Furry Fandom Conventions, 1989–2015

Furry fandom—an adult social group interested in anthropomorphic animals in art, literature and culture—has grown since the 1980s to include an estimated 50,000 “furries.” Their largest annual convention drew more than 6,000 attendees in 2015, including 1,000 dressed in “fur suits” or mascot-type animal costumes. Conventions typically include awards, organizations, art, literature and movies, encompassing a wide range of creative pursuits beyond animal costuming. This study of the furry subculture presents a history of the oft-misunderstood group and lists all conventions around the world from 1989 through 2015, including organizers, guests of honor and donations to charity.

The late Fred Patten was a noted expert with awards in animation and science fiction, and one of the founders of the social subcultures of furry fandom and Japanese anime fandom. He lived in Los Angeles, California.

Fred Patten

Foreword by Kathleen C. Gerbasi

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 260
Bibliographic Info: 68 photos (23 in color), index
Copyright Date: 2017
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6381-4
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2688-8
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
Furword by Kathleen C. Gerbasi 1
Preface 3
Introduction 5
The Conventions 13
Between pages 124 and 125 are 8 color plates containing 23 photographs
Appendix: Furry Convention Attendance Milestones 221
Index 223

• “A work of scholarship…an impressive feat of scholarship…will surely be consulted for years to come”—Flayrah
• “Invaluable for the future of fan conventions and furries…something worth howling over”—The Eaton Journal of Archival Research in Science Fiction