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IFC 2012 Re-Cap!
13 years ago
Musings of an old, gray (and black) fursuiter!
What a great weekend all around! First and foremost because I conned..um, I mean persuaded my SO to accompany me this year (yay, built in fursuit handler slash assistant). Despite my fears that my partner would NOT have as much fun as I would be having, THEY DID!!! In fact, while I was off doing a few things on my own, they mixed/mingled and had a great time. Now my SO is wanting at least a partial fursuit! I'm thrilled!!
OK, on with the re-cap.
Thurs: got to the hotel, checked in & settled w/a good hour and a half to rest before pre-reg opened so we could pick up our badges. I also dropped off my donation for the charity auction & spent the rest of the evening getting Arlo ready for the weekend.
FRI: Suited up for opening ceremonies and the 'So This is Your First FurCon' panel. I have to say I was a bit disappointed in the panel. The ones I've seen before usually bring a fursuiter up to show new attendees proper interaction behavior and the visual/movement limitations that fursuiters experience. This year's was basically 'Welcome, any questions? Go have fun!'
We kicked around the Dealer's Den & checked out the Art Show before heading over to the Active Fursuiting panel. Good basic information and I'd love to see a more advanced version in future where suiters are able to interact with the panel hosts and perhaps get critiques on our movements/gestures with the goal in mind of improving our performance techniques.
Then it was back to the room so that I could shower & change & we could eat/rest before attending the Furry Match Game followed by Alkali's Whose Lion Is It Anyway? Both shows were hilarious!
SAT: Should have mentioned earlier but the breakfast buffet in the Sheraton cafe was nomingly delicious! We watched a bit of the Furry Charades and then got ready for the Fursuit Parade. I asked my SO to walk with me & we had matching bowling shirts so that folks could see my partner was my handler. Worked out quite well and they were able to carry my totebag (I gave out a few t-shirts that I had designed). I had to admit I was thrilled to see several Stormfire Studios fursuits at this con. I got to meet Tundru and Duke and saw OdinWolf and a rottie suit who's name escapes me. This was the first time I'd seen any of Arlo's 'brothers' in person!
Didn't make it to the Furries in the Media panel but opted for an early dinner and went to Kage's Story Hour then suited up to hit the dancefloor. My SO had the moves, but this poor, tired old graymuzzle wolf spent a lot of time hanging out on the sidelines and enjoying the music....Oh to have discovered fursuiting about 20 years ago....but, I would not have been able to afford one back then!
SUN: Up early, more buffet noms and then to Kage's Convention Horror Stories. We stayed for the IFC Q & A and let me just state for the record: the reason I keep coming back to IFC is because the staff does a kick ass job of running it. Sure there are hiccups (just as in any con situation) but these guys and gals take the time to think about the needs of their attendees and the venue hotel this year was wonderful. Loved having everything on one floor and easily accessible. THANK YOU INDYFURCON STAFF!!!
Passed on the Fursuit Games to attend the Charity Auction (would love to have done both but they were scheduled opposite each other). Got some shots of Arlo keeping the galaxy safe for furry fandom and then attended closing ceremonies.
On the whole it was a great con and my SO's embracing the fandom and now wanting to suit with me was just icing on the cake of a fun weekend.
General Likes: the Sponsor Suite! Loved the hot food service, made mealtimes very easy! SuperSponsor gift...who wouldn't love their own dark red, squeaky, plush Tribble?! Getting to see Alkali, Uncle Kage, Skroy & Bucktown from the second row instead of on a huge vid-screen. This is what makes smaller cons so great!
Minor irritation: hotel housekeeping! Our room wasn't cleaned until 4pm each day even though housekeeping staff were on our floor hall as early as 9:30-10 am each morning. I understand having a full house means it takes longer to clean but for that reason the Sheraton should have brought on extra staff (with multiple conventions that weekend it would have been a reasonable thing to do). On a regular vacation, it wouldn't be an issue, we'd be out seeing the sights all afternoon. For a con, there were times on all 3 days that I needed to be either de-suiting, suiting up or showering and having housekeeping show up at 4 or 5 pm caused us to be late to a couple of things. Rather than ask them to come back in 15 minutes, we opted to bug out and let them do their job.
Overall it was a great weekend and we can't wait for next year!
