Anthrocon's Headless ZONES

June 7, 2012, 9:49 pm

≫ Next: Return of the Anthrocon Operations Hotline

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Hi all,

 

With the convention a little more than a week away (YIPE YIPE YIPE!) I want to set some ground rules about the headless zones.  That right, these are the headless ZONES.  They are in room 301-302 in the Convention Center, and in the Washington room in the Westin.  

 

Rule 1:  These are not lounge areas.  These are areas for suiters ONLY to cool and rehydrate.  I'm sorry, but handlers are not permitted in the headless zones.  If you need assistance in removing a suit, the handler may come in and help you remove the head or hands, or undo the zipper, but MUST EXIT IMMEDIATELY afterward.  They can wait outside to be called in if they are needed to help you redress.  This is necessary due to the sheer number of fursuiters that will be in attendance this year.  With a projected number in excess of 900 suiters, the headless zones simply cannot accommodate handlers.  Suiters needing to enter the headless zones always have priority over someone's handler.  ALWAYS.  This can be a health issue.  Please be aware of this situation and do not argue with those who may be monitoring the zones if they ask a handler to leave.  

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Return of the Anthrocon Operations Hotline

June 8, 2012, 8:35 am

≫ Next: Anthrocon 2012 Mobile Website

≪ Previous: Anthrocon's Headless ZONES

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Hello everybody!

Once again, we will be running the Anthrocon Operations Hotline at the convention.

We have a phone number which will be manned from Noon on Wednesday the day before the convetion through the morning of Monday after the convention. The phone number:

832-FUR-OPS-1

Feel free to use this number as a point of contact if you need to speak to someone in Con Ops or Security (they share the same physical office).

What sorts of things would you call ConOps for? More info can be found on our Con Ops page.

Anthrocon 2012 Mobile Website

June 11, 2012, 7:31 am

≫ Next: On our way to Pittsburgh!

≪ Previous: Return of the Anthrocon Operations Hotline

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Our mobile website for Anthrocon 2012 is now up and running! The URL is:

http://m.anthrocon.org/

Special thanks to the MyConbook project for making this happen!

"Why didn't you build a mobile app again this year?"

Last year's mobile apps weren't official convention products, but written by volunteers. Rather than burden them again with the same task this year, we felt that a mobile website, which can be used by anyone with a mobile device (be it an iPhone, Android, iPad, tablet, laptop, etc.) that can browse the web. This makes the content available to a wider audience of convention goers. Any updates that need to be made during the convention are also much easier to make, since deploying a new application is not required.

Just a few days left until the convention. We'll see you this weekend at Anthrocon 2012!

On our way to Pittsburgh!

June 11, 2012, 10:19 pm

≫ Next: Anthrocon 2012 Charity Event Followup

≪ Previous: Anthrocon 2012 Mobile Website

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Greetings! It's almost time for Anthrocon 2012 and many of us (including the convention staff) are either on our way to Pittsburgh, or will be heading there soon.

If you need to reach someone from the convention, sending us emails may result in a delay before we reply, so stopping by the Convention Operations office in the Crawford Room of the Westin or Room 309 in the Convention Center is recommended.

Here are some useful links:

• Driving directions and parking information
• Check out our schedule. It is also available at sched.org and our mobile website
• Be sure to follow us on Twitter:@Anthrocon, @AnthroconDances, @Anthrocon_Alley, @AnthroconReg, @AnthroconDining, and @AC_Dealers_Room
• ...or check in on FourSquare!
• Have photos to share? Please do so in our Flickr photo pool
• Leave us feedback in our post-con survey or our post-2012 forums

We'll see you in Pittsburgh.

-- The Anthrocon Staff and Board of Directors

Anthrocon 2012 Charity Event Followup

June 19, 2012, 7:01 pm

≫ Next: Anthrocon 2012 Fursuit Parade Group Shot

≪ Previous: On our way to Pittsburgh!

