General Discussion

Out of curiousity...

MacroKaiju — Sat, 10 May 2008 13:07:19 -0700

Do you think furs would still make the pilgrimage to AC or any other furry convention if say Mel Gibson's classic Mad Max like future came to be? Ya it might be rough to ride to Pittsburgh on horseback or in modified dune buggies and we might not quite see 3000 furs but would you still come? I'd sure as hell try. And not them I'm saying what next year's theme should be... but just because there's no gas doesn't mean furrys will go extinct... right?

Some special events for Thursday night

Unclekage — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:59:45 -0700

For those arriving early, Anthrocon is very pleased to announce performances by two outstanding musical performers: Mr. Tom Smith and Mr. Alexander Adams will be sharing their musical talents with us on Thursday evening, June 26 (and if we ask them nicely, perhaps at other times during the convention)! You can click here for more information.

Want to be a Stage Ninja? Volunteer for the A/V department!

SimbaLion — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:13:19 -0700

Anthrocon needs volunteers! Specifically the Audio Video department is looking for 1 or 2 dedicated individuals who would like to lend a hand in the operation of the largest Anthropomorphics convention in the world!

The Audio and Video department spends most of its time working in the Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom, overseeing the events there and operating all of our lighting and sound equipment. We also handle A/V needs in panel rooms. No experience is necessary! The most important skill you can bring to this position is dedication!

If you think this sounds interesting to you, send me an email! My address is smblion at anthrocon dot org and I'm happy to answer any questions you have about this!

Names on pre-registration Checks

RaionNoAsahi — Sun, 04 May 2008 12:46:36 -0700

I'm getting ready to send my pre-registration form, and I was planning to send a check. The thing is, the check has my mum's name on it, not mine. I was wondering if that would be a problem, since we don't have the same last name either.

Thanks to anyone who has answers.

Fursuit Floor

Sharky — Sat, 03 May 2008 18:47:58 -0700

When is the Fur Suit floor going to be made open for registrations?

Sharky

Spots to go to , spots to avoid?

mapdark — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:33:34 -0700

but I thought it could be a good idea to start a post about places

you might wanna check out in the city.

but also the con-goers MIGHT want to avoid , either because they would

waste their time , or because it is actually unsafe.

----------------------

My two listings:

PROS :
-Go across the river from the Convention center , there are shops , entertainment and
there is also this old-style funicular that gives you a magnificient view of Pittsburgh.

-CONS:
The Mcdonald's in front of the subway station ..
It might have been that we were very unlucky .. but while we were there , there has been a fight between a hobbo and some random lady , a junkie passing out and other weird stuff..

Anthrocon 2008 Masquerade Information (5/08)

Rigel — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:18:52 -0700

Anthrocon 2008 is coming! If you are a costumer or visual artist and would like to participate in the Masquerade, here is what you should do:

1. Review the latest draft of the Anthrocon 2008 Masquerade FAQ and rules in the Events>Masquerade [FAQ]>Masquerade Rules section.
2. Contact me at to confirm your participation.

If you have any questions about the Anthrocon 2008 Masquerade, you can also send them to for a prompt reply.

Hope to hear from you!

Anthrocon 2008 Charity Auction Information (5/08)

Rigel — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:17:39 -0700

Anthrocon 2008 is coming! Anthrocon's selected charity this year is Pittsburgh Parrot Rescue (http://www.pittsburghparrotrescue.org). If you would like to donate art or merchandise to the Anthrocon Charity Auction, please follow the steps below:

1. Review the latest Anthrocon 2008 Charity Auction FAQ and rules in the Events>Charity Auction [FAQ]>Auction Rules section.
2. Contact me at to confirm your participation.

If you have any questions about the Anthrocon 2008 Charity Auction, you can also send them to for a prompt reply.

Hope to hear from you!

Art Show reservation deadline has passed, now what?

PeterCat — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:51:25 -0700

The deadline for Art Show reservations has passed, but artists who are still interested can still send in a late reservation. You can download the info packet with the display rules and a space reservation from the Art Show page, http://www.anthrocon.org/artshow .

Your request will be held as "pending" and you'll have to wait and see if any space remains or becomes available once all the in-time reservations have been accommodated.

Weight-Loss Challenge Update - So should we bring wine for Kage?

Recherei — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:26:34 -0700

Next week will mark ten months since the Weight Loss Challenge was issued.

http://www.anthrocon.org/node/1359

Tango are you there?

fox or kitsune

theonethatbites — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:05:04 -0700

what do you prefer, fox or kitsune?

Wine tasting room party.

