WikiFur - User contributions [en]

Furnal Equinox

2012-12-28T17:24:35Z

79.9.154.121:

{{NPOV}}
{{cleanup}}
{{Infobox convention
|name = Furnal Equinox
|logo = [[Image:FurnalEquinoxLogo.png|right|250px|Furnal Equinox logo]]
|caption =
| subject = Furry
| location = {{flagdiv|can|[[Wikipedia:Toronto|Toronto]], [[Wikipedia:Ontario|Ontario]], [[Wikipedia:Canada|Canada]]}}
| url = http://www.furnalequinox.com/
| status = Ongoing
| first = 6-7 March 2010
| final =
| organizer = Anthropomorphic Events of Ontario
| charity =
| resources = {{con resources}}
}}{{Furnal Equinox}}
'''Furnal Equinox''' (sometimes abbreviated as '''FE''') is a [[furry convention]] held during the month of March in [[Wikipedia:Toronto|Toronto]], [[Wikipedia:Ontario|Ontario]], [[Wikipedia:Canada|Canada]]. Announced in 2009 and holding its first edition in 2010, it is Canada's largest furry convention by attendance.

== History ==

Prior to 2010, there had never been a large, hotel-based furry event hosted in the Toronto area. ([[Feral!]] has run continuously since 1998, but takes place at a summer camp three hours from Toronto.)

In late 2008, [[Dan Skunk]], after scouting many possible venues and finding one suitable for hotel convention in Toronto and people willing to fund it, created message board on his web site, [[Ontario Furries]] inviting people to become involved in running it.

In early 2009, after discussions on Ontario Furries, an organizing committee was formed to plan the event. This committee consisted originally of [[Aaeden]], [[Benjamin]], [[Blindsight]], [[Crassadon]], [[Danruk]], [[Dan Skunk]], [[Sparrow]], [[KI Wind]], [[Pakesh De]], [[Potoroo]], [[Scani]], and [[Shiro Tora]]. These members of local fandom all made contributions, some quite significant, of time and/or money to make the convention a reality.

[[Benjamin]], [[Ki Wind]], and [[Aaeden]] soon after resigned and [[Dan Skunk]], [[Danruk]], [[Sparrow]] were later dismissed by the remaining members followed by [[Shiro Tora]] and then [[Crassadon]]. These removals caused considerable controversy on the Ontario Furries forum, where [[Dan Skunk]] and [[Sparrow]] disputed the reasons for them, Dan Skunk continued to support the convention on Ontario Furries, offering criticism and suggestions, but banned them twice for engaging in flame wars on the site and slandering other members. After attending Furnal Equinox, Dan Skunk claimed he was treated rudely by staff, hassled by security, and treated rudely by the chairman and eventualy banned all discussion of FE on Ontario Furries. Furnal Equinox disputes these claims. The dispute eventually led to a split in the local forums and meets.<ref>''[http://www.ontariofurries.ca/bans.html Notes on Bans on ontariofurries.ca]'', ontariofurries.ca (accessed 25 November 2011)</ref>

{{see also|Furnal Equinox#Origins_and_controversy|Origins and Controversy}}

FE was promoted in its first year as '''Toronto's First Furry Convention''' and formally announced its name on July 1 (Canada Day), 2009.<ref>''[http://www.furry.ca/forum/index.php/topic,1657.0.html Furnal Equinox: coming to Toronto in March 2010!]'', furry.ca (accessed 10 August 2010)</ref>

The name Furnal Equinox was conceived by founding member [[ShiroTora]]. The chosen name plays upon the convention's date in March, close to the beginning of spring (the [[Wikipedia:Vernal equinox|vernal equinox]]).<ref name="fefaq">''[http://www.furnalequinox.com/FAQ FAQ]'', Furnal Equinox website (accessed 17 September 2011)</ref>

{{q|''Our mission is to bring together fans of the furry genre together in a laid-back, casual environment to exchange artwork and crafts, share ideas, participate in entertainment, and meet the fantastic creators and fans that contribute to the furry community, all in one of Canada's premier cities. We aim to not only showcase homegrown talent here in Canada, but bring the best furry artists around the world to our members.<ref name="feabout">''[http://www.furnalequinox.com/AboutUs About Us]'', Furnal Equinox website (accessed 17 September 2011)</ref>''}}

Furnal Equinox has aimed to promote this goal of showcasing the best local talent and attracting worldwide furry names by inviting two Guests of Honour to the convention every year, one from Canada and one from outside of Canada.<ref name="fefaq" />

The convention has raised money every year for the Mississauga Humane Society (MHS) by hosting a charity auction. The MHS is unique among humane societies in that it has no shelter facility or paid staff — rather, all funds are directed towards veterinary bills, food and other supplies for the animals in their care. In total, Furnal Equinox has raised $4,200 for the MHS over two years.<ref name="fecharity">''[http://www.furnalequinox.com/Charity Charity]'', Furnal Equinox website (accessed 17 September 2011)</ref>

== Conventions ==

*'''[[Furnal Equinox 2010]]''' took place on March 6-7, 2010 at the Doubletree by Hilton - Toronto Airport hotel, attracting 330 attendees. The Guests of Honour were [[Heather Bruton]] and [[BushyCat]], and the convention celebrated the theme of "Furry Fun and Games".
*'''[[Furnal Equinox 2011]]''' took place on March 11-13, 2011, returning to the Doubletree by Hilton - Toronto Airport hotel, attracting 450 attendees<ref>[http://www.furnalequinox.com/node/174 Thank You FE 2011 Attendees], furnalequinox.com (March 15, 2011)</ref>. The Guests of Honour were [[FirestormSix]] and [[ZEN]], and the convention's theme was "Wild Magic".
*'''[[Furnal Equinox 2012]]''' took place on March 16-18, 2012, returning to the Doubletree and attracting 651 attendees. The Guests of Honour were furry artists [[Dark Natasha]] and [[Marci McAdam]], and the theme of the convention was "Infurnally Yours".
*'''[[Furnal Equinox 2013]]''' will take place on March 8-10, 2013 at a new hotel, the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre. The Guests of Honour will be [[RedCoatCat]] and [[Rukis]] and the theme will be "Furries in Uniform".

== Operations ==

Furnal Equinox is operated by '''Anthropomorphic Events of Ontario''', a [http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/N/NotForProfit.aspx corporation without share-capital (NPO)] in the Province of Ontario, founded in June 2009. [[Pakesh De]] and [[Blindsight]] have been the co-chairs since the inaugural year of the convention.

== Origins and controversy ==
{{dubious}}
The details and credit for how Furnal Equinox came to exist have been mired in an extensive [[WikiFur]] edit war, stemming from disagreements between [[Dan Skunk]] and members of FE's staff. Generally, Dan Skunk has viewed his role as the main, instrumental and under-acknowledged founder, while the opposing view has been that he was an initial participant (amongst many) in the early stages of the convention's formation, who helped bring together a number of the people who eventually formed the concom.<ref name="festat">[http://www.furnalequinox.com/node/146 FE Statement re: Ontario Furries], furnalequinox.com (August 3, 2010).</ref> What is certain is that over the period from 2008-2010, relations between Dan Skunk and the organizing committee became increasingly acrimonious.