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Hi, and welcome to the 2012 edition of the Anthrocon Charity Events Followup!

Anthrocon raised a new record total of $20,656 for Hello Bully, our supported charity this year. Thanks very much to Nicole Meloy and all the volunteers from Hello Bully who came out to participate!

More special thanks are in order to the following groups and individuals:

* To all the donors who contributed artwork and merchandise to the auction and raffle, and to all those who both bid at the auction and bought raffle tickets.

* To the Dorsai Irregulars, Anthrocon's security contingent, who contributed more of their sought-after fursuit items, the Elevator Golden Ticket for 2013, and raised additional funds at the elevators.

* To Dr. Samuel Conway and 2, the Ranting Gryphon, for their charity performance for which all ticket sales were donated to charity.  Also, again to Dr. Conway for his annual auctioneering skills.

* To all the fursuiters and their handlers who helped us inaugurate our own version of the fursuit "bucket brigade," and to the other furry conventions who gave us the idea to build off of - we've got new ideas on how to streamline it, improve it, and make it more fun to participate in for 2013!

* To the Westin, Omni, and DoubleTree who each generously offered up a four-night stay during Anthrocon 2013.

* To all the attendees who bought merchandise and made cash donations to Hello Bully's donations jar at their table, which is always a large percentage of the total funds raised.

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Anthrocon 2012 Fursuit Parade Group Shot

June 19, 2012, 8:27 pm

≫ Next: Anthrocon 2012 Recap!

≪ Previous: Anthrocon 2012 Charity Event Followup

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It's here, the Fursuit Parade group photo shot:

With 1,044 fursuiters in our parade, and assuming a cost of $1,000 per fursuit, this is the world's first $1 Million Dollar fursuit photograph!

A link to a the full version of that photo (3000 pixels wide, 1 Megabyte in size) can be found here.

Want an even bigger version of that photo? How about 15,000 pixels wide, and 7.9 MB in size? Here you go! (may cause issues in some browsers)

Photography courtesy of Warphammer.

Anthrocon 2012 Recap!

June 19, 2012, 8:49 pm

≫ Next: Westin corporate feedback surveys. Be nice, now!

≪ Previous: Anthrocon 2012 Fursuit Parade Group Shot

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Once again, we had a record-breaking year in Pittsburgh! Many many thanks to our hard working staff, our Guests of Honor Mike Kazaleh and Dev Madan, The Toonseum, our hotels, The DLCC, and The City of Pittsburgh for helping make this year's Anthrocon a huge success! We couldn't have done it without your help.

Here are some of our numbers:

• Attendance: 5,179 attendees
• Number of fursuits in the Fursuit Parade: 1,044
• Money raised for Hello Bully: $20,656
• Number of artists in Artists' Alley: 212

As usual, we had our share of of outside media coverage [1] [2] [3]

If you know of additional reports about us, please let us know in the comments!

Westin corporate feedback surveys. Be nice, now!

June 22, 2012, 10:20 am

≫ Next: Did you lose something at Anthrocon? We may have found it!

≪ Previous: Anthrocon 2012 Recap!

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Many folks have begun filling in the surveys sent out by Starwood Groups to find out how the Westin did.  The overwhelming comment that they seem to be getting is "your elevators suck!"

Folks, there's nothing wrong with the elevators.  They simply were not designed for a Furry convention!  Our good folks at the Westin have noticed that this tends to be the only comment people are leaving.  Elevators aside, please find something nice to say.  I think that the Westin did an outstanding job overall, and let us give credit where credit is due.  We don't want Starwood to think that all of us were displeased with our flagship hotel, because I know full well that's not the case!

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Did you lose something at Anthrocon? We may have found it!

July 1, 2012, 7:50 am

≫ Next: Anthrocon 2012 T-shirts are once again available!

≪ Previous: Westin corporate feedback surveys. Be nice, now!