OK, on with the re-cap.
Thurs: got to the hotel, checked in & settled w/a good hour and a half to rest before pre-reg opened so we could pick up our badges. I also dropped off my donation for the charity auction & spent the rest of the evening getting Arlo ready for the weekend.
FRI: Suited up for opening ceremonies and the 'So This is Your First FurCon' panel. I have to say I was a bit disappointed in the panel. The ones I've seen before usually bring a fursuiter up to show new attendees proper interaction behavior and the visual/movement limitations that fursuiters experience. This year's was basically 'Welcome, any questions? Go have fun!'
We kicked around the Dealer's Den & checked out the Art Show before heading over to the Active Fursuiting panel. Good basic information and I'd love to see a more advanced version in future where suiters are able to interact with the panel hosts and perhaps get critiques on our movements/gestures with the goal in mind of improving our performance techniques.
Then it was back to the room so that I could shower & change & we could eat/rest before attending the Furry Match Game followed by Alkali's Whose Lion Is It Anyway? Both shows were hilarious!
SAT: Should have mentioned earlier but the breakfast buffet in the Sheraton cafe was nomingly delicious! We watched a bit of the Furry Charades and then got ready for the Fursuit Parade. I asked my SO to walk with me & we had matching bowling shirts so that folks could see my partner was my handler. Worked out quite well and they were able to carry my totebag (I gave out a few t-shirts that I had designed). I had to admit I was thrilled to see several Stormfire Studios fursuits at this con. I got to meet Tundru and Duke and saw OdinWolf and a rottie suit who's name escapes me. This was the first time I'd seen any of Arlo's 'brothers' in person!
Didn't make it to the Furries in the Media panel but opted for an early dinner and went to Kage's Story Hour then suited up to hit the dancefloor. My SO had the moves, but this poor, tired old graymuzzle wolf spent a lot of time hanging out on the sidelines and enjoying the music....Oh to have discovered fursuiting about 20 years ago....but, I would not have been able to afford one back then!
SUN: Up early, more buffet noms and then to Kage's Convention Horror Stories. We stayed for the IFC Q & A and let me just state for the record: the reason I keep coming back to IFC is because the staff does a kick ass job of running it. Sure there are hiccups (just as in any con situation) but these guys and gals take the time to think about the needs of their attendees and the venue hotel this year was wonderful. Loved having everything on one floor and easily accessible. THANK YOU INDYFURCON STAFF!!!
Passed on the Fursuit Games to attend the Charity Auction (would love to have done both but they were scheduled opposite each other). Got some shots of Arlo keeping the galaxy safe for furry fandom and then attended closing ceremonies.
On the whole it was a great con and my SO's embracing the fandom and now wanting to suit with me was just icing on the cake of a fun weekend.
General Likes: the Sponsor Suite! Loved the hot food service, made mealtimes very easy! SuperSponsor gift...who wouldn't love their own dark red, squeaky, plush Tribble?! Getting to see Alkali, Uncle Kage, Skroy & Bucktown from the second row instead of on a huge vid-screen. This is what makes smaller cons so great!
Minor irritation: hotel housekeeping! Our room wasn't cleaned until 4pm each day even though housekeeping staff were on our floor hall as early as 9:30-10 am each morning. I understand having a full house means it takes longer to clean but for that reason the Sheraton should have brought on extra staff (with multiple conventions that weekend it would have been a reasonable thing to do). On a regular vacation, it wouldn't be an issue, we'd be out seeing the sights all afternoon. For a con, there were times on all 3 days that I needed to be either de-suiting, suiting up or showering and having housekeeping show up at 4 or 5 pm caused us to be late to a couple of things. Rather than ask them to come back in 15 minutes, we opted to bug out and let them do their job.
Overall it was a great weekend and we can't wait for next year!
guess that falls in with your statement " Sure there are hiccups (just as in any con situation) but these guys and gals take the time to think about the needs of their attendees"
also re "THANK YOU INDYFURCON STAFF!!!" - you're very welcome - and if there's any other direct feedback we are always craving more. Good bad whatever - out attendees feedback is what enables us to grow iFC into the con you guys/gals want to attend!
See you at iFC2013 hopefully!
Pandez, iFC2013 Head of Programming