The annual furry convention, Anthrocon 2025, returns to Pittsburgh this weekend
Anthrocon 2025 has officially kicked off, and organizers say this year's convention is the biggest one yet. The popular furry convention, which celebrates anthropomorphic art and characters, is expected to draw a record-breaking 19,000 attendees over the weekend.
For nearly two decades, Anthrocon has called Pittsburgh home. What started as a unique gathering has grown into a major event that fills hotels, restaurants, and streets with costumed characters, many with tails, paws, and claws.
"There's so much to offer the world, and here we are to put it on display," said Dr. Samuel Conway, Anthrocon's longtime chairman.
The weekend's festivities include a block party, the fursuit parade, and special events like a screening at the Harris Theater. It's all part of what organizers and city leaders describe as a vibrant and inclusive celebration.
"For nearly two decades, we've had the privilege of hosting the celebration of creativity, individuality, and vibrant community spirit," said Jerad Bachar, President and CEO of Visit Pittsburgh.
So, what is a "Furry?"
Still wondering what exactly a "furry" is? It's more than just wearing a cartoon-style suit. For many, it's a form of artistic expression and community.
"Dreamers, we are people who create worlds, creatures, and also things in our minds," said Dr. Conway.
Others say it helps them connect in ways they can't outside of the convention.
"It's a great place for people with social anxiety or who don't make friends very easily to branch out and meet others," said Nelium the Snow Leopard.
"For a lot of people, they're a little shy outside of a suit, so this helps them get out there and be more extroverted," added Zune the Wolf.
How much do these costumes cost participants?
Those fursuits don't come cheap, either.
"Too much," said Zune, when asked about the price. "Mine was $2,500."
Another attendee said theirs cost $4,100 before the pandemic, and prices have only gone up since then.
While it may look like all fun and fur, the economic impact is very real.
VisitPITTSBURGH estimates more than $21 million in visitor spending this weekend alone.
Anthrocon runs through Sunday in and around the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Man Breaks Up with Girlfriend Due to the 'Shocking' State of Her Apartment
He didn't mention the apartment when they broke up but wonders if he should haveNEED TO KNOW A man shares that he broke up with his girlfriend due to the state of her apartment He said she had week-old food sitting out and trash overflowing People on Reddit agreed that he made the right choice, but insist that he should have told her whyA man turned to the internet to see if he acted too brashly when breaking up with his girlfriend over the state of her apartment. In a post on Reddit, the man explains that he and his "gorgeous" girlfriend had been dating for a few months after meeting through friends. Last weekend, his girlfriend invited him to her place for the first time. The woman mentioned that her apartment was a "mess," but the man laughed it off, thinking she was being "self-deprecating." "I want to start off by saying I know that people have their reasons for stuff like this and I don't want to be disrespectful in any way," he starts. "But the state of her apartment was genuinely shocking when I first went in." "It was a pretty small place, and I'm not just talking about clutter. Literal piles of trash on the floor, a sink full of dishes overflowing onto the counter, stains on the couch and carpet, week-old food on the table, and just piles and piles of stuff everywhere," he adds. "Not to mention the overpowering smell of mold and mildew that I could taste in my mouth." His girlfriend, however, acted like everything "was completely normal," and they watched a movie on the couch before it got too late. While he "tried not to act weird," he admitted that she likely "noticed' something was off."The next day, I called her and told her I didn't think things were gonna be compatible between us, and she got mad at me for leading her on and breaking up with her for no reason. I didn't mention the apartment, but maybe I should have," the man shares. "I feel bad for her, and I'm worried I might have acted too quickly." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. While people in the comments section agreed he had every right to end things, they said he should have been honest about the reason for the breakup. "But I do think you should've mentioned the apartment. People who don't know what the problem is cannot take any corrective action. Tell her and move on," one person wrote. "Compatibility isn't just about chemistry, it's also about hygiene. If I have to dodge pizza boxes like landmines just to sit down, that's not 'quirky,' that's a health hazard," another added. "You didn't ghost her, you bowed out respectfully. That's not being shallow, that's self-preservation." Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Nearly Three-Quarters of Podcast Audiences Play the Video, Too, for Some Reason