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Did you get home, only to find that your favorite stuffed elephant didn't make it into your luggage? 

Our lost and found box is crammed full of treasured items.  It's been two weeks now since the convention and there's still a lot of things that have not been claimed.  I'm attaching a picture of some of those items.  It's not comprehensive, so if you are missing something and do not see it in this collection, inquire anyway.  Someone else may have found it and is waiting to hear from you.

TO CLAIM AN ITEM:

Send an email to ceo(at)anthrocon.org with LOST AND FOUND very prominently in the subject line.  Include a description of the item, and the (real) name and address to which it should be sent.  Please do not use a pseudonym; the Post Office may not recognize it at your address and may simply return the item to us.  Do not worry about postage; Anthrocon considers the return of lost property to be another service that we offer to our members.

Note that badges will be sent back flat.  We will not be able to include badge clips or holders with them.

You can click on the image below for a larger version.

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Anthrocon 2012 T-shirts are once again available!

August 17, 2012, 5:12 pm

≫ Next: The 2013 Website is Live!

≪ Previous: Did you lose something at Anthrocon? We may have found it!

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We have a *very* limited stock of Anthrocon 2012 T-shirts available in our online con store!  Just click here to order yours.  Once these are gone there will be no more made.  All sizes from small through 5X-large are available (while supplies last).

The 2013 Website is Live!

September 30, 2012, 12:57 pm

≫ Next: Anthrocon registration to open soon (Dealers, take note)!

≪ Previous: Anthrocon 2012 T-shirts are once again available!

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Lucario the Husky and others lining up for the AC 2012 fursuit parade.

Hey everyone,

I just made the theme for our 2013 website (theme: "The Fast and The Furrious") live. If you run into any issues or notice any UI elements that don't look right, please leave a comment on this thread.

Thanks,

-- Giza

[Ninja Edit: Don't give me credit for the design, please! I only implemented it. Credit for the design should go to Cuprohastes.

Anthrocon registration to open soon (Dealers, take note)!

October 11, 2012, 3:44 pm

≫ Next: Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines..!

≪ Previous: The 2013 Website is Live!

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We are putting our 2013 registration system through its final paces and are hoping to begin taking registrations for this year's convention starting next week (Week of October 15). You can visit our registration page now to see what this year's prices will be and to get an idea of some of the benefits we have added for our precious sponsors and supersponsors. Also new for this year: dealers will register using the standard online registration system, and then will be directed to a new page to reserve their dealer tables. It's all part of our ongoing efforts to streamline the registration process. More information can be found at our Dealer Info Page.

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines..!

October 15, 2012, 9:46 am

≫ Next: BIG CHANGE to Artists' Alley for 2013: Commission to be charged

≪ Previous: Anthrocon registration to open soon (Dealers, take note)!

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...PRE-REGISTRATION FOR ANTHROCON 2013 IS NOW OPEN!

You can visit our Registration Page now to purchase your membership to the largest Furry convention in the world! Note that we are handling dealer registrations a little differently this time around: dealers will register using the standard online registration system, and then will be directed to a new page to reserve their dealer tables. It's all part of our ongoing efforts to streamline the registration process. More information can be found at our Dealer Info Page.

BIG CHANGE to Artists' Alley for 2013: Commission to be charged

October 16, 2012, 6:55 am

≫ Next: Charity Suggestions - 2013 Edition

≪ Previous: Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines..!

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For years, Anthrocon has covered the bills for processing customer payments on behalf of the artists in the Alley.  We pay for registers, power for the registers, supplies, credit card processing fees, chairs, tables, labor and a host of other direct and indirect costs.

