Anthrocon 2025 Dealer Rules & Information Packet

Anthrocon is July 3rd-July 6th, 2025. The Dealers Room will be in Halls A and B of The David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

The Short Version | Dealers Room Schedule | Getting your Dealership | Before the Dealers Room Opens | The Dealers Room is Open! | After the Dealer’s Room Closes | Administrative Details

This is the Dealer Rules & Information Packet (the DRIP) which contains rules, instructions and important information for dealers. Any person who accepts a Dealership at Anthrocon is understood to have read the complete and most recent Dealer rules and Anthrocon Standards of Conduct and has agreed to abide by them. Anthrocon, Inc. also reserves the right to amend these rules at any time without prior or posted notice and reserves the sole right of interpretation.

Dealers Room Staff have final say on all matters. The Dealers Room Director’s decisions are final.

The Short Version

The Application Process

Dealership Table prices do not include an attendee membership, but a membership of any level must be purchased with every table. Dealer Assistant memberships are purchased separately after acceptance to the Dealers Room.

ELECTRICITY IS NOT INCLUDED FOR DEALERSHIPS, EXCEPT BOOTHS. Electrical power may be purchased through the DLCC through an online form, which will be provided to approved dealers. We will provide a pricing sheet for event services when it is available, which is expected to be January 2025. Purchases can be made online all the way up to Friday morning before the convention opens, though rates will increase 15 business days before the first day of the convention.

Tables can be Standard, Endcap, or Booth.

• Standard Tables are available in sizes ranging from Single (8’x30”) to Quintuple (40’x30”). Half Tables (4’x30”) are available in the Bodega section of the Dealers Room only. All standard tables include 7’ of space behind the table(s) for the Dealer’s use.
• Endcap Tables are those located at the end of each row. Endcaps are two tables, and can be purchased in sizes from Single (8’x30”) to Hextuple (three groups of 16’x30”). Endcaps are very limited; if you are able to take a smaller size or a non-endcap table, please note it on your application.
• Booths are either Small (16’x16’) or Large (24’x16’), and include either 4 or 6 tables with chairs and one 20A floor power drop. They are framed by pipe-and-drape on two or three sides.

A chart of exact table sizes and space available can be found below in the “Types and Sizes of Dealership Tables.” Please apply for the best table size for your dealership. You can note on your application if you’re able to take a smaller size table if your first option is no longer available but do not apply for a table that is too small for your dealership. Once a table is accepted there will be no option to upgrade to a larger table unless purchasing an open table on site.

Applications can be for either the General room or the 18+ Section but not both. Dealerships with two separate DBA or business fronts may apply for each section as a separate business. Adult merchandise, with some exceptions, may be sold in both areas. See the Guidelines on Merchandise section for more details.

Dealership applications will be placed into a Curated system. Payment will not be processed until the dealer has been approved. Applications will be open for approximately one month.

Any Dealerships not accepted at first will be placed on the waitlist. If a Dealership space opens, waitlisted Dealers will be contacted. There are sometimes at-con sales of last-minute canceled tables. If your application is placed on the Waitlist, you will not be charged in any way until a table can be assigned, and you can request to be removed from the Waitlist at any time.

If you have to cancel your table, notify the Dealers Room staff by April 30 to secure a full refund. If you have to cancel your membership, do so by June 9th or there’s no refund.

Pennsylvania Tax License

You are required to obtain and submit a Pennsylvania Tax ID with your application. Applying for a tax ID in PA is free and can be done on mypath.pa.gov. Anthrocon does not maintain this information, please submit your tax ID even if you have applied before. An application without a Tax ID WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED for curation so please make sure you get an ID number. If you applied for a tax ID but have not received your number, you can enter “Pending” under the ID field but your application will not enter the curation system until you email us the ID number. This can cause delays and may result in missing rounds of curation, so please send it to us as soon as possible. Applications noting that a tax ID will be applied for if the dealership is approved will not be considered due to delays in obtaining IDs after acceptance as a dealer.

If you do not sell anything requiring sales tax (see Obtaining a Pennsylvania Tax ID section below for details), please note “Tax ID not required” on your application. Staff will verify your merchandise is exempt before moving to curation.

A guide to obtaining a PA tax ID can be found here: Pennsylvania Tax ID application Guide

Dealer Setup/Teardown

Dealers have set up time through most of Thursday and early Friday to load things in. You can carry in items or use the loading dock with a vehicle. Teamsters are available to help carry items to tables or unload vehicles at no cost to dealers. Dealers bringing their cars onto the floor must immediately drive off the floor after unloading vehicles. You may not leave your vehicle on the floor while you set up your tables. All vehicles must be off the floor thirty minutes before the loading dock closes on Thursday, with no exceptions.

Entering the convention center requires a badge, all dealers and assistants can pick up their badge from the Dealers registration, located in Hall E. Dealers driving onto the floor via the loading dock may do so without a badge, but all passengers of the vehicle must be a registered Dealer or Dealer Assistant or they will be denied access.