Nearly three-quarters of podcast consumers play the video as they listen along, even though it's pretty mucho just two people sitting at microphones chatting most of the time, according to a survey cited in a Saturday report in the New York Times. Often the videos are minimized on the listeners' screens – and they're not missing much, as they rarely contain any actual visual aids. But only about a quarter listen to the audio only. More from TheWrap Nearly Three-Quarters of Podcast Audiences Play the Video, Too, for Some Reason James Gunn Says It Was 'Terrible' Telling Henry Cavill He Was Recasting Superman: 'It Was Really Unfair to Him' | Video Pete Buttigieg Makes Surprisingly Cheeky Barstool Sports Appearance to Present 'Lib of the Year' Award Jon Stewart on Potential 'Daily Show' Cancellation After Skydance Merger: 'Been Kicked Out of S–ttier Establishments' The research, from an April survey by Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights, was the center of a Saturday deep-dive on the behavior by the New York Times, which spoke to several people who gave anecdotal reasons for the habit. About 30% of podcast listeners just have the video playing in the background, or minimized on their device while listening, according to the Signal Hill survey. But that still leaves a significant portion who are watching … talking heads. Signal Hill said the behavior holds across age groups, suggesting it's not just a trend among Gen Z-and-younger, whose taste for video is virtually a pillar of their consumer identity. The survey found another strange anomaly – a paradox, even – among people who consume podcasts on YouTube, where 58 percent listen to audio only, or with the video minimized in the background. YouTube is the largest single platform for podcast intake, though a large majority of consumers use other platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, the Times reported. 'I don't have the ability to watch the entire thing through, but I do my glance-downs if I hear something funny,' 31-year-old Zoë McDermott, a title insurance producer from Pennsylvania, told the Times. 'It's passive a little bit.' Many ad deals require podcasters to have a video component, as consumers have come to expect it, the Times reported. 'It feels a little more personal, like somebody is there with you,' McDermott said. 'I live alone with my two cats and I'm kind of in a rural area in Pennsylvania, so it's just a little bit of company almost.' The post Nearly Three-Quarters of Podcast Audiences Play the Video, Too, for Some Reason appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mahershala Ali's ‘Blade' Is Still Happening: Kevin Feige Says Initial Project ‘Wasn't Insanely Great at the Time'
'Mahershala Ali is still attached,' Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed at a press event on July 18 (via Variety), bringing some clarity to the long-awaited new 'Blade' entry in the MCU. Just last month, while promoting 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' Ali was evasive while discussing the project. 'Leave me out of it,' Ali said when his 'Jurassic World' co-stars Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey attempted to prod him on a Marvel-related trivia question. 'That's a Scarlett question.' In a separate interview with Variety at the 'Rebirth' premiere, he said. 'Call Marvel… I'm ready. Let them know I'm ready.' More from IndieWire Madelyn Cline Reveals 'Last Summer' Ending Was Shot One Month Before Release David Corenswet: Superman Character Has Been 'Over-Simplified' Onscreen Now, Feige says the project, originally set for release November 2025, says that Marvel simply got weighed down with projects due to the 'over-expansion' of the brand. With the increased demand for product, Feige explained, 'for the very first time ever, quantity trumped quality.' 'We had spent 12 years working on the Infinity Saga, saying, 'That's never going to happen to us.' We always had more characters that people were asking about than we could possibly make, because we weren't going to make a movie a month — that's crazy. Suddenly there's a mandate to make more, and we go, 'Well, we do have more' … But maybe that's what we fell into,' he lamented. Feige went on to explain that they didn't want to 'just put a leather outfit on [Ali] and have him start killing vampires.' Instead, Marvel Studios wanted something 'unique,' and Feige added of the initial scripts, 'It wasn't insanely great at the time.' So, despite Ali's casting announcement in 2019 and his brief voice cameo in 2021's 'Eternals,' the two-time Oscar-winning actor has yet to take on the role originated on film by Wesley Snipes. 'We didn't feel like, as we often do, you can have a good script and make it a great script through production. We didn't feel confident that we could do that on 'Blade,' and we didn't want to do that to Mahershala and didn't want to do that to us,' Feige concluded. The most significant update regarding 'Blade' this year actually made it seem like the project might be dead. Earlier this month, it was revealed that the movie 'Sinners' used period costumes that were originally procured by costume designer Ruth Carter for 'Blade.' Before he revealed the actual status of the production, Feige joked that this was the reason 'Blade' was on hold. 'The obstacle was, Ryan Coogler called and said, 'We'd love some costumes for 'Sinners,'' Feige joked. 'And we said, 'Take 'em man, no problem' — he's a good friend — 'take our costumes. We'll hold off on the movie.'' Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