=== Timeline ===

*July 2008 - An event called the [[Islington Furmeet]] was created by [[KI Wind]] and Dan Skunk, which is claimed to have demonstrated the potential viability of a convention in the area. Dan claims to have made several trips to meet with possible hotels and convention centers in the summer of 2008,<ref name="danstat">[http://www.furnalequinox.org/ The founding of a furry convention in Toronto], by Dan Skunk, viewed on July 9, 2011.</ref> to which FE staff have responded, "We have emails from Dan ... in which he states that the original ideas and proposals for the con effort that eventually led to FE, including the suggestion for the hotel that eventually was selected, were not (as he now claims) his ideas, and he ascribes them specifically to others. He did help to promote these ideas and deserves credit for that."<ref name="festat" />

* Late 2008 - ShiroTora began a discussion on the [[Toronto Furry|TorFur Mailing List]] about holding a convention.<ref name="danstat" /> A 17-year-old name [[Sparrow]] offered $5000, and another donor (later identified by Dan Skunk as [[Blindsight]]) offered to get things started, even though there had yet to be any guarantee of an event.<ref>[http://www.crushyiffdestroy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=79596#79596 CrushYiffDestroy post] by [[AshleyAshes]], Feb 17, 2009 1:14 am. Viewed on Sept. 16, 2011.</ref> Dan has claimed that by December 2008, this monetary offer allowed him to "<nowiki>[gather]</nowiki> the financial resources needed to start the convention", after which he "started a discussion ... inviting others to become involved with the project",<ref>[[Talk:Furnal_Equinox]] edit 300778 by Dan Skunk, 14:59, 24 July 2010.</ref> and that himself and three others "had financial support, organizers, and had found a venue and had created a forum."<ref>[[Talk:Furnal_Equinox]] edit 302390 by Dan Skunk, 11:48, 9 August 2010.</ref> What is definitively acknowledged by both sides is that Dan created a message board to explore the project on his website and forum, [[Ontario Furries]].

*February 2009 - The message board attempted to determine the convention date and its staff members by nomination, poll and popular vote. [[Potoroo]], the con chair of Feral, posted a harsh criticism to the board, and the debate attracted the attention of [[Crush! Yiff! Destroy!]].<ref>[http://www.crushyiffdestroy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3540 Toronto Furries attempting to run convention, democratically], viewed on Sept. 16, 2011.</ref> In the staff member poll, Dan Skunk received one of the lowest amounts of support (54.3%),<ref>[http://www.crushyiffdestroy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=79754#79754 CrushYiffDestroy post] by AshleyAshes, Mar 3, 2009 8:54 pm. Viewed on Sept. 16, 2011.</ref> and suggested the threshold be set at 50% to indicate organizational involvement.<ref name="danstat" />

*March 2009 - [[Michael Bard|Morgan]] held a furry dinner gathering at the Duke of Devon Pub, during which the convention was also discussed. Dan claims that prior to this meet, he had "made an open invitation for people to join an organizing committee for the convention", that he "started the first discussions with the founding committee", that this dinner was the first in-person committee meeting, and that he had organized it, "coinciding with a furmeet there run by Morgan".<ref name="danstat" /> By mid-March, a private mailing list was created to take a more practical approach to organizing the convention, and to move the discussion away from the drama on the message board. [[Pakesh De]] was chosen as the head of the committee, and would later become co-chair of the convention with Blindsight.

*June 2009 - the committee registered a corporation called Anthropomorphic Events of Ontario, which included Dan Skunk as one of the initial directors.<ref name="festat" /> However, six weeks later on July 20, Dan Skunk, [[Danruk]] and Sparrow were voted out by the other members.<ref>[[Talk:Furnal_Equinox]] edit 301056 by Wolfmist, 00:18, 28 July 2010.</ref> FE claims the reason for the dismissal was that "as the FE team began to shake itself out and make serious decisions, it became clear that <nowiki>[Dan's]</nowiki> continued involvement would have resulted in the dissolution of the concom."<ref name="festat" />

:Since then, Dan Skunk has openly discussed his disagreements over the voting process and the organizational decisions made by concom; he has expressed his viewpoints on LiveJournal, Ontario Furries and WikiFur. FE has claimed that Dan's comments "...have been almost universally and unfairly critical of the convention; this has hampered our efforts to promote the event."<ref name="festat" />

:In contrast, Dan has claimed he "continued supporting the convention through <nowiki>[my]</nowiki> web site ... giving them constructive criticism on their management ...",<ref name="danstat" /> and that this was "a gesture of goodwill towards the success of the convention, and to prove my value to <nowiki>[its]</nowiki> success ... Instead, the recommendations were met with contempt and derision from the convention's remaining organizers. The wholesale rejection of these recommendations, to me, showed that the success of the convention and service to the community was secondary to the organizers recieving personal recognition for their efforts."<ref>[[Talk:Furnal_Equinox]] edit 299960 by Dan Skunk, 01:39, 19 July 2010.</ref> However, Dan Skunk's WikiFur edits have similarly been viewed as self-promoting or self-aggrandizing,<ref>[[Talk:Furnal_Equinox]] edit 300654 by Scani, 16:45, 23 July 2010.</ref><ref>[[Talk:Furnal_Equinox]] edit 300697 by Scani, 00:30, 24 July 2010.</ref> an assumption not entirely without merit, given that Dan's edits at the time of Sept. 11, 2011 about himself, Ontario Furries and Furnal Equinox contain no less than 42 mentions of his own name.

*April 2010 - A month after the first Furnal Equinox had been held, Dan deleted its forum from the Ontario Furries website, and some of the FE staff members were banned. In July 2010, an editing war broke out on FE's WikiFur page. Although Dan had been briefly acknowledged in FE's conbook, he wanted the WikiFur page to better reflect his involvement. Both sides have since accused the other of mis-stating the facts, and from Dan Skunk's point of view, making insults and slander.<ref>[[Talk:Furnal_Equinox]] edit 301071 by Dan Skunk, 01:30, 28 July 2010.</ref>

:During the editing war, Dan called for an outright boycott of the convention,<ref name="danstat" /> adding that its supporters were not welcome on his message board. Following this development, the chairs of FE posted an official statement,<ref name="festat" /> and the [[What The Fur]] convention severed their relations with Ontario Furries.<ref>[http://whatthefur.ca/Forums/index.php?topic=183.0 What The Fur and Ontario Furries], posted by [[Felinaeus|Feli]] on July 29, 2010, 10:00:53 pm. Viewed on Sept. 16, 2011.</ref>

*August 2010 - The call for a boycott was contentious enough that [[Echelon]] (who hosted Ontario Furries), deleted the site and invited all the users to a new site, [http://www.canadianfurries.ca/ www.canadianfurries.ca], <ref name="danstat" />. Some members of Toronto's furry fandom, dissatisfied with Ontario Furries, had initially moved to another forum in early 2010 at torfurs.com which was run by [[Shane]].

*Late 2010 - [http://ontariofurs.com/ Ontariofurs.com] was established by [[Smash Meerkat]] which attracted more members.

*2011 - Torfurs.com closed down and redirected to ontariofurs.com. Dan set up a domain at [http://furnalequinox.org/ furnalequinox.org] to state his viewpoints and continues to host Ontario Furries under a new provider.

==References==
<references />

==External links==

*[http://www.youtube.com/FurnalEquinox Furnal Equinox] on [[YouTube]]
*[http://www.facebook.com/FurnalEquinox Furnal Equinox] on [[Facebook]]
*[http://twitter.com/furnalequinox Furnal Equinox] on [[Twitter]]
*[http://community.livejournal.com/furnalequinox Furnal Equinox] on [[LiveJournal]]
*[http://www.furaffinity.net/user/furnalequinox Furnal Equinox] on [[FurAffinity]]

{{Conventions}}

[[Category:Conventions]]
[[Category:Toronto]]
[[Category:2010 births]]
[[it:Furnal Equinox]]

Gdakon

2012-12-28T17:09:21Z

79.9.154.121:

'''Gdakon''' is a [[furry]] [[convention]] that takes place in [[w:Poland|Poland]]. The name was created by the three first letters of "Gdańsk" and "Convention"<ref>English letter C is spelled in polish as K (in this case)</ref>.

{| class="infobox" style="float:right;margin:0 0 1em 1em;clear:right;" cellspacing="4"
|class="plainlinks" style="font-size:smaller;"|
[[File:Gdakon2012-logo.png]] <br />
Gdakon 2012 official logo
|}

==History==
The beginning of Gdakon was a furmeet which took place in 2007. As the number of attendees was constantly growing up, the convention was formed and its name set in 2011 by [[Raksha]] and [[Kunako]]. In 2012 [[Pablo]] became the head-organisator.

==Gdakon 2012==
The second Gdakon was organised at 23-26th February 2012 in [[w:Gdańsk|Gdańsk]] with about 59 attendees, including 12 fursuiters.