Those costs have been steadily rising, and as much as we have been trying to forestall it, the time has come for Artists' Alley to start covering its own costs, just as the Dealer Room and Art Show departments have been.  Beginning this year (2013), Artists' Alley will collect a modest 5% commission on sales from the Artists.  The amount to be paid will be deducted from money owed to the Artist at payout each day, rounded up to the nearest dollar amount.  There is no minimum or maximum for this fee.  Artists who expect to make over $800 in a weekend will be paying a fee over $40, and so should consider getting a Dealer Table instead, as it may be cheaper for you -- signups are open as of 10/15/2012, so if you want one, you may wish to go to our dealer information page now.

Further information is available at our Artists' Alley Info Page.

Charity Suggestions - 2013 Edition

November 4, 2012, 11:00 am

≫ Next: When to begin reserving your hotel room

≪ Previous: BIG CHANGE to Artists' Alley for 2013: Commission to be charged

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The Anthrocon Board will soon be deciding on the Charity to support for 2013. If you know of a charitable organization that you would like to recommend be added to the current candidate list, please suggest it here or as a followup to this post in Anthrocon's other forums by December 31st.

Criteria for candidacy:
- Must be animal-related (back to basics this year)
- Must be 501(c)3
- Must be based within approximately 60 miles of the Pittsburgh, PA metropolitan area
- Must be incorporated in Pennsylvania (can't be in Ohio or West Virginia)
- Must not be a charity we have already supported.

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When to begin reserving your hotel room

December 21, 2012, 5:54 am

≫ Next: General hotel reservations begin February 1 -- Suites at the Westin available now!

≪ Previous: Charity Suggestions - 2013 Edition

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A lot of folks have been asking, so here is the official timetable for hotel reservations:

WESTIN SUITE reservations may be made starting Monday, January 7. Remember, that is suites only.  Those are the large rooms and multi-room setups.

SUPERSPONSORS will be invited to begin reserving their rooms at all hotels starting at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, January 30th.  Both an email and a snail-mail notice will be sent to all supersponsors with instructions for reserving their rooms on or about January 20th.

GENERAL HOTEL RESERVATIONS for all hotels for all attendees will commence at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 1.  Note that this is one day earlier than our usual opening on Groundhog Day, which falls this year on a Saturday.  Note too that we are choosing 11:00 AM due to pleas from our friends on the West Coast of the USA who had trouble waking up before dawn. 

Remember, we have added a full 100 rooms at the Marriott Hotel across the street from the Doubletree.  This brings our total room count to well over 1000, which is more hotel rooms than we could ever posfnglreer$44

 

General hotel reservations begin February 1 -- Suites at the Westin available now!

January 7, 2013, 7:39 am

≫ Next: Hotel information for Anthrocon 2013 now available (but no reservations yet)!

≪ Previous: When to begin reserving your hotel room

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Anthrocon's hotel rooms are not yet available for reservations!  On February 1, 2013*, at 11:00 AM EST, we will throw open the doors for people to make reservations at the Westin Convention Center (our flagship hotel), as well as our all-within-easy-walking-distance satellite hotels, the Doubletree, Courtyard, Hampton Inn, Marriott and Omni William Penn. 

Reservations for Westin Hotel suites (and ONLY SUITES) can be made starting...now! Suites are deluxe rooms as described below and are more expensive than regular hotel rooms, which this year will be about $152 ($172 with tax) per night. We make these available early because of the high demand.  Remember, only suite reservations at the Westin are being accepted at this time.  Regular room reservations begin on February 1.

In order to secure a suite, you must send an email to ceo(at)anthrocon.org with the phrase WESTIN SUITE REQUEST in the subject line. Once again: send an email, not a private message.  Include the full (real) name that the reservation will be under, and – very important– include your Anthrocon 2013 membership number which was sent to you by email when you submitted your registration. We will send you back an email with instructions on how to go about reserving a suite through our special contact at the Westin. 

If you did not receive or have misplaced your registration confirmation email, you can either use our registration verification utility or you can email us at registration-2013(at)anthrocon.org and we will tell you. If you have not registered for Anthrocon 2013 yet...well, what are you waiting for? Get to it! Just click here!

