What is a Furry Convention and How To Enjoy Attending One

Hey there and welcome to Furry, Explained! I’m Finn, a big black cat from the internet, and Furry, Explained is my show about furries and their culture. In today’s episode, we’re going to be talking about furry conventions, which, I know, it’s a bit weird to talk about right now in early 2021, but I still count conventions as part of the furry fundamentals, which is what the first batch of episodes of this show is going to be focused on covering. Just like other fandoms, furries also hold their own large gatherings at different places all around the world. They are seen as the culmination of most people’s experience in the fandom, and is what many furries look forward to attending each and every year. But, as you might imagine, they can be quite a handful. A lot of stuff happens at conventions in a relatively short amount of time, and it’s all too easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things that you can do, especially if you have no idea what to do at a convention in the first place. So in this episode, we’re going to get you prepared for a furry convention, and even if you’ve been to one before, you still might pick up something that you didn’t know about conventions previously. And even though I haven’t personally been to one, (I was supposed to go to my first one in 2020 but we all know how that turned out), I’ve talked to friends who’ve been to a few and tried to compress all of that info into this episode. But I feel like this intro’s getting a little long so let’s get into it! Welcome to Furry, Explained and we’ll get started right… here.


A furry convention, or con for short, is a formal gathering for members of the furry fandom ran by members of the fandom. These conventions provide a place for fans of furry to do all sorts of things, like meet other members, buy and sell art and goods, go to different entertaining events, or just talk about furry-related topics. Conventions offer a wide range of programming that is usually led by volunteers and other creators in the furry fandom, with that programming being focused on different aspects of anthropomorphic arts and crafts, music, literature, and other creative entertainment. Most conventions also raise money for charity, with some of the larger cons raising over $10,000 for charities that are usually focused on animal rehabilitation or adoption centers. The idea for conventions started in the mid-1980s, when groups of people interested in furry held small parties at larger science fiction conventions, which is a sentence I feel like I’ve repeated in every other episode before this so I’m going to start phasing it out, you know where the fandom got started by now. That being said, as interest in the fandom grew, people started to coordinate their own gatherings outside of sci-fi conventions focused specifically on the furry topic. These so-called furmeets were small, local gatherings of some of the earliest members of the fandom, who met at an agreed-upon location on a regular basis, which, by the way, furmeets still happen in cities and towns around the world. These smaller gatherings became popular at around the same time as the aforementioned furry parties at scientific fiction conventions were become larger and larger, especially at conventions on the west coast of the United States, like BayCon and Westercon. Eventually, the idea of meeting other furries in a more organized fashion became popular enough to warrant... an experiment, an experiment of having members of the furry fandom organize, advertise, and host a convention for themselves. This led to the first, unofficial, furry convention, called ConFurence 0, held in 1989 in Costa Mesa, California in the United States, which, if you don’t know where that is, it’s a suburb south of Los Angeles, about a half an hour away from Disneyland. ConFurence 0 was the first serious attempt to create a convention centered solely around the interest of furry and, despite a relatively sparse attendance of only 65 people, it was enough to encourage another attempt at a more fully-fledged furry convention the next year. And it worked; attendance double to 130 for what is now considered the first, official furry convention, ConFurence 1, held in January of 1990. And everything really took off from there. Different conventions starting to pop up in cities around the United States, with ConFurence leading the way. In fact, Confurence’s peak was in 1998, which made Confurence 9 the then-most attended furry convention of the time with 1250 attendees. Now, unfortunately, nothing gold can stay, and the gold that was ConFurence itself no longer exists as a convention. Numbers dwindled down to as low as 470 attendees in the early 2000s due to a number of reasons, including things like a turnover in staff, changes in the venue, increased competition from other furry conventions, and a host of other issues. This eventually led to the official shutdown of ConFurence, with the last iteration of the con being held in 2003. Now we can, and probably will do an entire episode on ConFurence, as it has such a fascinating story that’s rich in history. But for now, the legacy of ConFurnece still lives on, as it really established the blueprint that other furry conventions still follow to this day, with things like an art show, masquerade, bringing in Guests of Honor, and a focus on fan-created content all still being the foundation for all furry conventions
