Not even Canadian wildfire smoke could obscure the animal-themed bursts of color popping up all around Downtown announcing that it’s once again Anthrocon weekend in Pittsburgh.
Yes, the furries are officially back in town for Anthrocon’s 16th year of taking over the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Thousands of folks in homemade and specifically designed fursuits are flocking to Pittsburgh for four days of showing off their hard work, supporting artists and local charities, enjoying all the Steel City has to offer and, of course, making new connections with folks who share their passion for furry culture and all it represents.
“The city supports us, and we support the city,” said Fooma, a Floridian whose “fursona” is a green otter. “We want to support the charities. It’s all bringing everyone together in different ways.”
Anthrocon has brought in more than $82 million in economic activity and contributed $382,000 to local charities since moving to Pittsburgh in 2006, according to VisitPittsburgh president and CEO Jerad Bachar. Last year’s Anthrocon was the first to be held in-person since 2019 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to go virtual in 2020 and 2021. It ended up drawing 9,702 attendees and raising $41,553 for Westmoreland County-based nonprofit Wildlife Works Inc.
This year’s convention will benefit Rabbit Wranglers — which describes itself on Instagram as “Pittsburgh's only rabbit-focused rescue, education and advocacy org” — through everything from auctions to a live game-show experience re-creating classics like “Lingo” and Concentration.” On Saturday, convention-goers and random passersby alike will be treated to a block party on Penn Avenue immediately following Anthrocon’s annual fursuit parade.
Bachar first got the sense that Anthrocon 2023 could be the biggest ever when every hotel room VisitPittsburgh had set aside for Anthrocon weekend was booked within 24 hours of becoming available in early February. They ended up reserving room blocks across 16 Downtown hotels. Bachar said VisitPittsburgh is currently projecting that there will be about 13,000 Anthrocon attendees spending an estimated $14.5 million throughout the region this weekend.
“It really shows how welcoming the city is,” Bachar said. “The city has embraced Anthrocon over the years more and more in such a meaningful way. ... I think the city and region has really evolved in its understanding of what this community is all about.”
(Note: Anthrocon attendees who spoke with the Post-Gazette at The Westin Pittsburgh Thursday morning did not want to divulge their real names due to concerns about complicating their professional lives.)
For John Cole, Anthrocon’s public outreach director, “it was terrifying” to see all those hotel rooms booked in such a short time period. But that rush for lodging combined with VisitPittsburgh’s swift efforts to ensure all Anthrocon attendees would have a place to stay also served as a prime example of how “we still feed off the energy that the city provides us,” according to Chris Mays, Anthrocon’s assistant director of public relation.
“Pittsburgh puts on its very best [face] when we’re here,” said Cole, whose fursonas include a golden retriever puppy named K.P. and a tiger named Razz. “It’s an environment unlike any other that furry conventions are held. There’s no other city that holds a candle to what Pittsburgh does.”
Anyone hanging out around The Westin, convention center or surrounding businesses Thursday could already feel the energy Anthrocon inspires. Nowhere was that enthusiasm more obvious than Pizza Parma on Liberty Avenue, which sported an “Authorized Fursonnel Only” window sign and a banner temporarily rebranding itself as “Furryland Cafe.” Pizza Parma is also continuing its tradition of selling commemorative dog bowls for Anthrocon attendees.
Pizza Parma Downtown has rebranded itself as “Furryland Cafe” in honor of Anthrocon weekend pic.twitter.com/XLPsYHMuPr
— Joshua Axelrod (@jaxelburgh) June 29, 2023
The only mild gloom was due to the air thick with Canadian wildfire smoke that everyone is hoping won’t be a problem come Saturday’s outdoor fursuit parade and block party. Cole emphasized that there will be plenty of water stations, cooling areas and trained medical professionals around if any weather-related issues arise. Fursuits can get quite hot and stuffy, and Cole urged all Anthrocon attendees to find a place to “take your head off for 10 minutes” if they need a break.
Nymeria, whose fursona is a sea dragon named after Arya Stark’s direwolf from “Game of Thrones,” drove in from Connecticut Wednesday for her first-ever Anthrocon and had been wearing her fursuit since 5:30 a.m. She was so excited to meet other Anthrocon attendees headed to Pittsburgh during her trip. It wasn’t tough for her to spot who “has a furry car,” especially the ones adorned with stickers or with a visible fursuit head in the back seat.
“We were all driving and hanging out with each other and we just all went to Pittsburgh all together,” she said. “When I came into Pittsburgh, I had some pedestrians be like, ‘We’re so glad to have you back!’ I’m like, ‘That’s great, but I’ve never been here!’ It’s been super welcoming, super great, awesome vibe.”
Zalno, a “Ratchet & Clank”-inspired Lombax in town from Virginia, and Coast, a 6-foot 5 husky also hailing from the Old Dominion State, are both Anthrocon veterans looking forward to more revelry with their fellow furries. Coast recalled a heartwarming moment last year when a kid came up to him on a street and asked for a hug.
Zalno is rooting for the rain to hold off Saturday so the airbrushing on his ears remains intact during the parade and block party.
“I’ve never seen that happen at this con, or any con really,” he said, referring to the block party. “I’m really curious to see how that shakes out.”
At this point, Pittsburghers should know how to handle themselves around furries. In case any yinzers need a reminder, though, Zalno reiterated that “we’re just here to have fun, man.” Nymeria concurred: “We just want to be ourselves, hang out, chill.”
Everyone seemed to resonate with Fooma’s final thoughts on what he wants from Pittsburghers during Anthrocon 2023: “Be silly with us!”
Joshua Axelrod: jaxelrod@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jaxelburgh.
First Published: June 29, 2023, 7:27 p.m.
Updated: June 30, 2023, 2:36 a.m.