Tag: convention

Which Furry Convention Will Break 20,000 attendees?

Ahmar Wolf

Our Contenders

Anthrocon 18,357
Furry Weekend Atlanta 17,736
Midwest FurFest 16,925

Those are real numbers folks, fur cons are getting the same attendance as Anime cons got a few years ago. It is also a very strong possibility that it will happen… we just don’t know when.

All the cons listed encourage furries to come. In my opinion some better than others.

I am not going to second guess what they are doing is wrong. But reporting on conventions as I do you notice this.

Lets take Anthrocon

Who makes it a city wide event. I know some who went to Anthrocon got side tracked by all that was going on and missed the con itself. You think I am making this up ask your friends. They have river cruses, which sell out fast.

Then there Furry Weekend Atlanta, and the use of multiple hotels, no wonder they are a fast rising convention. They are doing everything to get furries to come. I know some who hate that. But what can you do? Besides more than 1 posted it never felt crowded.

Then there is Midwest FurFest, my home con. It takes me roughly an hour to get to MFF from my apt. I also hear the complaints, not only the Sky Bridge of Doom we all heard about but the crowds. I kid you not if you have to go from the hotel to the convention center it’s faster to take the outside route than take the Sky Bridge. It’s hard to admit your fav con is stagnating. They have not done a single outside activity since Zootopia came out in 2016. Where they made a profit which went to charity. The board then said they do another. But here it is 10 years later and nothing. Meanwhile even the convention center is getting packed. There is evidence everywhere from YouTube to Tik Tok. It’s getting harder and harder to move around. Thankfully most of the panels I saw last year was held at the convention center. I honestly don’t know what we would have done if we had to go back and forth.

Frankly it is really getting bad, mornings and early afternoons are the best times. The Evenings are horrible. Also for a 2nd year in a row it’s better to hit the Dealer’s Den the next day.

The reality of it evenings it gets packed. You know they have security monitoring the traffic in the Sky Bridge.

MFF is going to have to do something, but I don’t see them improving things. I know some who have stopped going, even a friend is considering it.

So who will break 20,000? Even money it won’t be MFF

Other Conventions & Fan Sites…

Ahmar Wolf

Me traveling to various fur cons, it has also given me a chance to speak with actual board members of those conventions. Believe me 99.9999% of conventions don’t start making demands of sites that actually support them. Yes honestly support them. By talking about say a fur con or meet it might cause someone to actually go to a con they normally wouldn’t attend.

That was said to me by one of Fur Squared actual board members. No threat, no warning just actually being welcomed. This same story has been repeated multiple times. To one member of Furry Migration’s board who knew something about my own site. Actually saluted my work. Because I make thing simple, they weren’t surprised by my honest reaction. Mainly this is the real me at conventions.
In fact I was indirectly thanked for my suggestion about making guides to nearby restaurants. A real problem I had at Furry Migration.

Then there are those who literally praise smaller sites, even calling us the Backbone of The Furry Convention scene. I am not ungrateful for those who have helped me and the many members of staff I had such a marvelous time chatting… Even at MFF when possible.

Conventions for some can be confusing, location, extra and etc. Frankly the only way sometimes you can find out any details is by actually being there.

LOL IFC is going to be so different this year. Believe me The Hyatt Regency Indianapolis looks fantastic. I see dozens of opportunities to make videos. But here is the thing, how are things laid out, how many restaurants, and so many other things I know would bore you. These are legit questions and I know I am not the only one answering them.

I literally fill the gap.

Let me make this clear, I am not making threats, just stating facts. The way conventions and hotels treat con goers depends on it’s own survival . There are plenty of stories where a convention gets labeled a BAD CON. Which we all know is the Kiss of Death. Way too many examples. I hope that one
con continues, but we all know all it takes….

MFF 2025 Update

Ahmar Wolf1 Comment

MFF has finally made their schedule OFFICIAL, despite being listed on Sched for the last few weeks. The most notable changes is the Furry Variety Show is on the same time as Friday’s Fursuit Games. In addition MFF has literally gone from all you did on Thursday was get your badge and head back to your hotel. To a full blown schedule, of no less than 49 panels. Not even joking see for yourself

https://midwestfurfest2025.sched.com/

There is a lot, but that isn’t the only change this year…

Hall F is the biggest change. They moved the Dealer’s Den to the largest space it ever had. But also a space where a lot say it should have been for years. Can’t wait to see who is going to be there. Adult Annex also has a larger space as well as the Art Show. Both got moved.

I would also say more of the convention is at the convention center. Not that is a bad move, it’s dealing with the crowd. Something the anime convention have been doing for years.

There has been some insane bottlenecks with the crowd over the years. Last year it was Artist Alley, which I could not get into on Friday. A friend and I had to wait until Saturday Morning.

Another thing I noticed is that the more popular events for the most part at the convention center. Save for Main and Secondary stage events they are both still at the hotel. I think there will be less traveling in The Corridor of Death AKA The Skybridge. Still hope for good weather, what really helped was sunny skies and more taking the outside route. Which for the record is shorter.

As for me I am working on what I want to see and that Corridor video I do that is still quite popular. I think I have no choice but to start at the hotel. As for the rest that is still pretty much TBA for now.

As far as the Picks for Panel. They are quite good. More comedy this year, although I wish Alkali makes a come back. Those running similar panels do quite a good job. You got an amazing range we got everything from Circus Furs to a Plush meet, at least 1 game show, and a meet for furries in business. I said it was a good range.