==Gdakon staff==
* [[Pablo]]
* [[Kudlaty]]
* [[Raksha]]
* [[Kunako]]
* [[LeTigre]]
* [[Konu Eikuku Hentaru]]

==External links==
*[http://gdakon.org/ Gdakon website]

[[Category:Conventions]]
[[Category:Poland]]
[[Category:2011 births]]

{{con-stub}}
<references />
{{Conventions}}
[[it:Gdakon]]

Rusfurence

2012-12-28T16:44:19Z

79.9.154.121:

[[Image:Rusfurence2007.gif|300px|right]]

'''Rusfurrence''' ([[Wikipedia:Russian_language|Russian]]: '''Русфурренция'''; also known as '''RusCon''' or '''Russian Furry Conference''') is an annual and biggest [[furry convention]] in [[Wikipedia:Moscow, Russia|Moscow, Russia]], usually taking place as student holidays start, at the end of January - beginning of February.

Rusfurrence is fairly small compared to other furry conventions, but its attendance in recent years has grown to over 200 [[furs]]. Among the challenges to its continued growth are:

* lengthy and expensive travel for non-local [[furries]]
* overly restrictive hotel policies
* growing separation between different factions in the Russian [[furry fandom]] (art fans, [[therianthropes]], [[lifestyler]]s, etc.){{fact}}

=== Staff ===
Convention staff changes from year to year.

At different times the main organizers were [[Black Lion]], [[Black_Wolf_(Kazakhstan)|Black Wolf]], [[Dimonius]], [[KlyK]], [[Llanowar]], [[Leo leopard]], [[Nexion]], [[Taffka]], [[Tingriel]], [[Ukiwa]]

==History==
* The first gathering began as [[Ukiwa]]'s birthday party on February 26, 1999 with 6 attendees.
* The 2000 gathering occurred on January 2 with 8 attendees and Molly, a young [[lioness]].
* RusCon 2001 was held from January 4 to 7 and attracted 23 registrants.
* RusCon 2002 was held from January 4 to 6, attracted over 40 guests, and was the last to be held at the [http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lionking.ru%2fru10_1_24_6.shtml Arbat cultural center].
* RusCon 2003 was held from January 9 to 12 and was the first to be held at the [http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2frusfurrence.ru%2f2004%2fplace.php Zvenigorodskiy boarding house].
* Rusfurrence 2004 was held in mid-January and attracted 25 registrants and 16 guests.
* Rusfurrence 2005 was held from January 31 to February 6 and attracted about 60 to 70 participants with the option of staying 2, 4, or 6 nights.
* Rusfurrence 2006 was held from January 30 to February 5 and attracted [http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rusfurrence.ru%2F2006%2Fwho.php 101 registrants]. This event was the first to feature Russian [[fursuiter]]s, [[Basil Lion]] and [[SimpleWolf]].
* Rusfurrence 2007 was held from January 29 to February 4 at the [http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2frusfurrence.ru%2f2007%2fpage1.shtml Москвич ("Muscovite") recreation center] in Moscow and attracted [http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rusfurrence.ru%2F2007%2Fwho.php 106 registrants].
* Rusfurrence 2008 was held from January 28 to February 3 at the [http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2frusfurrence.ru%2f2008%2fwhere.php Zvenigorod boarding house] ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2frusfurrence.ru%2f2008%2fhowtogo.php directions]). Attendees had the option to arrive on the 28th, 30th or the 1st. Fees ran from 3800 rubles (~US$155) for two days sharing a regular room, to 13800 rubles (~US$560) for six days in a single luxury room. Guests could acquire day passes for 350 roubles/day. There were [http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rusfurrence.ru%2F2008%2Fwho.php 116 registrants]
* Rusfurrence 2009 was held in the [http://all-hotels.ru/h111274/hotel/index.en.html?kk=a4bc5febe9 Holiday Hotel "Rus"], 18km from Moscow, Russia, from January 28 to February 1, 2009. The convention booked the entire hotel, and enjoyed the luxury of having no noise regulations. There were [http://www.rusfurrence.ru/2009/?register 169 registrants] with at least [http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/611148/ 140 attendees] present.
* Rusfurrence 2010 was held from January 26 to 31, 2010 in hotel [http://malahowka.ru/ Malahovka] 12 km outside Moscow. There were 197 registered attendees (including 90 single-day "guests").
* Rusfurrence 2011 was held from February 1 to 6, 2011 at the [http://www.zvenigorodskiy.ru/ Zvenigorodskiy boarding house]. Attendees had the option of staying 2 or 5 nights. There were about [http://www.rusfurrence.ru/2011/?reged 200 attendees] in total, including registered participants, single-day guest and spontaneous participants, who paid their accommodation directly on the conference.
* Rusfurrence 2012 was held from January 31 to February 5, 2012 at [http://www.zvenigorodskiy.ru/ Zvenigorodskiy boarding house] . Attendees had options to stay 2 or 5 nights. Early arrival on January the 30 was also available. Rusfurrence 2012 introduced security team, room for fursuiters and furry-bar. There were [http://www.rusfurrence.ru/2012/reged/ 240 attendants]: 145 full time participants and 95 singe-day guests. There were about 50 fursuits (~25%).
* Rusfurrence 2013 is scheduled to take place over February 5-10, 2013 in 4-star hotel [http://hotel-avantel.ru/en/ Avantel Club Istra] and fully occupy single standing block. Attendees had the option of staying 2 or 5 nights. This time early arrival is not available.

<gallery>
Image:Rusfurrence 2001.jpg|Attendees of Rusfurrence 2001
Image:Rusfurrence2006.jpg|Attendees of Rusfurrence 2006
Image:Rusfurrence2011.jpg|Attendees of Rusfurrence 2011
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[:Category:Rusfurrence staff|Rusfurrence staff]]

== External links ==
* [http://rusfurrence.ru/2013/langen/ '''Rusfurrence.ru''' official website] (English)
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2013/langen/ Rusfurrence 2013] (English) ([http://rusfurrence.ru/2013/langru Russian])
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2012/langen/ Rusfurrence 2012] (English) ([http://rusfurrence.ru/2012/langru Russian])
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2011/ Rusfurrence 2011] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Frusfurrence.ru%2F2011%2F English translation])
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2010/ Rusfurrence 2010] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Frusfurrence.ru%2F2010%2F English translation])
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2009/ Rusfurrence 2009] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Frusfurrence.ru%2F2009%2F English translation])
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2008/ Rusfurrence 2008] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Frusfurrence.ru%2F2008%2F English translation])
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2007/ Rusfurrence 2007] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Frusfurrence.ru%2F2007%2F English translation])
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2006/ Rusfurrence 2006] (Russian) ([http://rusfurrence.ru/2006/engl.shtml English site])
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2005/ Rusfurrence 2005] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Frusfurrence.ru%2F2005%2F English translation])
** [http://rusfurrence.ru/2004/ Rusfurrence 2004] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Frusfurrence.ru%2F2004%2F English translation])
* '''RusCon''' postings on [[LionKing.ru]]:
** [http://www.lionking.ru/ru10_1_32.shtml RusCon 2003] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lionking.ru%2Fru10_1_32.shtml English translation])
** [http://www.lionking.ru/ru10_1_24.shtml RusCon 2002] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lionking.ru%2Fru10_1_24.shtml English translation])
** [http://www.lionking.ru/ru10_1_17.shtml RusCon 2001] (Russian) ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ru_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lionking.ru%2Fru10_1_17.shtml English translation])
* {{con resources}}

[[Category:Conventions]][[Category:1999 births]]
[[Category:Moscow]]

[[de:РусФуренция]]
[[es:Rusfurrence]]
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[[sv:Rusfurrence]]
[[zh:Rusfurrence]]

Zillercon

2012-12-28T16:22:13Z

79.9.154.121:

[[Image:Keepiru_jump.jpg|right|thumb|Keepiru performing a jump]]
'''Zillercon''' is a furry skiing and snowboarding holiday, named after its first location at [[Wikipedia:Zillertal|Zillertal]] in [[Wikipedia:Tyrol|Tyrol]], [[Wikipedia:Austria|Austria]] in 2001. The event has been organized each following year by [[Keepiru]] in January or February at various skiing locations in Austria and [[Wikipedia:Switzerland|Switzerland]]. [[Non-fur]] friends are also welcome.

