The Con: Westercon 69
The Place: Lloyd’s Center Doubletree Inn
The Dates: 1st – 4th July 2016
Westercon is a roving / regional Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention. In 2016 Portland Oregon won the bid to host the convention. This year, Gearcon, Portland Steampunk Convention. co-hosted . I was very excited to attend a Science Fiction Convection in addition to Orycon. Westercom puts a different face on Science Fiction cons for me. Both my Hello Kitty plushies and Chococat were my Companions.
The Convention: Furlandia
The Theme : 1850 Age of Industry
The Place Sheraton Hotel Portland Airport
The Dates May 27-29 2016
With the demise of Rainfurrest, Furlandia has become the premier NW corridor Furry convention. The theme was 1850 Age of Industry; the con says it was not exactly Steam Punk but the number of panels introducing furries to Steampunk and the number of furs with goggles and costumes shows the convention has a Steampunk feel to it.
Both by Giant Hello Kitties and Chocoact were my companions.
Rainfurrest 2007 was my first furry convention since identifying myself as a furry in 2006. The first fury I met in person was Stalking Cat: bout are gone. I was hoping to make a return in 2016 but that is no longer possible.
I spoke about Rainfurrest in another blog post, but I still think there are serious issues with Rainfurrest parent organization and Rainfurrest executive staff . Telling was a conversation had at Orycon to a person close to the executive staff about finding a new venue.:
The response I go from that person was the official line is Rainfurrest left the Hilton because we got too big.
Me: you know the hotel will do a background check.
Guy: (cuts me off ) Rainfurrest left the Hilton because we got too big.
Ne: but
Guy: (cuts me off ) Rainfurrest left the Hilton because we got too big.
Any further conversation was futile. It makes me wonder was this delusional official line was why the Davenport Grand pulled out at the last minute? It doesn’t matter somebody called the Hotel; Rainfurrest should had been 100% honest with the hotel instead trying to pull a Foxmas debacle. Furthermore, what was Rainfurrest thinking? If they could not get a Hotel from Everett to Tacoma why would they think Spokane would be any different
It doesn’t end with Rainfurrest staff. Some try make excuses about the picture of diaper man (the baby fur) saying he was pushed momentarily out f the room. The problem was I seen the picture. The background is clearly the meeting space where there are no hotel rooms. If anything it would be no big issue is only furs saw that not others who were at the hotel staying at the hotel.
Right now I have to give Rainfurrest staff and executive committee a vote of no confidence for gross incompetence and allowing this problem to fester thought the years and fail to provide integrity in leadership in recovery from 2015. I fell Rainfurrest should finish help Furlandia then disband.
The convention: NewCon
The Dates: 15-17 January 2016
The place Lloyd’s Center Double Tree Inn
Newcon is Portland’s Own multi-genre geek / nerd convention; even through it was a bit too tilted towards anime. Chococat was my companion on Friday and Sunday, Hello Kitty on Saturday.
By now one has head how a pattern of misbehavior and vandalism has case Rainfurrest to lose it hotel venue for 2016, and possible the convention. There been a lot written about his but I do have a few issues.