And despite the fall of ConFurence as a convention, southern California and really California, in general, is still a prominent location for furry conventions. CaliFur became the spiritual successor to ConFurence starting in 2004, and while that convention also doesn’t exist anymore, Golden State Fur Con now serves as Southern California’s primary furry convention located in Los Angeles proper. And one of ConFurence's main competition in the north, Further Confusion, is still active today in San Jose, the largest city in Northern California. But obviously, conventions aren’t just held in the Golden State; there are now numerous furry conventions held all across the world at different times throughout the year. In fact, convention attendance as a whole doubled in the 2000s, and is still trending upwards, a sign that he fandom is still healthy and growing. Now obviously I’m speaking generally, technically this trend did stop in 2020 for obvious reasons but let’s continue to look at conventions in a more general context, just for the sake of the episode. Despite each convention being special in its own way, most follow a pretty standard order of doing things
Most conventions are held over a weekend, with events usually scheduled between Friday evening and Sunday afternoon. Not all conventions do this, however, in fact; some last as long as five days, but the weekend schedule is typically done to accommodate as many people as possible, mainly so people who work can limit the number of days they have to take off in order to attend. Plus, long-distance transportation tends to cost lower over weekends, and hotels, a popular host location for furcons, tend to have a lower amount of business people staying there over weekends, making it easier to secure space for the convention as well as limiting the amount of weird looks from people who may not be as interested in the idea of anthropomorphic animals. Conventions are usually staffed by volunteers, meaning funding for these events is heavily reliant on convention registration. Some large conventions are incorporated as non-profits and charities in and of themselves, with many requiring up to 100 volunteers, who are all thanked during the convention’s closing ceremony. When going to furry conventions, you can generally expect some form of accommodations. We already mentioned hotels, which is where a majority of conventions are held, but some of the larger conventions will make use of an entire convention center, housing the convention-goers in hotels surrounding the center. But not all conventions stick to hotels; some are actually designed to be escapes from the city, and provide caravans or cabins or just a space to pitch a tent for the night. During conventions, you really shouldn’t run out of things to do
There are all sorts of presentations, panels, workshops, meetups, and more, all centered around the topic of anthropomorphic animals. These include discussions on literature, fiction, art, science and technology, and even spirituality and how they all relate to furry. Conventions also have space for stand-up and other comedy routines, music from indie bands from within the community, and areas for games and other performing arts. Most of these events are centered around a unifying theme for the convention, something like space or the Wild West, that changes for each iteration of the con. One of the main features of almost every furry convention is the art show, a space where work is displayed and open for direct purchase or auction, and is accessible throughout the convention. This includes a space commonly known as the Dealer’s Den, where distributors of merchandise can sell their work, as well as another space called the Artists’ Alley, where artists are given space to sell their art to the public
If we don’t count the cost of attendance, this is actually where most of the money flows at conventions, where small and large purchases alike are completed throughout the time of the con. Conventions also hold different special events for the attendees, mainly centered around socializing and having fun. There’s usually dances and raves held for the attendees in the evening, allowing DJs from the fandom to perform sets for the convention goers. Sometimes there are two separate dances, one that is more fursuit-friendly with slower music, better lighting, and, most importantly, better airflow, and one that is more along the lines of your typical concert-style event. But if you’re not the dancing type, there are other large events that you can attend or participate in. Some conventions have masquerades or something that’s usually called the Furry Games, which feature feats of strength, dexterity, or other sports-related contests done entirely in fursuit. And, of course, there’s the famous fursuit parade, which is exactly what it sounds like, a parade showing off all the fursuits worn by attendees, that usually occurs around the convention space, or even outside on the sidewalks of the public streets. However with all that being said, one of, if not the most important aspects of conventions is their involvement with charities. Each convention usually has a featured charity that con-goers donate to in a variety of different ways
This usually includes a charity auction which helps raise several thousands of dollars for the conventions’ chosen charity. These charities are typically related to animal conservation in some way, and include donations to nature reserves, animal shelters, and sanctuaries, or animal rescue, groups. Although, now some conventions are starting to trend toward more human-related causes, such as LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups. As you might have gathered, conventions are dense, action-packed, and are considered the culmination of what the furry fandom is all about. And again, I haven’t been to one, but they sound like a whole lot of fun
But you know what they also sound like? Overwhelming. Especially the larger ones. Without a solid game plan, I can easily see how a convention can be extremely stressful to the point where you’d never want to go to one again or attend one in the first place. So let’s take a quick break and when we come back, we’ll go over some general steps on how to maximize your enjoyment at a furry convention. We'll be right back.