== History ==

* Zillercon 1 it all started in Mayrhofen, end january 2001, with 15 people.
* Zillercon 2 was held from 11 to 13 January 2002 at [[Wikipedia:de:Saas Balen|Saas Balen]] in [[Wikipedia:Valais|Valais]], Switzerland, with 17 participants.
* Zillercon 3 was held in 2003 at Zillertal.
* Zillercon 4 was held from 17 to 24 January 2004 at Zillertal.
* Zillercon 5 was held from 23 to 30 January 2005 at Zillertal.
* Zillercon 6 was held from 28 January to 4 February 2006 at [[Wikipedia:de:Wenns|Wenns]] and the [http://www.hochzeiger.com/ Hochzeiger] skiing region in [[Wikipedia:de:Pitztal|Pitztal]], Austria, with 14 participants.
* Zillercon 7 was held from 27 January to 3 February 2007 at [http://www.wildschoenau.com/content/winter/winter.asp?language=en Wildschönau] in the [[Wikipedia:Kitzbühler Alpen|Kitzbühel Alps]] of Tyrol, Austria, filling all 20 of its available places.
* Zillercon 8 was held from 26 January to 2 February 2008 at [[Wikipedia:Mühlbach am Hochkönig|Mühlbach am Hochkönig]], [[Wikipedia:Salzburg (state)|Salzburg]], [[Wikipedia:Austria|Austria]].
* Zillercon 9 was held from 31 January to 7 February 2009 at Holzgau, Austria. 27 Furs.
* Zillercon 10 was held in Holzgau again, from 23 January to 30 January 2010. 32 Furs.
* Zillercon 11 was held in Holzgau for the last time, from 22 January to 29 January 2011. 30 Furs.
* Zillercon 12 will be in Angerberg from 21 January to 28 January 2012. 40 Furs.<ref>[http://www.furcon.de/#con1044 Zillercon 12] on [[FurCon.de]]. Retrieved September 11, 2011</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.furcon.de/#con545 Zillercon 8 entry] on [[FurCon.de]] ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furcon.de%2F#con545 English translation])
* [http://www.keepiru.de/zillercon/ Zillercon 4 website] ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.keepiru.de%2Fzillercon%2F English translation])
* [http://www.keepiru.com/Zillercon2/ Zillercon 2 website] ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.keepiru.com%2FZillercon2%2F English translation])
* {{con resources}}
{{con-stub}}

[[Category:Events]]
[[Category:Austria]]
[[Category:Switzerland]]
[[Category:2001 births]]

[[cs:Zillercon]]
[[de:Zillercon]]
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[[it:Zillercon]]

CH-on

2012-12-28T15:02:29Z

79.9.154.121:

[[File:CH-on.png|thumb|header image from 2009]]

'''CH-on''' is a [[furry convention]] in [[Wikipedia:Switzerland|Switzerland]], organized by the [[Swissfurs]] association, including [[Blue_Panther]], [[Naut]], [[Pfluftel]] and [[Patrix]].

It is usually held in scenic locations in the Swiss alps and dedicates itself to serving good local cuisine and providing a laid-back atmosphere for its participants without much formal programming.

==Timeline==
The first convention was held on June 12-15, 2008, at [[wikipedia:Morschach|Morschach]] near [[wikipedia:Lake Lucerne|Lake Lucerne]] in Switzerland, in a house allowing up to 40 participants.

A second CH-on took place on June 11-14, 2009 in Gysenstein (near [[Wikipedia:Bern|Bern]]), Switzerland.<ref>[http://ch-on.swissfurs.ch/ CH-on II site]</ref> It featured a [[fursuit]] day and an [[artist]]s' day with workshops and other events. The con fee was 170 CHF or 100 EUR.

CH-on 3 took place on June 3-6, 2010 at [http://maps.google.ch/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=de&geocode=&q=Achseten,+alte+adelbodenstr.+57&sll=46.517015,7.593656&sspn=0.006822,0.015793&gl=ch&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Alte+Adelbodenstrasse+57,+Achseten+3725,+Bern&ll=46.515081,7.592561&spn=0.006822,0.015793&t=h&z=16 Achsetten in Adelboden].<ref>''[http://forum.furbase.de/thread.php?threadid=35444 CH-on 3]'' - [[Doggy]], [[FurBase]] forums (21 December 2009)</ref> A shuttle bus from the station was available for pre-registered attendees. The registration fee was CHF 170/135/70 for those staying three days, two days, or a single day.

Ch-on 4 will take place on June 23-26, 2011 at the same location as CH-on 3.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://chon.swissfurs.ch/ CH-on website] ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcon.swissfurs.ch%2F English translation])
* [http://furcon.de/#con626 CH-on 1] entry on [[FurCon.de]] ([http://babel.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.furcon.de%2f#con626 English translation])
* [http://media-1.furcon.de/CH-on/2008/tn Gallery] Con-Pictures on [[FurCon.de]]

{{con-stub}}

[[Category:Conventions]]
[[Category:Switzerland]]
[[Category:2008 births]]

[[de:CH-on]]
[[es:CH-on]]
[[it:CH-on]]

FurcoNZ

2012-12-28T14:44:12Z

79.9.154.121:

{{split}}
'''FurcoNZ''' is an annual gathering of the [[Wikipedia:New Zealand|New Zealand]] furry community, with a distinctively [[Wikipedia:Kiwi_(people)|Kiwi]] outdoors theme. Since 2007, it has typically been held at the end of the year, around end of November or start of December. Since 2009, the event organizers scheduled FurcoNZ on "back-to-back" weekends with [[MidFur]] (in Melbourne, Australia) to entice overseas attendees to make both events in the same intercontinental trip. Beginning as a small indoor [[furmeet]] often hosted at a private residence until 2007, it has grown into a weekend [[furry camping]] event at a camp or lodge site with scheduled activities and official programming, with a recap DVD being produced since 2007.

== History ==
=== 2002 - 2006 ===
* 2002: Hosted by [[PuppyDog]] in Panmure [[Wikipedia:Auckland|Auckland]], at a private residence.
* 2003: In West Auckland, NZ, at a private residence.
* 2004: At Student Central in [[Wikipedia:Dunedin|Dunedin]]
* 2005: Dec 2005 in [[Wikipedia:Taupo|Taupo]]. Unofficial attendance was 18.
* 2006: Nov 2006 by [[Southpaw (NZ)]] at his three-bedroom house in [[Wikipedia:Wairakei|Wairakei]]. Unofficial attendance was just over 30.

=== 2007 - Present ===
Starting in 2007, FurcoNZ was no longer hosted in private residences, but was rather relocated to a camp or lodge site in New Zealand, creating a change in event programming tailored to outdoor activities.

==== 2007 ====
* Dates: Nov 30 - Dec 3
* Location: 'Kiwanis Camp' in [[Wikipedia:Huia (place)|Huia]], [[Wikipedia:Waitakere City|Waitakere]], [[Wikipedia:Auckland|Auckland]].
* Attendance: Unofficial attendance around 40 people.
* Organizer: [[Lex Cypher]]

==== 2008 ====
* Dates: Nov 21 - 24
* Location: 'Camp Rangi Woods' in [[Wikipedia:Pohangina|Pohangina]], North Island.
* Attendance: Unofficial attendance around 32.
* Organizers: [[DarthMeow]] (Lead) and [[TrojanCentaur]]

==== 2009 ====
In 2009, FurcoNZ began to operate in much the same manner as larger [[convention]]s by introducing an online registration system, comprehensive outdoor programming including archery, abseiling, kayaking and hiking, and an indoor event track including board-gaming and dances during the night. In addition, the event produced con badges and an official [[conbook]], and the event was catered with 8 main meals prepared and served by a kitchen team.