ArtSlave — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:33:00 -0700

Just as it sounds, Saturday night-probobly around 830pm.
Rules are: 18+, valid ID only, if you want to attend, please bring a bottle of your favourite(UNOPENED BOTTLES ONLY. Sorry, past conventions have taught us a thing or two about tainted drinks ). Please bring your own glasses, as we only have a few. Overly imbibing not suggested, as we're not providing floorspace on which to crash :3 If you drink too much and get rowdy, or start to nod off, we will request you return to your room(And provide an escort, in all liklihood).

There'll be some posters up for it as to which room its' in.

If anyone is interested in this, please leave a post so I can count heads and gauge possible interest :3 So far I shall be bringing the following from my favourite vineyard-

+May wine: A surprisingly light and sweet, easily drinkable dessert white.
+Ravenscrest: Rich, bold and swee, dessert red.
+Steeplechase: Velvety smooth, heavy oaks- heavy bodied red.

Reminder: Conbook/Advertising Deadline Approaching Fast!

Xydexx — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:42:06 -0700

Hi all!

Just a quick reminder that the deadline for conbook and advertising submissions is rapidly approaching—less than two weeks away!

If you have artwork or stories you'd like to submit to the conbook, or if you have a Dealer's table and want some extra visibility for your products, we need to hear from you no later than April 30, 2008. See the links below for complete information on both.

Conbook Submissions:
http://www.anthrocon.org/conbook

Advertising Information:
http://www.anthrocon.org/advertising

Looking forward to seeing everyone at Anthrocon 2008! -:)

The cheapest route between A to B

Kittynoy — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:48:07 -0700

So I've been pretty much banging my head against the wall for the past few days, trying to find the cheapest route between London and Pittsburgh.

Oh, how I wish I was hardcore.
Put all of my stuff on a self storage place (or sell everything, buy a laptop, give someone all of the documents and things I can't carry with me and take everything else in a bag) and hitchhike my way to Pittsburgh over the course of 2 months, pretty much on a budget of 0.
And maybe I would some day, but not right now.

I have my hotel reserved from the 25 of June to the 30 of June.
My actual vacation dates are not set in stone.

I came up with 3 travel options so far:

1. The Lazy Man Trip
A flight from London to some US state, a layover of 2 hours or more and a connection flight to Pittsburgh airport landing on the 25th.
Cons:
Time well spent: Earliest flight landing at 17:00, so I'm losing most of my first day (last day is alright, since I can take a late flight).

Buca DeBeppo Dinner

Joatmon — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:51:49 -0700

Hi, gang. Got my registration, got my train tickets, and got my room reserved. So let's start talking about the annual Buca DeBeppo dinner. Last year was great and we had about 13 people come along. I figure we should do the same day and time. If I remember right, we went on saturday about 5:30 pm. If the schedule demons don't mess with us, that would be the best time for it. For the newbies out there, the Buca DeBeppo is an Italian Family style restaurant. We get together in the lobby and walk down to the place. We try to get a head count beforehand so we can reserve a room or a couple of tables. If your interested, give a shout out. Bye!

ugh, gas prices near you

firehopper — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:58:45 -0700

I'm kinda curious on how bad gas prices are for furs.. esp around pitsburg

around me, depending on what gas station you hit.. they are in the $3.59-3.75 range as of last night.

how about where you are?

Gold's Gym

creature — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:07:52 -0700

This topic came up last year for a couple of us, and it appears to have been answered finally.

Gold's Gym #1060
100 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

http://www.goldsgym.com/gyms/index.php?gymID=1060

According to Google Maps, the gym is .6 miles away, so within easy walking distance.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=1000+Penn+Avenue+Pittsburgh,+PA+15222&daddr=100+Forbes+Ave+Pittsburgh,+PA+15222&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=51.974572,82.265625&ie=UTF8&ll=40.442669,-79.999502&spn=0.006157,0.010042&z=17

Rooms available at all hotels

Unclekage — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:15:24 -0700

Remember, the 25th is the last day to cancel a Westin reservation without penalty! We have seen several already, and as those people cancel, rooms are coming available. Before you give in to dispair because you did not get a room, try calling the hotels directly and find out if anything has become available. Remember too that the Westin has a waiting list going.

Travelling with checked bags - update

K.P. — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:22:20 -0700

As an update, the airline industry is continuing to make changes regarding checked bags, oversized carry-ons, and weight restrictions. As of May 5, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Air will al be imposing a $25 fee for a second checked bag naot exceeding 50 pounds. This fee will be each way (it doesn't cover the round trip flight.) Airtran will be adding a $10 fee for second checked bags after May 15. Spirit has a $10 fee if paid online or a $20 fee if paid at the airport. Business class tickets, first-class tickets, or frequent flyers that have achieved upper tiers with their airlines will be exempt. (Lower tier frequent flyers are not exempt.)

For those attempting to check more than 2 bags, some airlines may be imposing fees of up to $100 per extra bag each way. There are also going to be extra fees for overweight or oversized bags (varies by airline).