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Hotel information for Anthrocon 2013 now available (but no reservations yet)!

January 10, 2013, 12:32 pm

≫ Next: Call for Fursuit Track Panels - Anthrocon 2013!

≪ Previous: General hotel reservations begin February 1 -- Suites at the Westin available now!

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We have posted the rate information and other details about our six (count'em, six!) hotels this year: the Marriott City Center, the Doubletree Downtown Pittsburgh, The Omni William Penn, the Hampton Inn, The Courtyard by Marriott, and our flagship hotel, the Westin Convention Center. The main hotel jump page can be accessed by clicking the "Hotels" link under "Information" on the bar at left, or simply by clicking here. Note that the big link to the Passkey system will not be active until February 1 at 11:00 AM EST. We will also be posting that information on Facebook, Twitter and on Livejournal just in case you aren't able to visit us here that day.

Please note that you cannot make individual hotel reservations by clicking any specific hotel links on this site.  Everything is being handled by the Passkey system this year, and if you try to navigate to any of the hotel pages on February 1 you will not find any information about reserving a room.

Call for Fursuit Track Panels - Anthrocon 2013!

January 23, 2013, 12:22 pm

≫ Next: Hotel reservations open soon: What to expect

≪ Previous: Hotel information for Anthrocon 2013 now available (but no reservations yet)!

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Anthrocon 2013 is upon us!  This year, Sharky and I will be working again to coordinate the Fursuit Track!

I am looking for panelists to donate some time and skill to go over areas of fursuiting experience they are familiar with!  

Below are generic items covered by this track, but ANY idea would be helpful!  Please feel free to forward this email to anyone who may be attending the convention who would be interested!

FURSUIT CONSTRUCTION, DESIGNERS, and/or CRAFTSPEOPLE:

To those individuals or companies who are in the business of creating designing or making fursuits, this could be a valuable way to not only reach an audience of like minded individuals who are interested in your craft, but potentially target your skills to a specific audience attentive of what you have to offer!  In the past, people have done construction panels, workshops on specific types of design (eg. Electronics), cleaning and maintenance, and even panels on basic sewing technique!  

This year, we will have a special surprise for those who assist us with construction, design, or fursuit craft panels!

FURSUIT ENTERTAINERS, PERFORMANCE ARTISTS, and/or COSTUMERS

For those costumers who either perform, mascot, or have talent in entertainment; showcasing your abilities will surely allow others the ability to understand the difficulties involved in the performance aspects of costuming.  You may be able to help others better hone there craft, and become better performers overall!  In prior years, we have had amazing talent showcased from major professional mascots, to independent contractors, to even general techniques on how to manage an audience!

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Hotel reservations open soon: What to expect

January 24, 2013, 3:27 pm

≫ Next: Hotel reservations: What to expect, Part II

≪ Previous: Call for Fursuit Track Panels - Anthrocon 2013!

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On February 1, at 11:00 AM EST, we will publish the url for the Passkey site that will allow you to make your hotel reservations.  You will be asked for  your Anthrocon badge number (Optional, but appreciated) and a credit card in hand.  Please note the following very important tidbits of information:

1)  The page that you want to visit will be our hotel page, http://www.anthrocon.org/hotel.  There is some very important information that you really ought to read, and then a gigantic link that says you understand that selfsame information.  Click that, and it will take you to the Passkey site to make your hotel reservations.

2)  Anthrocon's web page has been reinforced against the onslaught, but we can't guarantee that it can withstand the strain of 5000 people repeatedly mashing on the F5 key (please don't do that, if you can avoid it at all).  We will also be posting the Passkey link in our Livejournal community, our Twitter account, and on Facebook just in case.

3)  There will also be a telephone number on the Passkey page that you can call, but the number of operators is limited!  The telephone is not really recommended for that reason.  We strongly recommend sticking to the online system.

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