* Dates: Nov 27 - 30
* Location: 'Kokako Lodge' at [[Wikipedia:Hunua Ranges|Hunua Ranges]] in Papakura District, [[Wikipedia:Auckland|Auckland]].
* Attendance: Official - 58
* Cost of Registration: NZ$75.00 (including accommodations and food)
* Staff:
** Lead Organizer: [[lyctiger]]
** Security: [[Kaltezar]]
** Website Admin/IT Support: [[Colin]]
** Other general duties: [[Blitz the Tiger]], [[DarthMeow]], [[Foofox]], [[Lex Cypher]]

==== 2010 ====
This year followed a very similar format and structure introduced last year. Various organized outdoor events and an expanded activities schedule (with 2 streams/instructors) took place: archery, abseiling, high-ropes course, kayaking and hiking. Once again a variety of indoor activities were organized such as board-gaming sessions. A full A/V room setup with consoles, and nightly dances also took place. A "SingStar" tradition has also been started (to the delight/dismay of various attendees). Notable to mention too was the creation of a fully functioning raft, headed by Isengrin, and christened the Hunua Ragebeetle. It was sailed under the waterfall, where it met its untimely demise.

* Dates: Dec 10 - 13
* Location: 'Kokako Lodge' at [[Wikipedia:Hunua Ranges|Hunua Ranges]] in Papakura District, [[Wikipedia:Auckland|Auckland]].
* Attendance: Official - 66
* Cost of Registration: NZ$85.00 (including accommodations and food)
* Staff:
** Lead Organizer: [[lyctiger]]
** Security: [[Kaltezar]] (Lead); [[Ruggs]]
** Kitchen Team: [[Thipher]] (Head-chef); [[Colin]], [[Stepwolf]] (Sous-chef); [[lyctiger]] (Executive-chef)
** Website Admin/IT Support: [[Colin]]
** A/V Technical Lead: [[DarthMeow]]
** General duties: [[Lex Cypher]]

==== 2011 ====
2011 was announced as the last year FurcoNZ was to be held at Kokako Lodge, as the site had reached attendance limits. The event followed the format set out from the previous two years.

* Dates: Dec 9 - 12
* Location: 'Kokako Lodge' at [[Wikipedia:Hunua Ranges|Hunua Ranges]] in Papakura District, [[Wikipedia:Auckland|Auckland]].
* Attendance: 50
* Staff:
** Lead Organizer: [[lyctiger]]
** Security: [[Kaltezar]]
** Website Admin/IT Support: [[Colin]]
** A/V Technical Lead: [[DarthMeow]]
** General duties: [[Lex Cypher]]

==== 2012 ====
FurcoNZ 2012 will be held over December 14-17, at the Kiwanis and Huia Lodges, Huia, Waitakere Ranges Regional Park.

== FurcoNZ/Alterntiave ==
The organizers of FurcoNZ have identified a potential future, limited attendance event that refocuses on a smaller, more 'back to basics' outdoor experience apart from the primary FurcoNZ event that is approaching a hundred attendees. No specific dates, locations, or staff have yet been chosen for this proposed event.

== External links ==
* [http://www.furconz.org.nz/ Official FurcoNZ Website]
* [irc://irc.furnet.org:6667/Furconz #Furconz] on [[FurNet (IRC)|FurNet]]

{{Conventions}}

[[Category:Conventions]]
[[Category:New Zealand]]
[[de:FurcoNZ]]
[[it:FurcoNZ]]

ConFuzzled

2012-12-28T14:18:56Z

79.9.154.121:

{{Infobox convention
| name = ConFuzzled
| logo = [[Image:ConFuzzled-Logo-2010.png|300px]]
| caption =
| subject = Furry
| location = {{flagdiv|gbr|[[Wikipedia:Hinckley|Hinckley]], [[Wikipedia:England|England]], [[Wikipedia:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]}}
| url = http://www.confuzzled.org.uk
| status = Ongoing
| first = 20th to the 23rd June 2008
| final =
| organizer = ConFuzzled UK
| charity =
| resources = {{con resources}}
}}
{{ConFuzzled}}
'''ConFuzzled''' is a UK [[convention]] to celebrate the genre of [[anthropomorphic]]s, or [[furry fandom]]. ConFuzzled UK is registered as a [[Wikipedia:company limited by guarantee|private company limited by guarantee]], no. 06185967 (incorporated 27 March 2007).<ref>[http://www.confuzzled.org.uk/premiere/about-confuzzled/privacy-policy/ ConFuzzled 2012 - Legal and Privacy Information]</ref>

== History ==
Planning for ConFuzzled started in 2005, after several people from the UK furry community became frustrated by a lack of prior organization. This group decided to organize a furry [[convention]], based upon their experience with [[furmeet]]s. The convention has received help and advice from [[Chairo]], [[Cheetah (musician)|Cheetah]], [[Kiran Lightpaw]], and [[Timduru]].

Confirmation of the venue was announced on the website in February 2007; the same month further details of the convention events were also announced, along with the unveiling of the website and logo. The ConFuzzled Forum and FAQ opened on May 12, 2007. ConFuzzled Focus, a magazine-style newsletter started on 29 October 2007. [[FurbleFox]] was the chairman of the convention up until November 2009, when he officially announced his resignation.<ref>''[http://community.livejournal.com/confuzzledlj/53075.html ConFuzzled Related.]'' - Posted by [[FurbleFox]] on November 26, 2009 on {{lj-comm|confuzzledlj}}. Retrieved November 28, 2009.</ref> The remaining staff elected [[Matt Lion]] as the new chairman, with [[Dingotush]] as vice-chair.<ref>''[http://community.livejournal.com/confuzzledlj/53329.html Introducing the new Chairman of ConFuzzled]'' - Posted by [[Matt Lion]] on November 28, 2009 on {{lj-comm|confuzzledlj}}. Retrieved November 28, 2009.</ref>

The convention was initially held in the [http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/north-west-cities/hostels/manchester/index.aspx YHA Manchester], before moving to the [http://www.britanniahotels.com/hotels/manchester-country-house Britannia Country House Hotel] in 2010 where it remained till 2011. For 2012, it was announced that the convention to move to the [http://www.barcelo-hotels.co.uk/hotels/central-england/barcelo-hinckley-island-hotel-leicestershire Barceló Hinckley Island Hotel] in Leicestershire<ref>''[http://www.confuzzled.org.uk/premiere/2011/08/12/welcome/ 2012 Announcement]'' - Posted by [[Matt Lion]] on August 12, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2011.</ref>.

In 2011, with an attendance of 499, it became the second largest furcon outside of the United States, second only to [[Eurofurence]], and 14th largest furcon worldwide.

== Mascot ==
[[Image:confuzzled-brokbadger.jpg|100px|right|Brok]]
ConFuzzled's mascot is Brok, a black and white [[badger]] with a top hat and an affinity for cookies; he has his own [http://twitter.com/brokthebadger Twitter account]. Brok was officially unveiled on June 20, 2007 as the convention mascot. He was designed by [[Josef Zsapka|Josef "Tabbie" Zsapka]].

== Con trivia ==
{{Unreferenced-section}}
'''BSOD''', a convention term used at the event, refers to something going especially wrong at a critical moment in the convention's programming. The reference comes from the classic Windows' system error - the [[Wikipedia:Blue_Screen_of_Death|Blue Screen of Death]].

The expression came up at [[Confuzzled]] 2009 during the '''WikiFur Pub Quiz''' but has been in wide use for quite some time.

== References ==
<references />

== See also ==
*[[:Category:ConFuzzled staff|ConFuzzled staff]]
*[[RBW]]
*[[ScotiaCon]]

== External links ==
{{WikiFurNews|UK furs plan to be ConFuzzled in 2008}}
* [http://www.confuzzled.org.uk/ ConFuzzled website]
* [http://forum.confuzzled.org.uk/ ConFuzzled Community Forum]
* [http://twitter.com/cfconvention ConFuzzled] on [[Twitter]]
** [http://twitter.com/conbooktowers Conbook Towers] - the Twitter feed for the ConFuzzled conbook editor
** [http://twitter.com/brokthebadger Brok the Badger] - convention mascot
* [http://forum.ukfur.org/index.php?showforum=93 ConFuzzled forum] on [[UKFur.net]]
* [http://community.livejournal.com/confuzzledlj/ ConFuzzled Community] on [[Wikipedia:LiveJournal|LiveJournal]]
* http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=53.415978,-2.248571+&sll=53.477626,-2.240868&sspn=0.028759,0.07699&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16 Map of ConFuzzled venue and surrounding area]
* {{con resources}}
{{Conventions}}
{{United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Conventions]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:2008 births]]

[[cs:ConFuzzled]]
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Feral!

