Overture! Hit the Lights! This is it!
Well folks, it’s official. ConFurence Two has more pre-signed people set to join us than our first gathering (ConFurence Zero) had total attendance! At this point we’re expecting a minimum attending population of 150 folks; and 200 or more is not an unlikely number. Our “Convention Theme” for this year is “Favorite Furries, Favorite Tails”. Who do you like best and why do you like them. Or, who or what got you started in furry fandom, and how did you learn that you’re into all this?
Here now a quick update on how things are shaping up:
Special Guests: A full list of the well-known types currently set to join us includes folks like: Juan Alphonso, Bill Fitts, Ken Fletcher, Steve Gallacci, Jim Groat, Steve Martin, Lex Nakashima, Craig Stormon, Jefferson Swycaffer, Edd Vick, Martin Wagner, Reed Waller, Kate Worley, and Vicky Wyman. Whew! Special Presentation times will be available for our four Guests-of-Honor (Reed, Kate, Steve, and Vicky) and their fans in the lecture hall/theater. There our guests can feel free to brag to the world about what they’ve been up to lately. Other guests will be available in the Dealer’s Room and Artist’s Alley to sign autographs, answer questions, duck-and-cover, and whatever else comes to mind!
SIGs: The other big events at ConFurence are the SIGs, or Special Interest Group meetings. Unlike your average convention panel, these are round-robins where well-knowns and not-so-well-knowns alike can gather about a table to trade ideas on a variety of furry topics, and everyone gets a chance to share the floor. Among the topics this time are: Writing, Costumes, Anatomy for the Furry Artist, Animation, Computer Graphics, Furry Fen “Lifestyles”, Comics, “Furotica”, Gaming, BBS Networks, even Juggling! And this year we have but one track of SIG programming, so no need to worry your head over which meeting of several to attend. The final schedule of SIGs will be presented in the Pocket Program, available at Registration.
Anima/Anime: This year the Lecture Hall/Theater serves triple duty. In addition to the Guest-of-Honor lectures, this is the place for the ConFurence Video Show. Some of your favorite furry (and purrrhaps some popular non-furry) shorts, shows and films. Some suggested items on the program include the Wonderworks version of The Narnia Stories, “Tiny Toons” and “Talespin” appreciation sections, favorites from the collection of Cal-Arts student animated films, and rare translated European and Asian films. And also mixed into the fray is our special Anime (Japanese Animation) program. And on that program you’ll see “Famous Detective Holmes” (the funny animal version!), “Outlanders”, “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Baghi” and new items like “Dominion” and “My Enemy is a Pirate”. Schedules for the film room, along with translations for the program items in Japanese, will be found at Registration.
Special Note for Anime Fans: As of this writing, Ani-Con 1, originally scheduled to run concurrently with ConFurence 2 at the nearby Pan-Pacific Hotel, has been cancelled.
Computer Art and Animation will be on continuous display in the main hallway, in numerous forms and formats. If you are attending and have stuff to show, please bring it along! Drop a note to Shayn Raney or John Stanley via the ConFurence box, or leave a message on the fur phone (see below). Let them know what kind of stuff you’d like to bring and what your format needs are, and we’ll see how we can fit everybody in!
FRP Gaming will take place in the SIG Room in the evenings, with some additional day-games in the Hospitality Suite. Sign-ups and Game Master listings will be available at the Registration desk.
The Library will also be located in the Hospitality Suite. This is a place where people can come and view copies of anthropomorphic items (comics, fanzines, novels, illustrated books) they might not have seen before. If you have an item which you think people might find interesting, why not bring it by and show it off? The Library will be properly guarded, and no items will be allowed to leave the area during the main part of the Convention.
Social Events: And that means food! On Friday night it’s the Meet-The-Guests Ice Cream Social, brought to you free of charge with your paid membership. Next night it’s our famous Saturday Night Spaghetti Feed, featuring more words from our guests and voting for your favorite hall costume, followed by the ConFurence Filk Contest and singing into the night. (Tickets for the Feed on sale at Registration.) And finally on Sunday it’s our special after-convention sandwich party, just for our guests and their sponsors only. (Hey, just one more reason for you to become a sponsor, right?
Costumers, Remember: The Costuming SIG takes place mid-day on Saturday, and will combine both a costume presentation (for those who desire to present) and a discussion of costuming techniques, tips, and ideas. An official photo-area will also be set up, though of course there will be plenty of opportunities to take costume pictures or videos in the hallways! Sign-ups for presentations and “skits” will be available at Registration.