The City of Pittsburgh asked Anthrocon to be hosted in Pittsburgh?

InsaneKangaroo — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:49:13 -0700

http://www.anthrocon.org/faq/pittsburgh

Just for my own curiosity, who from the City of Pittsburgh asked AnthroCon?

Thanks,
IK

What would you bring to Anthrocon if you could?

Recherei — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:06:51 -0700

Like so many other furs, I have overstocked on everything furry. I have puppets, props, sets, fursuits, plush and miscellaneous bric-a-brac. My car can only carry so much, (I myself, so much less). So the question is: What are you leaving at home that you wish you could bring?

what should i do?

bmp112 — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:46:42 -0700

i rilly rilly rilly want to go to AC but im afraid how my mom will recive my furry side what should i do?(sory if this is in the rong part of the forums)

Artists' Alley question.

MothballWombat — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:58:20 -0700

Hay!

This may be a dumb question, but my friend and I want to try and get space in the Artist's Alley this year. He's a traditional artist, but I personally make stuffed animals and crochet/knit other animal related items. Are those sorts of things okay to have in the Alley? :x I couldn't find anywhere that mentioned it on the site so I figured I should ask.

AMTRAK offers 10% off rail fares to Anthrocon!

Unclekage — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:10:44 -0700

It took a little while, but we got our fare code for Anthrocon. If you want to travel by train, call 1-800-872-7245 and mention fare code X80S-937. The discount can only be applied if you book by telephone, not online. If you already have your tickets, you can still call that number to get the fare adjusted. The offer is good for travel to and from Pittsburgh from June 23 through July 2 only. Check back to our Travel Page in a few days when we'll have the official letter that you can show to a ticket agent or travel agent if you want to book in person.

Statistics

Indagare — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:07:21 -0700

I know that Anthrocon has some statistics on how many people attended the con, where they were from, and how old they were but I was wondering if anyone knew if there were some way to figure out about how many furries there are in the world. I've tried the Internet Furry Proximity Locater but that doesn't seem to answer overall population (plus I know there are some furs living in South America and Mexico but the map mainly lights up North America).

Help?

Best fursuit accessories ?

Zorin Fox — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 14:56:27 -0700

So I've looked at a few websites for good accessories for my fursuit, ya know like...cool vests, cool collars etc... but I was just wondering where everybody else bought their stuff. I'm just preparing abd getting ready the stuff i'll need before my suit gets done in May.

Thx,
Zorin fox

Amtrak Discounts

FlashTimberwolf — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:16:59 -0700

Since I'm taking the train to Anthrocon this year, does anybody know if Amtrak is offering discounts? I check the travel page often under "Travel by Train" but it probably isn't updated.

Shipping items to the convention (Fursuiters and Dealers, take note)

Unclekage — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:17:30 -0700

The procedure (and fees) for shipping items to the convention have changed. If you are a dealer and wish to ship your wares to Anthrocon, please ship them directly to the Convention Center. If you are not a dealer but want to ship items (such as a fursuit) to Anthrocon, please ship them directly to the Westin Hotel. All dealer packages will be delivered straight to the dealer's table; others will be delivered to Anthrocon Operations office. A receipt and storage fee will apply to all shipments.

PNC park

Rick2tails — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:34:37 -0700

I saw this news item about the nearby baseball stadium.

For $35 in advance -- $40 on game day -- fans can purchase seats in Section 147, up in the right-field corner of PNC Park, where they can enjoy unlimited amounts of hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, popcorn, peanuts and soda pop.

You can even have a tossed salad and an ice cream sandwich.

If anyone was planning on attending a game around the convention.It would be something to keep in mind.We all know how expensive food is at sporting arenas or other events at stadiums.Also in case you`re wondering .The schedule is June 24-26 the N.Y.Yankees are in town and June 27-29 the Tampa Bay Rays are. Games are 7:05 pm everyday except Sunday when it`s at 1:35. I`ll probably attend a Yankee game before the convention myself.But would consider going to a Rays game if I know someone who wanted to go .

Airlines are starting to cancel flights: Check your flights before you fly

InsaneKangaroo — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:10:45 -0700

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/business/11aircnd.html?em&ex=1207972800&en=2e5b522343dcf9c0&ei=5087%0A

This is not just a single airline, all the major airlines have been performing audits because some of them decided it would be "okay" to miss inspection checks.

Even though the con is a bit aways, you never know when they'll bump a person who pays coach to allow someone of first class to fly in your place.

Or even if you are first class, best check anyway to give the airlines a good ear full of pain in case they start to cancel flights during the time of the con.

Below a quote from the article
A second wave of audits began on March 30, and will continue through June 30. Laura J. Brown, a spokeswoman for the agency, said it could not rule out further groundings. “We don’t know,” she said. “We find what we find.”