2012-12-28T13:41:35Z

79.9.154.121:

{{Infobox convention
| name = Feral!<br>(Camp Feral!)
| logo = [[Image:Feral.png|200px]]
| caption =
| subject = [[Furry camping|Outdoor Furry]]
| location = {{flagdiv|can|[[Wikipedia:Algonquin Provincial Park|Algonquin Provincial Park]], [[Wikipedia:Ontario|Ontario]], [[Wikipedia:Canada|Canada]] }}
| url = http://www.campferal.org
| status = Ongoing
| first = August 21 to 23, 1998
| final =
| organizer = Camp Feral committee
| charity =
| resources = {{con resources}}
}}
{{Feral}}
'''Camp Feral!''' is a [[furry]] [[convention]] held every year in the wilderness of [[Wikipedia:Ontario|Ontario]], [[Wikipedia:Canada|Canada]]. It is the first outdoor furry convention, and currently the third oldest furry convention in the world (behind [[Eurofurence]] and [[Anthrocon]]). Traditionally, it is an intimate gathering that gathers anywhere from 50 to 100 participants, with the exception in 2006 with 132 registered campers. ''Camp Feral!'' has been running since 1998, and is often referred to as being the "uncon" due to its vast differences from hotel-oriented furry events.

== History ==
The concept for Feral! was first drawn up during the summer of 1997 over the span of several meetings. Several furs had shown great interest in hosting a furry conference in the Toronto area after having attended the successful [[Albany AnthroCon 1997]] in July. [[P.Pardus]] is credited for being the driving force behind starting Feral!, combining two suggestions from locals [[Terry Wessner]] and [[Silfur]] of a workshop-oriented university and a summer camp respectively.<ref name=History>Feral 2006 FAQ, http://www.campferal.org/faq.php</ref> A committee was soon brought together, including [[P.Pardus]], [[Terry Wessner]], [[Silfur]], [[Benjamin]], and [[Wilykat]].

In a retrospective on Feral! published in Feral! 2007's conbook, Wessner credited the origins of the Feral! name to [[MelSkunk]], stating they were looking for a name that was "evocative without being too open to ridicule". MelSkunk suggested the name, which was immediately adopted by the convention's staff.

While initially a three-day event in its first year, the camp's duration was increased to five days in subsequent years to permit for additional workshops and camp-related activities.

== Guests of Honour ==

* 2001*: [[Uncle Kage]], chairman of [[Anthrocon]]
* 2002: [[Jessica Willard]], furry artist and creator of [[Falstaff]]
* 2003: [[Krahnos]] and [[Roxicat]], furry artists
* 2004: [[Iyu]] and [[Aethan]], creators of ''[[Circles]]''
* 2005: [[Anklebones (Canada)|Anklebones]] and [[The Wormwood]], furry artists, [[Sean Rabbitt|Sean]] and [[Andrew Rabbitt]], owners of [[Rabbit Valley Comics]], [[BanWynn Oakshadow]], furry writer
* 2006: Uncle Kage and [[2 the Ranting Gryphon]], comedian
* 2007: [[Ferris]], [[Gideon Hoss]], and [[Max Blackrabbit]], furry artists
* 2008: Two Ontario artists, [[Ferris]] and [[Patches]] were showcased
* 2009: [[Flain Falcon]], podcaster and [[Kyell Gold]], furry author
* 2010: [[Colson Grainger]], musician and [[Ivybeth]], artist
* 2011: [[Black Teagan]] of [[Blotch]], furry artist, and writer [[Rikoshi]]
* 2012: [[Grimal]], cartoonist and illustrator and [[Arius]], artist and graphic designer.

''Prior to 2001, workshop instructors tended to serve as guests of honour and weren't specifically publicized as such.''

== Programming ==

Though Feral!'s events have not always been the exact same from year to year, some of the more well-established ones have become tradition:

* '''Predator & Prey''': Sometimes better known as ''The Survival Game'' or ''The Food Chain Game'', participants are split into three groups based on the roles in an ecosystem - carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores, which can eat any animal below them in the chain. The objective of all participants is to consume as many creatures as possible by tagging them while stopping at food and water stations. "Special" roles in the ecosystem (such as disease, fire, etc.) are often performed by Guests of Honour, with amusing results.
* '''Capture the Flag''': Teams compete against each other in an all-out fight to get the other team's flag and bring it back to their own goal. The game is played with [[W:LARP|LARP]] (live-action roleplay) rules, meaning the foam swords tend to fly.
* '''Cabin Skits''': On the penultimate day of the camp, cabins come together to perform skits for the remaining campers. First introduced in 1999, it tends to be one of the more nervewracking events for campers, intimidated by the prospects of getting up and acting in front of their peers - but several memorable skits have come out of this event.
* '''Musicians Circle''': An opportunity for furry musicians to perform for an audience of peers and admirers, covers and original pieces are sung on stage. Normally they are solo-performances but occasionally duos and groups form during the camp.
* '''Poetry Corner''': A tradition since 2003, furry poets bring their poetry, or perform the poetry they wrote during workshops at camp, for an audience. Sometimes accompanied by coffee or wine, and applause is replaced by finger snaps.
* '''Dances''': Camp Feral's dances have always been unique. At Camp Kinark they took place in the woods and featured DJs spinning vinyl with laser and light shows shimmering off the trees and leaves. At Camp Arowhon they take place in a large three-room cabin, where the first room serves as a headless lounge, the third is a chill room and tuck shop, and the center room is transformed into a dance club for two nights - the MixTape (sometimes called the High School Dance), and the DJ Dance.

== Mascots ==

[[Image:Farley-br-icon.jpg|right|frame|[[Farley]], Feral!'s original mascot as first rendered by [[Benjamin]]]]
Feral!'s first mascot was [[Farley]], a distinctly Canadian-looking lynx character created by [[Benjamin]] prior to the first edition of the event in 1998. Farley appeared in the first Feral! con book, later entitled the ''Feral! Survival Guide''.

Mascots tended to consist of contributions from artist Guests of Honour to the Survival Guide for the next several years. In 2006, to coincide with the 'Clan Challenge' activities four different mascots were introduced. Completed by artist team [[The Wormwood]] and [[Anklebones (Canada)|Anklebones]], each mascot represented one of the four clans at Feral! - Geist for Earth, Misha for Fire, Aelos for Wind, and Kabalo for Water. In 2006 a series of four t-shirts were made with the mascots, making Feral! the first furry convention to offer such a large variety of art shirts for sale in a single year. Unfortunately, the four mascots parted ways with Camp Feral! immediately after 2006.

In 2007, furry artists [[Ferris]] and [[Patchouli]] collaborated to create a new mascot, Pawnee (sometimes written as Pawnie), which now appears full-time on Feral!'s website. [[Patchouli]] also designed a female porcupine named Weeko. Ruger, a character who hails from rural Ontario and was created by [[Gideon]], acts as a third mascot. These three mascots have been present on the cover of the conbook from 2007 to 2009, as well as the 2008 and 2009 art t-shirts.

== Sites ==
==== Camp Arowhon ====
Camp Arowhon is a campground nestled deep in [[Wikipedia:Algonquin Park|Algonquin Provincial Park]] in Ontario, Canada. With its own lake, its facilities are well-suited to the convention due to the fact that it hosts several summer camps for children during a two-month period throughout the summer (its main log cabin hall for campers, built in 1928, can host almost 350 people). Recent events have been hosted at the conclusion of the camping season, prior to the site undergoing maintenance.

Arowhon hosted the first Feral! in [[Feral! 1998|1998]] and again in [[Feral! 2004|2004]] through [[Feral! 2010|2010]]. The event will return to the venue in [[Feral! 2011|2011]].

