Fursuit Convention

[Kobuk]

I wasn't sure whether to put this in the Fursuiting forum or the Convention forum. If it's in the wrong place then could the staff move it? Thanks.

For those furs that have known me a long time on these forums, you know that my main furry interest is fursuits and fursuiting. Well, I just recently began thinking about something that was originally mentioned by Party Pony a long time ago. As furry conventions grow and get more attendance, the amount of fursuiters also grows. More and more people are making, buying, and wearing ears, tails, partial suits, and also full suits. If I remember correctly, Party Pony mentioned something to the effect where the fursuit and fursuiting aspect within the fandom could get so big and so popular that maybe there should be a seperate convention just for fursuiters. What do you think? There could be:
Construction panels and seminars.
Fursuit Masquerade and skits.
Fursuit parade.
Meet designers and creators.
Fursuit dance.
Fursuit games.
.....etc., etc.

In short, everything at the con would be fursuit related. Granted, I know that all this stuff already exists at current fur cons, but if this aspect grows any more bigger or if some current cons don't have enough space to have all the events they want to, then maybe the fursuit aspect can branch out and start it's own convention? Anyone have any thoughts?

[Far_Raptor]

Sure!  I think it's a great idea!  I'd go.  '>  Da' raptor loves the fursuits.

~FaR~

[Kobuk]

Quote

Sure!  I think it's a great idea!  I'd go.  '>  Da' raptor loves the fursuits. ~FaR~

Ok, great! When should we organise the first con?  '>  (j/k)  '>

[Kattywampus]

Pawpets Megaplex is *almost* like that.  It's geared toward performance, and that's aimed especially to puppeteers and fursuiters.  They referred to it a lot as a "Mascot and puppetry" convention.

[Laini]

Personally I don't like the idea. It might be something that works better in places like the US where there are a lot of conventions but over here there really only is Eurofurence for the whole of Europe.
That's one con a year that furs have to travel to Germany to attend, if they made it just for fursuiters then where would everyone else go?

There is a meet taking place in Glasgow at the end of the month and I was really pysched to go but the organisers went all elitist on me and most others who were interested in going because we don't have suits or even tails.
It's simply not practical here and I don't like the idea that the furry community would have no problem allowing one group of furs to attend something whilst excluding another.

But as I said, it might work in the US.

[Ishmael]

I agree - it would be a real shame to have fursuiters etc segregated in their own little con - part of the joy of cons is surely seeing the diversity of costumes both big and small as well as those of us who either can't afford a suit or it's just too impractical to wear.

[Nikko]

'>  I don't mind the idea... but I don't think the fandom has evolved to that point yet either. I don't think you could throw a full con just based off that alone yet. Soon but not yet. There are too many artists that really make the cons go. Ultimately you would have to have alot of sales too... not to mention someone who keeps a surpluse of things like fursuits for sale. Most people I know only make on request so what are you going to have sold at these kinda cons. That's a big reason why I would go right there is to buy something. Also when you have a con the logistics of makeing it work is a massive undertakeing for anyone... It's definately something special if you can make it work though... I'll attend if you throw it in SOCAL.

 ----=Nikko=----

[Heat]

If partial fursuit's a go (probably will be), then I'd go

[Far_Raptor]

Jeez guys!  Here I go and get all excited, reserve a hotel and start calling furs to do some panel discussions...and you all shoot down the idea.  

*shrugs*  Ah well.  Everyone was going to get a free fursuit (of their choice) as part of the perks of attending, but so much for that.  Too bad!  

'>

~FaR~

[Party Pony]

I think Kobuk's idea is solid.  Yes, it would not be a high attendance con - at least in the beginning.  Yes, it would not have as many dealers tables - at least in the beginning.  But I think an event focusing on fun stuff for suits and performers would be swell.  Look at *mind goes blank* the Canadian con that is mostly an outdoor event.  My wife went to the first one and had a great time.  Mostly panels and activities.  If the only thing that makes a furcon a true con is a bunch of artists then the fandom is limited... and mostly limited to yiff.

