Furry Fandom

"PITTSBURGH -- The city of Pittsburgh will be taking another walk on the wild side with the annual Anthrocon this weekend. The annual convention for those fascinated with anthropomorphics -- or "furries" -- returns to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on Thursday. Many of the thousands of people expected to attend to convention will dress in full or partial animal costumes as they walk through the streets of downtown Pittsburgh." - Morton Fox from Bookmarklet

"Maureen O'Connor — Thousands of furries descend on Pittsburgh this weekend, for the sixth annual Anthrocon, America's foremost convention for "anthropomorphics," commonly known as "furries." Participants are already wandering the streets of Steel City, wearing costumes and carrying puppets, posing for pictures with locals, going to raves, and singing "furraoke" while boozing at local bars. This must be confusing for the children of Pittsburgh. Furries are expected to spend $5.3 million in four days at the festival, which makes them pretty popular this weekend." - Morton Fox from Bookmarklet

"Maureen O'Connor — Thousands of furries descend on Pittsburgh this weekend, for the sixth annual Anthrocon, America's foremost convention for "anthropomorphics," commonly known as "furries." Participants are already wandering the streets of Steel City, wearing costumes and carrying puppets, posing for pictures with locals, going to raves, and singing "furraoke" while boozing at local bars. This must be confusing for the children of Pittsburgh. Furries are expected to spend $5.3 million in four days at the festival, which makes them pretty popular this weekend." - Morton Fox from Bookmarklet

"(Reuters) - Thousands of "furries" -- fans of animated cartoon animals -- gathered in Pittsburgh on Friday for the opening of their annual convention celebrating their off-beat interest. The convention features artwork, comic book sales, dances, puppetry classes and panel discussions on storytelling and voice acting, organizers said." - Morton Fox from Bookmarklet

"Dr. Dolittle may have walked and talked with the animals, but unlike me, he never got drunk on margaritas with them. I have this advantage because he never attended a weekend event called “FurFright,” held at the Sheraton Bradley hotel in Connecticut.  “FurFright” is an annual Furry convention in which regular, tax paying citizens dress up as jungle beasts, house pets or woodland creatures and socialize under assumed zoological names. They also attend Furry-themed seminars, play air guitar and battle each other with water noodles at Fursuit Massacre.  Contrary to popular lore (and perhaps disappointing to some) kinky sex is not necessarily the main attraction.While this hotel is connected to the Bradley Airport and shares the same parking decks, I cannot claim that I simply stumbled onto this convention on a layover to Milwaukee. I made a special effort to get there for the weekend, enlisting my boyfriend Mike to drive. I even purchased a white kitten outfit, with mask, tail, collar and a little golden bell." - Morton Fox from Bookmarklet

"It took four days for Jennifer Zimmer of Colorado Springs to sew and glue "Val" — her "blue raspberry," curly-tailed cocker spaniel costume — so she could fit in with the other 300 or so "Furries" who attended their third annual Rocky Mountain Fur Con (convention). "I'm a second-generation Furry, and it's fun. I like making kids happy and connecting with other Furries," said Zimmer, 19, who, despite being unemployed, managed to plunk down $173 for the costume she wore Saturday so that she could participate in the Fursuit Parade on the 16th Street Mall. The 2009 convention drew members from across the country who dress in either full or partial animal or cartoon animal costumes." - Morton Fox from Bookmarklet

I would never have gotten to know you, Morton, without Friendfeed. - edythe from iPhone

Coming up in about a month. - Morton Fox