* [http://www.camparowhon.com/ Camp Arowhon website]

==== Kinark Outdoor Centre ====
The Kinark Outdoor Centre served as the venue for Feral! from [[Feral! 1999|1999]] to [[Feral! 2003|2003]]. It was first used when Camp Arowhon had no time slot available for [[Feral! 1999]]. It is located in the Haliburton Heights region of southeastern Ontario, Canada, very near to a small town named Minden. This venue bears a hilly terrain with its own lake, which quickly earned the nick name of "Lake Nestea" due to the particles of leaves from the nearby trees (tannin) that gave the water a deep golden hue. Where Arowhon excelled in rustic charm, Kinark had the advantage of being a more modern facility which had a few class room spaces with good resources available for workshops.

* [http://www.koc.on.ca/ Kinark Outdoor Centre website]

== References ==

<references/>

== External links ==
* [http://www.campferal.org/ Camp Feral! website]
* [http://www.twitter.com/CampFeral Camp Feral! Twitter]
* [http://www.youtube.com/CampFeral Camp Feral! YouTube Channel]
* [http://community.livejournal.com/feral_campers/ Feral Campers] [[LiveJournal]] community
* [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2261351645 I Love Camp Feral!] group on [[Facebook]]
* {{con resources}}
{{Conventions}}
[[Category:Conventions]]
[[Category:Ontario]]
[[Category:1998 births]]
[[Category:Camps]]
{{Featured article}}

[[de:Feral!]]
[[es:Feral!]]
[[it:Feral!]]
[[fr:Camp Feral]]

ZodiaCon

2012-12-28T13:06:25Z

79.9.154.121:

'''ZodiaCon''' is a [[furry]] [[convention]] that takes place in the [[w:Czech Republic|Czech Republic]].

== ZodiaCon 2011 ==
The first ZodiaCon took place over May 20-22, 2011, in [[w:Tanvald|Tanvald]], Czech Republic. The 2011 topic was ''The Dawn of Time''. Sixty registered attendees from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, and Belgium attended.<ref>[http://2011.zodiacon.org/ 2011 ZodiaCon website], retrieved October 26, 2011</ref>

== ZodiaCon 2012 ==
The second ZodiaCon is planned for May 5-8, 2012, near [[w:Pardubice|Pardubice]], Czech Republic. The tagline is ''The sky is falling'' with a theme of post-catastrophic dystopian society.<ref>[http://www.en.zodiacon.org/ ZodiaCon website], retrieved November 23, 2011</ref>

== Mascots ==
[[Image:1303464089 changer-the-elder the twelve sings of zodiac on .jpg|thumb|300px|right|The official banner of ZodiaCon, featuring all twelve signs.]]
Each ZodiaCon year has an animal mascot related to the zodiac sign representing it. The mascots are:
* Aries ♈ - Lambert the [[sheep|ram]]
* Taurus ♉ - Vartan the [[bull]]
* Gemini ♊ - Castor and Pollux, the [[zebra]] twins
* Cancer ♋ - Rupert the [[Rabbit (species)|rabbit]]
* Leo ♌ - Leia the [[Lion (species)|lion]]ess
* Virgo ♍ - Ginny the [[unicorn]]
* Libra ♎ - Norbert the [[Rat (species)|rat]]
* Scorpio ♏ - Scorpius the [[eagle]]
* Sagittarius ♐ - Colby the [[centaur]]
* Capricorn ♑ - Rose the [[Wikipedia:ibex|ibex]]
* Aquarius ♒ - Lothar the [[otter]]
* Pisces ♓ - Bary the [[shark]]

== Staff ==
* [[Altair]]
* [[BlueFox]]
* [[Canus Lupus (Germany)]]
* [[Mikairu]]
* [[Mbili]]
* [[Sigmar]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.en.zodiacon.org/ ZodiaCon website]

[[Category:Conventions]]
[[Category:Czech Republic]]
[[Category:2011 births]]

{{con-stub}}

{{Conventions}}

[[cs:ZodiaCon]]
[[it:ZodiaCon]]

ConFurence

2012-12-28T11:55:06Z

79.9.154.121:

{{Unreferenced}}
{{Infobox convention
|name = ConFurence
|logo = [[Image:ConfurenceLogo.png]]
|subject = furry
|location = California
|url = http://www.confurence.org
|status = Defunct
|first = January 21-22, 1989
|final = April 25-27, 2003
|organizer = [[Mark Merlino]] (1989-1999), [[Rod O'Riley]] (1989-1999), [[Darrel Exline]] (1999-2003)
|resources = {{con resources}}
}}
{{ConFurence}}
'''ConFurence: The International Anthropomorphic Convention / Exposition''' was the first and, up until [[Eurofurence 16]] held in September 2010, the longest running annual [[furry convention]] in existence. Initially headed up by two SoCal furs, [[Mark Merlino]] (convention chairman) and [[Rod O'Riley]] (programming), control was transferred to [[Darrel Exline]] after [[ConFurence 10]]. Starting in 1989 as a test-run called "[[ConFurence 0]]", it was usually held at the end of January in various venues around southern California, particularly in Orange County where it was cheaper to book hotel space at that time of year.

ConFurence ran for a further fourteen years, reaching its zenith in 1998 ([[ConFurence 9]]) with over 1200 attendees. Attendance dropped sharply after this, due in varying parts to a schedule change, a change of venue (100 miles from the main Southern California population centers), competition from [[Further Confusion]] and other Furry cons, and the [[Wikipedia:Dot-com_bubble#The_bubble_bursts|dot-com bust]]. It ended with [[ConFurence 2003]] and was succeeded by [[Califur]] in 2004.

== History ==

The convention started as an offshoot of the traditional [[Sci-Fi]] / [[Fantasy]] / [[Anime]] model which would include a hotel at reduced group rates, a furry-specific programming track located in the general event areas of the hotel, and followed with social gatherings and [[room parties]] in the evening.

With the rise of ever-more-popular [[furry parties]] occurring at various other conventions both in the Bay Area and SoCal, at one point, Rod had the idea of "Let's put on a show." Plans for the fandom's very first own convention then began.

[[Dr Pepper]], a non furry, but a supportive fan, coined the name. True, it wasn't a big deal, just a simple sentence: "Hey Mark, about that new convention you're thinking of, how about calling it 'Confurence'?"{{fact}} But hey, someone had to.

With the success of the first test con, plans were put into effect for an actual, organized furry gathering the following year. ConFurence was born.

== Attendance ==
[[File:ConFurence Attendance.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Visitor Statistics]]
The first event was attended by 65 people, and over the years, gradually grew in attendance until its largest attendance in 1998 at [[ConFurence 9]], in Buena Park with over 1200 registered for the 4-day event.

== Programming ==

Programming at a typical con consisted of several tracks which ran simultaneously in different event rooms within the hotel. There would be a main stage/auditorium which would easily seat a few hundred people, which would be the stage for special guests, [[art auctions]], [[pet auctions]], [[fursuit contests]], and the [[Cabaret Fur Le Dance]] being prime examples of main events. Also, the room would double for nightly social dances, such as the [[Fursuit Dance]], and the ever-popular [[Purple Nurple Live]].

Smaller rooms would hold [[SIG]] panels (Special Interest Groups) usually regarding species-specific discussion, art panels, question-and-answer sessions between attendees and special guests, and other general meet-ups.

There was a ConFurence Filk Contest every year.<ref>[http://www.kayshapero.net/cf_fwin.htm ConFurence Filk Contest] on kayshapero.net. Retrieved May 3, 2008.</ref>

== Controversy ==
{{NPOV}}
As the furry fandom rapidly increased in fans, and with the rise of furry-specific [[MU*]]s, convention attendance rose sharply over the following years. For many, ConFurence would mark their first experience at convention-going.

