Mephit Fur Meet 2026 Cancelled

I really hate reporting this, it was awful when their hotel suddenly cancelled with literally 3 weeks to the convention. I really give it to all the hard work that staff to find a location.

Taken directly from their site https://www.mephitfurmeet.org/

Dear MFM Family,

We have some sad news to share with you. We need to postpone Mephit Fur Meet this year.

Since Thursday we’ve done the following things:

Made 132 phone calls to different venues
Actually had conversations with 73 different hotels across Tennessee and Mississippi
Had three hotels go from “yes we can host you” to “oh wait, no we can’t” after we told them we wanted to move forward
We’ve done everything we can do. Labor Day weekend is a very busy weekend in the Memphis area, and it shows. Every hotel around is full.

The poll last night was very close, with a tight mix between “postpone until 2027” and “try to have a mini Memphit.” (A virtual event was not that popular.) Since it was close we made even more phone calls this morning to try to find a place in cities further away, but even those came up empty.

We’ll have details coming up in a few days about how we’re going to handle memberships. We need to decide what to do with our systems to make that possible. (We’ll quickly need to add something new.)

We are going to extend the deadline for requesting a refund to this weekend if you would rather have a refund than rolling over to MFM 2027. We want to be transparent with our family that most of our funds have been tied up in prep for 2026, so we’d much prefer it if folks would roll over to 2027, but we’ll work with you.

We know this is going to have a financial impact on some of our attendees, and we’re really sorry. This is very frustrating for us, too. (Some of our directors and staffers are dealing with flights that aren’t refundable, too.) We’re really unhappy that we’ve had to make this decision, none of us wanted this.

We hope to see you back in 2027 for our big furry family reunion.

With exhaustion of everything,
Alex, Blue, Bunny, Goliath, and Tyger

Mephit Fur Meet Lost Venue

August 15th, 2026

We are pleased to announce that we’ve been able to come up with a plan to still be able to hold an event this year!

More details will be announced as we have them. We wanted to be transparent with our MFM family that MFM2026 will not be a traditional MFM as we all know it, but we’ll still be able to meet. We know you might have travel plans that need to be dealt with, and we wanted to let you know there will be a Mephit Fur Meet to come home to.

We’re still working on details with our venue. We will have room booking information available next week.

Thanks for hanging in there with us,
Alex, Blue, Bunny, Goliath, and Tyger

August 14th, 2026

We have confirmation from the hotel that they have begun issuing refunds back to the original form of payment used to secure your room.

If you haven’t heard from them in a few days, contact the hotel directly.

August 13th, 2026

Dear MFM Family,

Today we received the following letter from our hotel:

We are writing to inform you that Memphis Vitality Hotel will cease hotel operations effective August 16, 2026. As a result, the hotel will be unable to accommodate your upcoming group, event and/or room block.

The hotel is ceasing operations due to circumstances outside Bright’s control relating to the funding of the property. Bright, as management company, has worked extensively over an extended period to maintain operations at the hotel.

This means that, at the moment, we no longer have a venue for Mephit Fur Meet 2026.

The letter goes on to say:

Deposits and advance payments associated with your booking are being addressed as part of the property’s transition. We are seeking direction from the property owner regarding the processing of refunds and will contact you as soon as we have specifics.

Mephit Fur Meet does not know the status of your hotel reservation deposit. We suggest you wait a few days before reaching out to the hotel to see if they contact you first.

Our team of Directors are working tirelessly to find a new venue for MFM 2026. We have interest from several properties in the area, but at the moment have no information we can share.

Please stay tuned while we work on figuring out the status of MFM 2026. We’ll post updates here on our website as we have them, and on our MFM Announcements Telegram group: https://t.me/mephitfurmeet

Your MFM Director Team,
Alex, Blue, Bunny, Goliath, and Tyger

Minus The Airlines

With the 10% cut in airline travel starting this week, and with the threat of a total shutdown of all airline travel. I felt it was time I address the issue. I am fully aware a lot of furries count on the airlines. Mainly due to work schedules. As in they can sneak a fur con in when they got the time off.

I am fairly lucky where I live, MFF is not that far away. I take the local public transportation, CTA and PACE. Then Uber back and forth from my hotel. Unfortunately I am not on any of those handy buses routes.

I know many of you can, and do.

Which only leaves getting to the con. I call this article “Minus the Airlines”, because that is a good possibility. By the time MFF rolls around in just a few weeks. There might be nothing flying. Let me make that clear, I am not saying it’s going to happen… but it might.

Then what to do?

I have made it no secret that I love trains. I think train travel is the best, wide seats, food options and if your inclined you can get an adult drink. Are all great.

But I am also fully aware that this is not an option for some, neither are the buses. For all 6′ 2 of me I don’t exactly sit comfortable on a bus. But I do take them when there are no other option. You see I don’t drive, that is a choice, too many aggressive drivers.

So that only lives the final option… DRIVING

Is driving halfway across the country a real option?!!!

For some this maybe the only option.

Look I am not saying change your actual travel plans. But be aware of what is going on in that Looney Bin we call the White House.

I would also advise everyone “Know what your options are”.

If that includes cutting back what cons you see that maybe is another choice.

I was contacted by more than one, telling me they have already cutback. Limiting to cons they can actually drive.

Because we don’t know what those nuts in DC are planning to make our lives worse.