Alright, we're back. Okay so we now know why furry conventions are considered one of the more fun things you can participate in as a furry. That being said for some it’s more than just a weekend getaway; for many artists and other dealers, conventions are actually where they make the majority of their yearly income. But for most attendees, furry conventions are the main place to meet with old friends, make new ones, and just surround themselves with other members of the fandom. They sound great but, going to a furry convention without a proper game plan can make them extremely overwhelming, and can even tarnish your view of the furry fandom as a whole. So let's go over some steps you can take in order to enjoy yourself at a furry convention. And that all starts with picking a convention to go to. Now I know it’s 2021 when this is being recorded and we are still feeling the effects of the whole virus situation going on around the world so let me actually make this clear: you should not be looking to go to any convention of any kind for at least the next few months. Trust me they’ll be back, it’s only a matter of time, but we have to be patient in the meantime. In fact, use this time hanging out at home to come up with your game plan for the next convention you want to go to, so when cons do come back and you’re comfortable enough to go to one, you’ll be more than prepared to enjoy yourself. But with that being said, let’s get back to choosing which con to go to. There are over 40 active furry conventions that happen every year spanning across the world, with a majority of them being in North America and Europe. These conventions range in size as well, from smaller conventions with a few hundred people to the larger ones, like MidWest FurFest, the largest furry convention in the world with over 11,000 attendees in 2019. If it’s your first ever convention, I actually suggest starting with something smaller and more local to you, so you can ease yourself into the convention experience. This will allow you to get a feel for what a furry convention entails, and it’ll be a little easier to get to if it’s closer to where you live. Also real quick before I forget, a quick note for minors or those under 18. A lot of conventions will allow minors to attend, but usually only with a signed permission slip from your legal parent or guardian, or have them accompany you to the convention itself
Not all conventions are like this though, some like Eurofrence don’t allow minors at all, so make sure you do your research and follow what the rules state on minors. Seriously, don’t try to get around them; they’re there for your own safety. Anyway once you’ve got a convention in mind, try to get a buddy or a small group together to go with you. This is helpful for a few reasons, with the primary reason being that it’s always nice to have someone experience a convention with you, as they can be a bit daunting to navigate alone. Don’t get me wrong, it’s entirely possible to go solo, but the experience of something as large as a furry convention that happens over a couple of days is almost always better shared with a friend or group of friends. In fact, they don’t even have to be a furry to go with you; if they have an open mind about one of your hobbies or just curious about something you’re in to, it can be a fun getaway trip for the both of you, and if you think about it, it gives you a chance to show what people are really missing out on. But that’s not the only reason you should go with a friend or two; you can save a decent amount of money rooming together at the con, and splitting the cost is usually well worth the more cramped space in the hotel room that you honestly won’t be in for long other than sleeping. Also, and I know its sounds cliché, but strength in numbers is a real thing, and as with any large gathering of people, it’s important to stay safe and keep track of one another while participating in the many activities that the convention provides. Now there are some places online that will try to match you with roommates at conventions, but personally, I would avoid those entirely, just from a safety standpoint. They might be perfectly fine, but I personally don’t think it’s worth the risk with rooming with a stranger and you’re better off either going alone or waiting until you can go with a group of people that you can trust, especially for your first convention. But once you got your group together, or decide that you’ll ride it solo, set a budget for yourself for that particular convention. The cost to attend a convention typically hovers around $60, but I guarantee that is far from the only money that you will be spending during your time at a convention. First off most conventions have tiers of registration, including a sponsor level that is usually around $100-$120