I toyed with such an idea for years.  In fact, around 4 years ago I proposed "fursuit frenzy" as an event.  I got similarly neg response, mostly from suiters who feared it would diminish suits at "real" cons, as one put it.  So I dropped the idea.  (Earlier I came up an idea for a fursuit variety show.  But suiters griped it would take away from the costume contest/presentation.  heh )

My idea was NOT to have it at a standard hotel, but at a location where the suits would have lots of outside events.  I actually thought up in the mountains of Los Angeles, like Lake Arrowhead where the temps are cooler and the suits could wander all day at the outdoor mall, ride the carousel, play mini golf, dance, etc and have panels at the resort hotel.  Again, this was not meant to be another money/sales driven event.  Rather it was meant as a playground/seminar/party con.  

Anyway...
Kobuk, Far-Raptor, keep the talk coming!
After all, I can recall when some renegades thought of having a furcon and all I heard from furs was "it won't be as big as San Diego" or "it won't be as well attended as Baycon".  And it was true.  The first ConFurence (number zero) wasn't very big.  But if it hadn't been for that first step, you wouldn't have Anthrocon, Further Confusion and all the rest.
 

[Nikko]

'>

Quote

My idea was NOT to have it at a standard hotel, but at a location where the suits would have lots of outside events.  I actually thought up in the mountains of Los Angeles, like Lake Arrowhead where the temps are cooler and the suits could wander all day at the outdoor mall, ride the carousel, play mini golf, dance, etc and have panels at the resort hotel.  Again, this was not meant to be another money/sales driven event.  Rather it was meant as a playground/seminar/part

 Now this would be awsome... because this wouldn't be at all like a normal con and actualy would rock.... If you organize it I will come..

 ----=Nikko=----

[Kobuk]

Even if a con like this were to happen in the future, I hope somebody plans it in the Midwest. IMO, there's already enough cons on the East and West coasts. I need something closer that I can go to.  '>

[Kattywampus]

Morphicon is in Columbus, OH...

We had over 100 attendees our first con!

But yeah..A fursuit con would be teh bomb.  Call it MasCon or something.  Of course, you wouldn't be all elitist and say something like, YOU MUST have a fursuit to attend, but aim it at fursuiters and those who love fursuits.

[Simo]

Quote

Party Pony mentioned something to the effect where the fursuit and fursuiting aspect within the fandom could get so big and so popular that maybe there should be a seperate convention just for fursuiters. What do you think?

There already is: PAFCON.   '>

[Shadow-Da-Wolf]

well me i dont reallt think that is right... i think that would be a descrimination of furs that cant afford to get suits...

[Party Pony]

Quote (wolf_shadow @ Oct. 07 2005, 5:37 pm)

i think that would be a descrimination of furs that cant afford to get suits...

I don't think the con/event would exclude those without suits anymore than any furcon excludes folks who aren't 100% furs or such.  It would just be an event in which the focus is on suits.  Right now, most of the cons tend to focus on the arts with dealers selling art, artist guests, artist panels, and such.  

The San Diego Comic Con has stuff on animation, movies and sci-fi along with comics.  Yet there are cons that focus just on movies or sci-fi that still allow comic collectors to come.

[Far_Raptor]

Exclusive?  Who ever said *anything* about it being exclusive?

Nah...everyone's invited to this party!  I think it would be just as Party Pony described: an emphasis on fursuits, but a convention anyone can attend.  Heck, *this* raptor has never made a fursuit, nor do I envision myself making one in the near or distant future.  But I'd still support it!

Maybe there are other cons that do this sort of thing already, I really have no idea.  I'm still new to the furry scene, especially when compared to someone like Party Pony.  But if Party thinks there's a need for one, well, I differ my judgement to his far greater experience in the matter.

I like the outdoors idea.  A nice cool place to make it easy on the suiters...Good times.  

'>

~FaR~