The first AC: What was it like?

I dug out my Con book to aid my memories: Panels included--
What Makes a Story Fascinating, Do Humans and Furries Mix?, A History
of the Furry Fandom; Steve Plunkett's Puppet Show and Sing Along,
Kage Story Hour (in the Hospitality Suite), etc. The usual dealer's
room, auctions, art show, video room, etc. I don't know if there
was a Masquerade, but there was "All Night Singing And Filking"
(yes, this year's Con was not the first to feature filk).

The Net room and pool were smaller than what you'd expect...

Picture of the hotel:
http://media.wwte.com/hotels/1000000/430000/424500/424407/424407_1_b.jpg

Further notes, from my "Anthrocon Experiences" page:
ALBANY ANTHROCON 1997

OK, I saw the flyer for it in a Mailbox Books catalog; didn't decide to go until the last minute and wound up staying not in the Con hotel but in a motel a couple of miles away. This was my first Con and I barely knew anything about furry fandom. I wasn't even online yet! (Had bought some furry comix, though...)

Hmm. Some guy in a tiger fursuit crossing State Street. A dealer's room, and some small rooms where panels were held. At the first panel I went to (on writing), I somehow mentioned "the Incredible Shrinking Man". When the panel ended, a man in a white labcoat told me he was also interested in "giant/tiny" and he gave me some URLs on the Net (again, I hadn't even touched a computer at this point) to check out. Little did I know that this man was the famed Uncle Kage, who later became Con chair and is perhaps the funniest storyteller in the world.

It was a pretty good time, and I have been to every Anthrocon ever since. They get better--and bigger--every year.

Well, thank you Anthrocoon for sharing that with us/me/ ect.. It was enjoyable to read.

I wonder where all the activity of the forum went. YES i do know that people have lives and all, but the forum use to be very active (comparied to this at least).