CELEBRATING THE FANDOM
Hundreds of Furry characters of all kinds poured out of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on Saturday only to be greeted by cheers and highfives from hundreds of spectators Downtown as part of Pittsburgh’s third Fursuit Parade.
“We love Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh loves us,” said Amy Kimball, of Pittsford, Vt., who came with her brother to the convention. Both wore tails as they stood waiting for the parade to begin.
This was Ms. Kimball’s first time in the Steel City for Anthrocon, the world’s largest convention for the Furry fandom, and Pittsburgh’s 12th year playing host for the weekend.
The parade was led by a red fox with cymbals, helping to create the lighthearted mood of the event attended by old and young alike.
Randy Fox, better known at the convention as his character Yappy Fox, said he was the mastermind behind the parade’s start in 1997 in Albany, N.Y., and he’s been in the parade with his cymbals ever since.
“I work in the tech industry all day,” said Mr. Fox, who lives in Kissimmee, Fla., and works at Disney as an audiovisual engineer. “This is opposite
of that; it’s like my escape.”
What began as a parade of 30 characters in a hotel lobby 20 years ago has become what he called a “citywide event” with about 2,000 Furries and hundreds of spectators.
“Once the city kind of noticed us, we hear ‘nice to see you again,’ ” he said, adding that Furries don’t usually leave convention halls for the community to see.
“We really love how much the city loves us,” said Jimmy Chin, a computer consultant from San Jose, Calif., dressed as Yippee Coyote. “It energizes us.”
Mr. Chin said growing up he always loved mascots and cartoon characters, so Furries were a vehicle to create his own mascot. His character embodies the advice, “keep chasing your dreams … act like a big kid,” he said.
He said Furries are often bullied online and that some people make up their minds about Furries before they even meet them, but in Pittsburgh, he said, people are very open.
Sam Houseworth, a data analyst from Bensenville, Ill., dressed as the character Exile Huscoon, agreed.
“Other cities don’t treat us the way Pittsburgh does,” he said of the populace’s welcoming nature.
Missy Carson, an orthodontic technician from Michigan, who came as a husky-raccoon hybrid named Luke, said she gets emotional every time she drives back into the city.
“I don’t feel like I belong at home,” she said, adding that her family thinks her involvement with the Furry fan world is a joke.
Coming back to Pittsburgh feels like a huge family reunion, she said.
“Furry gave me back a new definition of my life and made me realize I mean something,” said Ms. Carson, who joined the Furries as a way of coping after her grandparents’ deaths.
“Just seeing signs and flags that say ‘welcome back’ is touching,” she said.