One of Pittsburgh’s quirkiest annual events has been forced to skip its 2020 iteration due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Anthrocon, an annual “Furry” convention the Steel City has been hosting since 2006, was supposed to be held July 2-5 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. That will no longer be the case, as Anthrocon 2020 has been officially canceled because of the uncertainty surrounding this global pandemic.
It's with a heavy heart that we have to announce that we're cancelling AC 2020. Without an end in sight for the COVID-19 crisis it's not safe or responsible of us to hold the con.
— #Anthrocon, Inc. (@anthrocon) April 27, 2020
All the info we have is at this link. https://t.co/0JX0Yeb3sb pic.twitter.com/lySqKI2kee
“Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, for which there is no timely end in sight, we have been forced to make the sad decision to cancel Anthrocon 2020,” a message on the convention’s official site reads. “We had hoped to avoid it, but it has become clear that we will not be able to provide a convention experience that is both safe and enjoyable for our attendees.”
It had become a tradition every summer for Downtown Pittsburgh to be flooded with “Furries,” or folks who create animal “fursonas” complete with elaborate costumes and backstories. Here is a more complete Post-Gazette primer on Anthrocon and the Furry community for those unfamiliar with this particular group.
Not only does Anthrocon usually provide a yearly boon for businesses near the convention center, but it also usually donates a portion of its profits to a local charity or organization. For example, Anthrocon 2016 raised $32,579 for The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.
Folks who booked hotel rooms via VisitPittsburgh will have their reservations canceled in the next 24-48 hours and anyone who has already been charged a one-night deposit will have that amount refunded as soon as possible, according to Anthrocon’s website.
The site also indicated that anyone who used a deferral from 2019 to purchase 2020 Anthrocon tickets will have that deferral automatically carry over to 2021 and cannot request a refund. It also clarified that tickets to the “Fursuit Friendly Cruise” will be automatically refunded.
There’s more information on next steps for Furries and vendors who were planning to attend Anthrocon 2020 available through the event’s website, which currently only contains that “important, sad announcement” and instructions for disappointed conventiongoers.
Joshua Axelrod: jaxelrod@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jaxel222.
First Published: April 27, 2020, 11:18 p.m.
