 Friends ($ 2,200) |
| 1998 | Here There Be Dragons | Artist Jim Groat Artist Jeffery A. Carver |
Whiskers Shelter, Albany ($ 3,092) |
| 1999 | Join the furry revolution | Artist Vicky Wyman Author "SA Swiniarski" Swann |
Great Valley Conservation Center, Malvern ($ 3,600) |
| 2000 | Furries of Myth and Legend | Artist Sara "Caribou" Palmer Author Paul Kidd |
NGAP (National Greyhound Adoption Program), Philadelphia ($ 6,534) |
| 2001 | Furries in Flight |
Cartoonist Dan DeCarlo Cartoonist Bill Holbrook |
Reins of Life Center for Therapeutic Riding, South Bend ($ 7,237) |
| 2002 | Inventions | Author Lisanne Norman artist Heather Bruton |
Canine Partners for Life Assistance Dogs , Cochranville ($ 13,280) |
| 2003 | Creatures of the Night | Artist Guy Gilchrist Artist Mark E. Rogers |
Support Our Shelters Ferret Aid , Lansdowne ($ 8,348) |
| 2004 | Summer Games | Artist Stan Sakai Artist Michael Gagne |
Forgotten Felines and Fidos Animal Shelter , Germansville ($ 7,200) |
| 2005 | Heroes | Comic book artist Peter Laird, artist Timothy "Amadhia" Albee |
Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue Station, Glenside ($ 6,470) |
| 2006 | Making history | Artist Scott Shaw writer Diane Duane |
National Wildlife Aid Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh ($ 8,407) |
| 2007 | Looking to the future | Voice actor Rob Paulsen Author Mark Evanier artist Carolyn Kelly |
Animal Friends Support for Pet Owners, Pittsburgh ($ 7,608) |
| 2008 | It's a jungle out there | Animator Floyd Norman | Parrot Rescue, Pittsburgh ($ 13,154) |
| 2009 | OMG aliens | Screenwriter Joe Harris artist Ben Balistreri animator Bob Boyle |
Animal Rescue League Wildlife Aid , Pittsburgh ($ 8,993) |
| 2010 | Modern stone-age furries | Animator and author James Gurney puppeteer Jim Martin |
Fayette Friends of Animals animal shelter, Uniontown ($ 12,849) |
| 2011 | The Anthropomorphic Institute of Magic |
Draftsman and author Andy Runton author Peter S. Beagle |
ToonSeum Museum of Cartoon Art, Pittsburgh ($ 11,522) |
| 2012 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Artist Mike Kazaleh Artist Dev Madan |
Hello Bully American Pit Bull Terrier Aid, Pittsburgh ($ 20,656) |
| 2013 | The Fast and the Furrious | Writer Mercedes Lackey illustrator and writer Larry Dixon animated film producer Tom Minton |
Equine Angels Horse Rescue, West Deer ($ 31,255) |
| 2014 | Secret Societies | Voice actor Jim Cummings voice actor Lee Tockar |
National Aviary Bird Park, Pittsburgh ($ 32,372) |
| 2015 | Vikings invasion | Voice actor Kimlinh Tran Major League Baseball mascot "The San Diego Chicken" |
Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, Pittsburgh ($ 35,910) |
| 2016 | Roaring Twenty | Voice actor Trevor Devall Webcomic writer Tracy Butler (Lackadaisy Cats) Animator Joaquin Baldwin |
Zoo and Aquarium, Pittsburgh ($ 30,880) |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Guinness World Records Ltd. (Ed.): Guinness World Records (2008 Edition) . 2008, ISBN 1-904994-19-9 , pp. 123 .
- ^ 'Furries' leave visible prints Downtown and in Pittsburgh's coffers. Retrieved July 19, 2013 .
- ↑ a b c http://www.anthrocon.org/history Anthrocon History. Retrieved July 19, 2013 .
- ↑ Anthrocon 2009 Schedule. (PDF; 232 kB) (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on September 16, 2016 ; accessed on July 19, 2013 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Official website of "2 the Ranting Gryphon". Retrieved July 19, 2013 .
- ^ Anthrocon Events. Retrieved July 19, 2013 .