By [[ConFurence 8]], the general attitude toward ConFurence was that it was a "wild party" and that things getting out of control at times. Rumors flew around, depending on who said them and who believed them, of strange and funky occurrences amongst guests{{fact}}. This ranged from two reports of semen found in elevators<ref>[http://groups.google.ca/group/alt.fan.furry/msg/98d6c51938a3b98e?hl=en alt.fan.furry post] by [[Ed Kline]] on Feb. 8, 1997.</ref><ref>[http://groups.google.ca/group/alt.fan.furry/msg/3608cd0e2fbf3ba9?hl=en alt.fan.furry post] by Brad Austin on Dec. 28, 1997.</ref>, guests running about in revealing clothing (one report involved an attendee wearing a Dixie cups in a lewd manner, though [[Gary Burke]] attempted to debunk the report that it was actually a Dixie cup <ref>[http://groups.google.ca/group/alt.fan.furry/msg/1143808507c0919e?hl=en& Friends at CF7] - A post to [[alt.fan.furry]] from [[Gary Burke]]</ref>), wild room parties where increasingly unthinkable acts were occurring{{fact}}, and an increasingly offbeat programming track{{fact}}, including a live "slave" auction, later renamed the [[pet auction]]: a re-creation of a pastime on several [[MUCK]]s such as [[FurryMUCK]] and [[Tapestries]].{{fact}}

Other accusations include the owners' alleged attempts at increasing con attendance by offering "Free memberships to FurryMUCK members". {{fact}} Mark's own words on the subject put a bit of perspective on the issue: "That would be totally stupid! It wouldn't be a practical business move. And yes, ConFurence was a business. I would lose money. Plus, how on earth would I know if it's really them? It's absurd!" {{fact}}

== Change of ownership ==

During the final staff meeting, Mark Merlino made the announcement that after [[CF10]], he would be stepping down as [[convention chairman]]. Nominations and a staff-wide vote was cast. [[Darrel Exline]] was voted in as the new head of the convention starting post-CF10. The rights to the ConFurence name were [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.furry/browse_frm/thread/d2b120ab5c3ebc5e/6a09db8c3d9868a2#6a09db8c3d9868a2 transferred] from Mark to Darrel for US$1. The rights and merchandise for cons 1-10 remained Mark's property, while the name "ConFurence" and all future events after 4 April 1999 became the sole property of Darrel.

Darrel changed the administrative make-up of the convention, creating an umbrella company called [[ConFurence Group]] which would be the overall entity in control of several subgroups and events: ConFurence, [[CritterConDiego]], and [[ZonieCon]].

A change of venue to the Burbank Hilton was announced. All three subsequent ConFurences were held there. The numbering of the conventions was altered to follow the trend set by other entities to a yearly indicator. ConFurence 13 became [[ConFurence 2002]], and similarly for the one following in 2003.

== Decline ==

Depending who you ask, what happened next to the convention is up for debate. Convention attendance continued to decline. Many debate as to the reasons why this occurred; among the debated factors were:

===Reputation===
Two types of people regularly complained about ConFurence. Half complained it was too wild; the other half complained it wasn't wild enough. When Darrel Exline accepted the duties of con chair in 1999, he admitted he considered himself a Burned Fur <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.furry/msg/1b0a6277b9371d98?hl=en& Darrel Exline on AFF, 03/29/99] - Darrel Exline states he is a Burned Fur</ref>, and Burned Fur member Hangdog began spreading the rumor that Burned Fur was "running" Confurence<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.furry/msg/946b48c02707a034 Hangdog on AFF, 09/08/99] - Hangdog claims Burned Fur is running Confurence</ref>. When furry lifestylers started expressing reservations about attending Confurence and deciding not to attend, Burned Fur member Mitch Marmel remarked that Confurence was "surviving and thriving without them."<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.furry/msg/2926412ab094c1ec?hl=en& M. Mitchell Marmel on AFF, 05/20/02] - MMM claims CF is "surviving and thriving"—he had made similar remarks on a mailing list in 2001.</ref> ConFurence eventually gained a stigma as "Burnedfurence" and never recovered. Darrel Exline did not declare he wasn't a Burned Fur until 2001<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.lifestyle.furry/msg/47dbe313470d2c0b Darrel Exline on ALF, 04/09/01] - In response to "Burnedfurence" label, Darrel Exline finally disassociates himself from Burned Fur</ref>.

Although the entire staff of Confurence pre-Darrel practically remained the same, with the exception of a few new staff who came in from [[wikipedia:LASFS|LASFS]], the idea that the convention lost members due to Darrel's political and social affiliations still cannot either be dismissed as untrue or as fact.

===Date and venue of the con===
During [[ConFurence 9]], Rod O'Riley announced that the convention would be changing its venue to San Diego, and the date would be changing from late January to mid-April. It was at this point that [[Mitra]], [[Whitefire]] and others immediately began to plan a convention that would be more convenient to the [[Bay Area]], since San Diego was distant for the majority of Californian furs to travel. This became [[Further Confusion]].

The change of CF's date was also a shock, as many had planned their schedules according to the January pattern. Additional bad timing came from the fact that [[ConFurence 10]] happened on Easter weekend, which many complained would make it impossible for them to travel. Later ConFuerences did ''not'' occur on the holiday weekend, but attendance continued to decline. [[Further Confusion|FC]] was a major contributing factor: they scheduled themselves in ConFurence's old January timeslot, giving the northern Californian attendees a local con that fit many people's schedules.

In the following years, moving ConFurence north to Irvine and Burbank did nothing to improve registration. Many said that with the dropping attendance, the Burbank Hilton began to look like a "Ghost Town". The hotel had a full-fledged convention center adjacent to the main tower large enough handle 1000+ attendees; many people complained that the large venue made the convention seem even smaller than it was, and that running into friends and acquaintances was made more difficult in the huge space. While the actual attendance did not drop all that sharply, the venue itself made it seem that way.

===Price===
The price of the convention steadily rose, and those only wanting partial or single-day memberships were met with lessened amenities and still higher prices. The idea of trying to push people into getting a full membership failed as those casual attendees who knew they would not be able to attend all 4 days would be spending much more money for a 2-day (weekend) registration. Some resorted to simply hanging out in the lobby and at room parties in people's personal hotel rooms, rather than pay for the rising price of a shrinking convention and programming track. The collapse of the economic dot-com bubble in California may also have been a factor.

===Depreciation===
Following [[ConFurence 9]], the next two years witnessed a sharp increase in the number of furry fans finding out about the fandom and gave to a rise of regional Furry Conventions nation-wide. [[Conifur Northwest]], [[Mephit Furmeet]], [[Furry Spring Break]], [[Feral!]], and [[ZonieCon]] (to name just a few) suddenly sprung up, and the need for furs to travel cross-country diminished.

Whatever the case, Darrel announced that [[ConFurence 2003]] (14) would be the final ConFurence, and that the name and event, while still remaining his sole property, would cease to exist and operate. In the program book, Darrel explained some of his motivations for keeping the convention alive, admitting to mistakes and things he could have done better<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060503034356/http://www.polarden.org/confurence/ ConFurence is no more] by Darrel L. Exline (mirror on Archive.org)</ref>. Debates about his chairmanship continued after the end of the ConFurence, pointing out he had allowed television crews to attend during the final year<ref>[http://www.flayrah.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1472 Rumor control from Darrel Exline]. ''[[Flayrah]]'', May 1, 2003.</ref>.

The demise of ConFurence led to the almost instantaneous rise of [[Califur]], with a similar staff to ConFurence, to be held the following year.

== See also ==

* [[Wikipedia:ConFurence|ConFurence]] at Wikipedia
* [[The ConFurence Group]]

== References ==
<references />
* "ConFurence Countdown", an article with thumbnail descriptions of [[CF0]] to [[CF8]], from the [[CF9]] programme book (pp 53-55)
* "The Origins of ConFurence" by [[Rod O'Riley]], an article from the [[CF10]] programme book (pp 41-43)
* [http://www.polarden.org/cf-archive/confurence/documents/CF2003GoodbyeFromTheChairman.swf "Fifteen Years is a Good Run"] by [[Darrel Exline]] as printed in the [[ConFurence 2003]] Souvenir Program Book.

== External links ==

* [http://www.polarden.org/confurence/ ConFurence Group Website] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20060219223243/www.polarden.org/confurence/ backup])
* [http://www.confurence.com/ ConFurence 1-10 Portal]
* ''[http://ranea.org/falf/articles/cf.html Enough Already - Can't we just go to ConFurence and shut up about it?]'' - [[Watts Martin]] on ConFurence at the start of 1998
* {{con resources}}
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