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Anthro SouthEast 2019
6 years ago
General
I normally only do two cons a year for financial reasons (not counting neighborhood anime or comic cons local to my area), but this year I was able to be a +1 to the All Fur Radio crew at ASE. Many thanks to 
Schrix for getting me in on this and buying my ticket. Having previously gone to ASE during its first year, I wasn't quite sure what to expect for its second. I figured it would be a small con again, full of fellowship and fun panels. Instead, it surpassed all my expectations about what cons can do.
For starters, 1004 people showed up. That's insane for a second-year con (our opening year broke 600, a record-breaking opening). The con's location in Chattanooga Tennessee makes it more accessible to midwestern, southwestern, and even northeastern furs than FWA is-There is definitely room to grow too, both in this year's hotel and in the humongous Convention Center. I don't think the con staff was quite ready for their con to take off so quickly, but it's clear they've unleashed a monster. If ASE does not rival FWA some day, I will eat my hat.
What impressed me about this convention was the entertainment. They did not have a music act. Instead, they had an actual burlesque performance (first I've ever heard of at a con), as well as a car show. The burlesque was fun...The performances were really clever and the girls clearly put a lot of work into their routine. Kind of surprised though that there weren't any male performers considering how skewed towards alternative sexualities the fandom is. Still, everyone in the room was having fun and that's the important thing. The car show needed some work...most of the vehicles on display were pretty common, though a few furs brought their street racers to show off. Those rides were the coolest~
Even the panels were really exciting. I went to a Furry Flea Market/Furry Friends panel, which was about a cooperative of TN furs who were planning to make the first ever physical Furry Store to sell art, crafts, and swag that you'd normally only be able to get at conventions. It's exciting that the fandom has gotten to this point, and that I could get this front-row seat to this history-making. Once they get the store going, I plan to make a pilgrimage and share the experience with you guys.
The second panel I was really excited about was the FriskyPaws panel. A gent who got fed up with FA's poor infrastructure and moderation is actually gathering resources and putting time into making a rival site. He seems to really know what he's talking about, so I wish him luck with it.
The only downside to the con was the hotel. The Chattanoogan was the right size for the con, but A) The con rooms were spread out too far, and B) The hotel restaurant had some of the worst service I've ever seen outside of SC. Kudos to them for building a menu specific to the con, but when you have the sous chef out bussing tables you know there's a problem. Wait times averaged an hour+, and it looked like they only ever had 3 people on staff the entire weekend.
For the first time ever I was able to participate in and complete a con scavenger hunt. On the final day, about an hour before closing, I was able to find all of the books that had been hidden around the con! For my efforts, I received a free registration to next year's con, which I'm still surprised at, but certainly pleased with. I usually don't participate in FWA's because it tends to involve downloading external apps and scanning codes into them; all kinds of cell phone fiddling. ASE's just required some simple photos with your badge.
All in all, the con was a great time. It's going back to the Convention Center next year...hopefully will be renting more space too; we'll need it with how rapidly the con's been growing. I'm sort of obligated to go thanks to winning the scavenger hunt but I don't mind! There's a new con in Asheville I'll be attending too, since I can cut the hotel cost out of that completely staying at a friend's house. As much as I would like to visit one of those cons sharing the Cyberpunk theme for 2020, I might just stick with conventions closer to home to build up finances. Though my trip to FursonaCon this year taught me that travel doesn't have to be expensive with proper planning.
Schrix for getting me in on this and buying my ticket. Having previously gone to ASE during its first year, I wasn't quite sure what to expect for its second. I figured it would be a small con again, full of fellowship and fun panels. Instead, it surpassed all my expectations about what cons can do.For starters, 1004 people showed up. That's insane for a second-year con (our opening year broke 600, a record-breaking opening). The con's location in Chattanooga Tennessee makes it more accessible to midwestern, southwestern, and even northeastern furs than FWA is-There is definitely room to grow too, both in this year's hotel and in the humongous Convention Center. I don't think the con staff was quite ready for their con to take off so quickly, but it's clear they've unleashed a monster. If ASE does not rival FWA some day, I will eat my hat.
What impressed me about this convention was the entertainment. They did not have a music act. Instead, they had an actual burlesque performance (first I've ever heard of at a con), as well as a car show. The burlesque was fun...The performances were really clever and the girls clearly put a lot of work into their routine. Kind of surprised though that there weren't any male performers considering how skewed towards alternative sexualities the fandom is. Still, everyone in the room was having fun and that's the important thing. The car show needed some work...most of the vehicles on display were pretty common, though a few furs brought their street racers to show off. Those rides were the coolest~
Even the panels were really exciting. I went to a Furry Flea Market/Furry Friends panel, which was about a cooperative of TN furs who were planning to make the first ever physical Furry Store to sell art, crafts, and swag that you'd normally only be able to get at conventions. It's exciting that the fandom has gotten to this point, and that I could get this front-row seat to this history-making. Once they get the store going, I plan to make a pilgrimage and share the experience with you guys.
The second panel I was really excited about was the FriskyPaws panel. A gent who got fed up with FA's poor infrastructure and moderation is actually gathering resources and putting time into making a rival site. He seems to really know what he's talking about, so I wish him luck with it.
The only downside to the con was the hotel. The Chattanoogan was the right size for the con, but A) The con rooms were spread out too far, and B) The hotel restaurant had some of the worst service I've ever seen outside of SC. Kudos to them for building a menu specific to the con, but when you have the sous chef out bussing tables you know there's a problem. Wait times averaged an hour+, and it looked like they only ever had 3 people on staff the entire weekend.
For the first time ever I was able to participate in and complete a con scavenger hunt. On the final day, about an hour before closing, I was able to find all of the books that had been hidden around the con! For my efforts, I received a free registration to next year's con, which I'm still surprised at, but certainly pleased with. I usually don't participate in FWA's because it tends to involve downloading external apps and scanning codes into them; all kinds of cell phone fiddling. ASE's just required some simple photos with your badge.
All in all, the con was a great time. It's going back to the Convention Center next year...hopefully will be renting more space too; we'll need it with how rapidly the con's been growing. I'm sort of obligated to go thanks to winning the scavenger hunt but I don't mind! There's a new con in Asheville I'll be attending too, since I can cut the hotel cost out of that completely staying at a friend's house. As much as I would like to visit one of those cons sharing the Cyberpunk theme for 2020, I might just stick with conventions closer to home to build up finances. Though my trip to FursonaCon this year taught me that travel doesn't have to be expensive with proper planning.
I am excited to see how the BRFF in Asheville works out. I know the staff are working hard to make it a good one.
Whatever the case may be, I do hope it works out. Having another con so close by is always a good thing!
Yeah, Halloween cons are always a mixed bag for me. I usually just leave a bowl out on my front porch for the trick or treaters when I have to be away. I only ever get a handful of families so it's kind of disappoint when I come back and the bowl is empty, but hey at least I made someone's night! And sometimes I come back and nothing at all is taken. Strange!