These are cool because they usually net you some free swag and, more importantly, faster badge pick-up once you arrive at the con. But before you even get there, the first cost you should be considering is transportation. If you are going to a convention that is not relatively close to you, factoring in the cost of your transportation is important, since that can end up costing as much if not more than attending the convention itself. Make sure you’ve budgeted for that, as well as the accommodations that will be provided while you’re at the convention
Some conventions will offer multiple hotels to choose from, while others will have a lottery system that decides where you will be placed, so ensuring you have the budget for any of the options that you are presented with is extremely important. Once you’re at the convention, there’s a number of expenses that you might not realize initially but will surely pop up, including food, transportation around the city, and other miscellaneous expenses. Also, you may want to buy some things from the dealer’s den, but without a solid budget, it is all too easy to get carried away with your spending. Give yourself some strict limits, but be generous with yourself, you’ll for sure find that balance of enjoying yourself without going broke
Once that’s all figured out, make sure to set up a schedule so you can fit in all the things you want to attend over the course of the convention. It is virtually impossible to attend every single panel, presentation, workshop, dance, what have you at a convention, especially with many events overlapping each other. That being said, most conventions will provide a schedule that you can usually find on the convention’s website a few weeks before the event starts. Some will even provide different tracks you can follow that are based on a certain theme, like an artist track or a fursuiting track. Take a look at that and make a list of the things that you absolutely want to go to, but make sure you have some flexibility for things that may not be listed on the schedule. A lot of events happen “off the grid”, and aren’t explicitly in the official con’s schedule. These include things that happen in the city that the convention is hosted in and might include things like bowling, visiting malls, or going out to eat at a nice restaurant. Set up a schedule that works for you and/or your group, but allow some flex time in case you end up meeting someone or do something that you didn’t originally plan
Once you have your gameplan ready, you’re good to go! Make sure you pack all the things you’ll need for travel, including an extra set of clothes and all the proper things to keep yourself clean and healthy. And I don’t say that lightly; you’d be surprised how many stories people have of encountering people with a lack of basic hygiene at conventions
Don’t be that person, in fact, go overboard if you have to, have people make comments on how good you smell, not how bad. Oh and don’t feel bad if you don’t have a fursuit to wear while you're at the con. We talked about this in the last episode, but remember only about 15% of the furry population owns a fursuit, so even if you end up seeing a lot of them, don’t feel bad if you can’t show up with one, it’s not that big of a deal and you’ll be in the majority
And even if all you have is a tail or some ears, wear those proudly! You’re going to a convention full of people who like anthropomorphic animals after all! Other than that, enjoy yourself, but be safe and smart. We’re probably going to do an episode about etiquette and how to treat other furries, especially fursuiters, properly, but it’s not that complicated, just be respectful. Always ask before hugging or touching anyone in or out of suit, be mindful of your language around certain audiences, and just treat people the same way you would want them to treat you. It’s really that simple. But other than that, have some fun! Go to some panels, learn something new at a presentation, dance the night away at a rave, meet some new friends or catch up with old ones. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy your time at what is considered the marquee event for members of the furry fandom: the furry convention.


Alright that’s it for this episode of Furry, Explained! Thank you so much for tuning in and listening, I really hoped you enjoyed and maybe learned something new today. As always if you want to continue the conversation about conventions, or have any other feedback for the show, you can find me on Twitter! I’m @FinnThePanther, and a link to my Twitter is down in the show description with all the other references I used when researching this episode. If you like the show and want to support it, the best way you can do that is to subscribe where you get your podcasts! If you’re on iTunes or Apple Podcasts, make sure to give the show a rating and review as well! You can also tell people about the show and I’d really appreciate it if you do. We’ll be back next week for another episode of Furry, Explained but until then, stay wild out there. Peace.