Art Show and Dealers’ Room Set-Ups will begin Thursday night, and be ready for opening by 11:00 a.m. on Friday morning. If you cannot make it by then we will save space for you, but needless to say the earlier you can arrive, the easier it will be for you and us! The Holiday Inn Anaheim’s meeting rooms are located on the north side of the building (the side facing Katella Avenue), right across the hallway from the doors to the parking lot. Ramp access is available for those who need to roll in items; call the Fur Phone for more information. At the convention, see John Stanley or Mark Merlino for Art Show information; Rod O’Riley for Dealers’ Room information. (Special note for Dealers: Please contact Rod O’Riley at the Fur Phone if you will require electricity for your table.)
Artists’ Alley: Tables in the Artist’s Alley are available free of charge, and must be cleared off at the end of each day of programming. These tables are made available on first-come, first served basis. Sign-ups for tables will be held on Friday and Saturday morning; however, it is not necessary to sign up for a table on a given day if you have signed up for it the previous day. (Note: This current policy may change if there is a high demand for tables.) See Mark Merlino or Rod O’Riley at the convention for more information about the Artist’s Alley.
Hey, where is this place? The Holiday Inn Anaheim Across-From-Disneyland. In yet another event, we’ve already booked more rooms for this year than ever before — so get in your reservations now! The Hotel is filling fast (especially for Thursday and Sunday Night, when they blocked less rooms for us). If you have any questions or problems, get in touch with the Hotel and they can help find you a room for those nights; in the Inn itself or in any of a dozen hotels within 1/8-mile of the Holiday Inn.
Okay, so how do I get there? Why, you use the convenient map provided below:
Note: When coming south on Harbor Boulevard, the entrance to hotel parking is an immediate left turn just south of the center island. Upon entering the parking lot, turn left again and proceed to the north end of the building. Lots of free parking on the north and east sides of the hotel.
When you get there: Registration opens at 12:00 noon on Friday Jan. 25, and at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Final close-down (prior to the guest party) will take place about 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, right after the Art Auction. When you arrive at the con, if you are pre-registered please have your receipt or your membership number handy. (It helps speed our database.)
ConFurence Needs You!: Help! We are still in need of —
Sponsors: Any ConFurence member can become a sponsor through a $20.00 or more contribution above their initial membership. This will help to defurray the costs of flying, housing and feeding one of our special guests, or the general fund which helps with all of them (your choice). And for this you get admission to the private Guests’ Green Room and after-con party, and the knowledge you’ve helped out a good fannish cause!
Souvenir Book: Once again we’re accepting submissions of art and short articles for the ConFurence Souvenir Book given to all attending and supporting members. Prefurred theme is the special theme of this year’s convention: Favorite Furries, Favorite Tails. That is: 1) Who or what characters or stories do you really like in furries and why?, or 2) How and when did you find out you were into this Anthropomorphics thing? Art should be camera-ready B&W xeroxes (only!) in 8 1/2 X 11 vertical format, or spot illos. Articles should be 500 words or less and double-spaced. Remember: Credit all copyrighted characters to their creators, and note that submissions will not be returned unless asked. The final deadline is the 15th of January, so get yours in today!
Volunteers are still needed for registration, guard duties, art show staff, and other duties on each day of the convention (including local people to help for Thursday Night!). Staff who work a minimum number of hours will receive special compensation for their time and efforts. Get in touch with the ConFurence staff today if you’re willing to help out!
Any Furrther Questions? Feel free to give the Fur Phone (ConFurence messages ) a call at (714) 530-1312, and we’ll get back to you! And we all hope to see you there!
CONFURENCE TWO — De-tails. . .
WHEN:
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, January 25 thru 27, 1991
WHERE:
Holiday Inn Anaheim — Across From Disneyland
850 South Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92802
$68.00/night single or double rooms.
Call (714) 750-2801 for information, and be sure
to say “ConFurence Two”!
HOW MUCH:
$25.00 for full memberships by mail until 1/15/91,
or at the door.
$10.00 for supporting membership, anytime.
(Gets all mailings and the Souvenir Book)
$12.00 one-day membership (at the door only)
Special Offer: $17.00 full membership for
previous attending or supporting members!
Sponsorship: $20.00 or more contribution above
your membership fees.
WRITE TO:
ConFurence
P.O. Box 1958
Garden Grove
CA 92642-1958
WHO?: Mark Merlino, Rod O’Riley, John Stanley,
Shayn Raney, Larry Adams, Waverly Pierre, Henry
Brown Jr., and Tom McDaniel. That’s who!
(Special thanks to Jim Lomax and crew for their help
with the Anime programming!)