Unthrocon
So, yeah, Unthrocon is just a few days from happening. I've been running around like crazy the last few weeks trying to get things ready for Utah's first "official" furry convention. Not to mention working my normal 7 on/7 off graveyard shift in the lab, and now having to switch days so that I have the time off to actually be present and help run the con. There's......stress.
But, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Things are squared away with the hotel, we have room diagrams in place for where things are going to go and what's going to happen, I have the essential shifts covered for the con, and it seems like there's a lot of positive chatter with the Facebook furries, concerning the con. We got our room block filled with the hotel a few days before it closed, so as long as everyone shows up and stays they number of nights they reserved, we don't have to worry about covering any expenses for unfilled rooms. Plus, given our preregistration numbers and those who have registered at the Silver and Gold levels, we have the hotel event spaces covered. Right now everything else coming is will be going towards paying us back for all the expenses in getting materials, swag, and rentals for Unthrocon.
Hey, did you guys know that it costs a good chunk of change to run a convention?! ;)
Anywho, it's been an interesting experience, to say the least. The general plan was to let Unthrocon grow more organically, and over a few years, make the transition to a convention. But, in the spring, things got accelerated. Last year was the first year we held Unthrocon, and it was just a one day event. People seemed to have fun and we figured we'd do it again the next year, and maybe go for an event that spanned a day and a half, or possibly two days. At this time, another group in Utah decided that they wanted to do a full blown convention (they chose the name Western Anthropomorphic Rendezvous, or as most referred to it, W.A.R.), and they planned their event a few weeks before when we would have held ours. Take that however you like. Still, we all new that Utah couldn't support two competing events, especially when they are so close to each other, so we decided to step back and let them have a go. It was a weight off our shoulders, to be honest, and we felt pretty good that we had shown Utah was ready for something bigger than holiday parties and monthly furmeets.
WAR seemed to have a decent amount of support from the local furries, and everyone around here was getting energized. The biggest trouble WAR had was getting the funding for the event. They managed to get the money for the down payment, but as their con was drawing nearer and as the initial flood of funds from private furry donors started to slow down, I think they realized that it wouldn't end well if they went through with it, so at the beginning of February they canceled the con. The locals were obviously disheartened by this, and a few announced that Utah would never have a con and didn't need one. Still, some were eager to see something happen, and those of us who put on Unthrocon last year started getting questions about another one happening. We figured we could try and put something together, started talking, and quickly came to the conclusion that we needed to deliver something very con-like, if not a full convention. So, I started hunting around for hotels that would meet our needs and fit our budget, found the Radisson (which also hosts other sci-fi conventions), and worked out a deal for 5 rooms to use as the convention space, and a 15 room block. I know that sounds pretty underwhelming, but believe me when I say that the money involved in that small of a contract is enough to give me butterflies in my stomach. And when I signed the contract, it was a very surreal experience.
Fast forward to today (there's more to tell, but that would make this a much longer post), and we are just a few days away from starting the convention. It runs from 8/30 through 9/1. I feel okay talking about it now so that no one feels like I am trying to coax them into helping support a Utah convention. If you're interested in seeing what we're about, head on over to the website: https://www.unthrocon.org/ , and I am running a Facebook group for the con: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unthrocon/
I'm sure I'll have more to say as the convention happens. Hopefully I can sit down and give a rundown of all that stuff after Unthrocon. Until then, everyone have a good time!
-overzen
But, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Things are squared away with the hotel, we have room diagrams in place for where things are going to go and what's going to happen, I have the essential shifts covered for the con, and it seems like there's a lot of positive chatter with the Facebook furries, concerning the con. We got our room block filled with the hotel a few days before it closed, so as long as everyone shows up and stays they number of nights they reserved, we don't have to worry about covering any expenses for unfilled rooms. Plus, given our preregistration numbers and those who have registered at the Silver and Gold levels, we have the hotel event spaces covered. Right now everything else coming is will be going towards paying us back for all the expenses in getting materials, swag, and rentals for Unthrocon.
Hey, did you guys know that it costs a good chunk of change to run a convention?! ;)
Anywho, it's been an interesting experience, to say the least. The general plan was to let Unthrocon grow more organically, and over a few years, make the transition to a convention. But, in the spring, things got accelerated. Last year was the first year we held Unthrocon, and it was just a one day event. People seemed to have fun and we figured we'd do it again the next year, and maybe go for an event that spanned a day and a half, or possibly two days. At this time, another group in Utah decided that they wanted to do a full blown convention (they chose the name Western Anthropomorphic Rendezvous, or as most referred to it, W.A.R.), and they planned their event a few weeks before when we would have held ours. Take that however you like. Still, we all new that Utah couldn't support two competing events, especially when they are so close to each other, so we decided to step back and let them have a go. It was a weight off our shoulders, to be honest, and we felt pretty good that we had shown Utah was ready for something bigger than holiday parties and monthly furmeets.
WAR seemed to have a decent amount of support from the local furries, and everyone around here was getting energized. The biggest trouble WAR had was getting the funding for the event. They managed to get the money for the down payment, but as their con was drawing nearer and as the initial flood of funds from private furry donors started to slow down, I think they realized that it wouldn't end well if they went through with it, so at the beginning of February they canceled the con. The locals were obviously disheartened by this, and a few announced that Utah would never have a con and didn't need one. Still, some were eager to see something happen, and those of us who put on Unthrocon last year started getting questions about another one happening. We figured we could try and put something together, started talking, and quickly came to the conclusion that we needed to deliver something very con-like, if not a full convention. So, I started hunting around for hotels that would meet our needs and fit our budget, found the Radisson (which also hosts other sci-fi conventions), and worked out a deal for 5 rooms to use as the convention space, and a 15 room block. I know that sounds pretty underwhelming, but believe me when I say that the money involved in that small of a contract is enough to give me butterflies in my stomach. And when I signed the contract, it was a very surreal experience.
Fast forward to today (there's more to tell, but that would make this a much longer post), and we are just a few days away from starting the convention. It runs from 8/30 through 9/1. I feel okay talking about it now so that no one feels like I am trying to coax them into helping support a Utah convention. If you're interested in seeing what we're about, head on over to the website: https://www.unthrocon.org/ , and I am running a Facebook group for the con: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unthrocon/
I'm sure I'll have more to say as the convention happens. Hopefully I can sit down and give a rundown of all that stuff after Unthrocon. Until then, everyone have a good time!
-overzen