Load-out begins at 4 PM on Sunday; you will need to have a dealer staff member verify that your table is “broom clean” (no substantial trash left behind, no messes made) before you finally depart. A signed check-out sheet is required before bringing vehicles onto the ramp for loading out.

Merchandise

Your merchandise must be acceptable under any and all applicable rules or laws. Displays must not encroach on other dealerships. Annoyances such as lights, music or sound, and strong smells or fumes must be kept under your control. Larger powered equipment must be approved by Anthrocon and the convention center in advance.

Items generated wholly or partially by Artificial Intelligence-based tools are not permitted for sale in the Anthrocon Dealers Room.

Any adult merchandise outside of the 18+ Area must be censored appropriately as outlined in the adult merchandise section. Adult artwork or items must be appropriately censored and any binders of adult art must be kept closed or put away when not being actively looked through. Adult-oriented displays and items are permitted in the 18+ Area so long as they do not present illegal content. Dealers selling functional adult merchandise are allowed to have items on display, but all sales must be “catalog sales” for later delivery; no on-site sales of functional adult merchandise is permitted. Anyone inside the 18+ Area must abide by the rules presented in the Standards of Conduct.

There are to be no sales in the Dealers Room except by approved Dealerships in appropriate and authorized areas, and sales outside of the Dealers Room are strictly prohibited. Sharing space at your table(s) with unapproved dealerships is not allowed.

Dealers Room Schedule

Thursday, July 3rd, 2025
TBA

Friday, July 4th, 2025
TBA

Saturday, July 5th, 2025
TBA

Sunday, July 6th, 2025
TBA

The Long Version

Getting your Dealership

Step I: Obtaining a Pennsylvania Tax license

You must have a Pennsylvania sales tax license to sell any taxable items at Anthrocon, no exceptions.

All dealers are required to collect and report a state tax of 6% and a city tax of 1% on all sales of taxable goods. That means a total sales tax of 7%. Clothing that is “Ordinary or everyday wear” such as T-shirts, hats, hoodies, etc. are not taxed; but ornamental, sportswear, formal, fur, and/or costume clothes are. If there is a question as to whether an item is going to be taxable, please contact the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue or visit their website at https://www.revenue.pa.gov/.

Your payment for a Dealership at Anthrocon includes all applicable taxes and fees unless you have paid employees on site. Memberships, including Dealer and Dealer Assistant Memberships, are not taxed. No discounts are given for any dealership for whom a particular tax or fee does not apply.

With the Pennsylvania change to the MyPath system and Artists Alley now requiring PA Tax licenses, we have moved the Guide to obtaining a PA Tax license to its own document. Dealers will be notified when the guide is available.

We are required as the Promoter to have all license numbers on file prior to the convention, and due to past abuses we can no longer hold onto tables while dealers seek tax license numbers. That means that you must have a valid tax license before you can submit an application for a Dealership. You must submit it with your application, or it will not be considered. You must report your sales tax license number to us each year with your application; Anthrocon is not responsible for maintaining this information, and it is not kept on-file from year to year.

One Dealer, One Dealership, One Sales Tax License

Anthrocon strictly adheres to state and local tax codes. It is illegal for multiple dealerships to share a single tax license.

A table and associated assigned space represents “one Dealership.” It is staffed by one Dealer, and optionally one or more Dealer Assistants who are there to help the dealer in operating the dealership. A single tax license is required for each Dealership.

A “Dealer Assistant” (DA) is a person who helps a Dealer with tasks. If the primary interest of a person at the table is to sell their own merchandise, even though they may be helping you to sell yours, that person does not constitute a “Dealer Assistant.”

Under no circumstances may two different dealerships at different tables share one tax license. If you wish to share a table with another dealer, you must purchase two table spaces, one for each of you. Do not purchase a table with the intent to share it with someone else.

We understand that some dealers wish to share a table with others and are worried that they will be unable to if they submit separate applications. Anthrocon will make every reasonable effort to keep friends together, though you must let us know on your applications that you both desire to sit near or next to one another. Please make sure that both you and your friend are requesting compatible table types.

Dealerships can be studios or partnerships as well. Any Dealerships that are in a studio system must make clear on their application that the works are coming from a studio system that operates as a united business, with one tax license and one cashbox. There must be one lead Dealer.

“Guests” at your table(s) are not permitted unless their merchandise is in some way directly related to the registered dealership, and they may not handle payments. Dealerships which consist of multiple dealers acting under a single business name (often called “co-ops”) are not permitted.

You are allowed to sell work on behalf of another artist or company if that work is included in your application and made clear when applying that you will be selling items on their behalf. This allows for Wholesale purchase and sales of another’s work or selling on consignment.

No table space may be shared with, exchanged, sublet, or resold to another Dealer without the prior consent of Anthrocon’s Dealers Room Director. This will require at minimum a completed dealer room application and advance arrangement with the Dealers Room Director before consideration. Any unauthorized sharing may result in revocation of dealer space or removal from consideration for space in future years.

In order to legally purchase dealer space, dealers must be at least 18 years of age as of the beginning date of the convention (July 3rd, 2025 for Anthrocon 2025). Dealer Assistants must be at least 13 years of age, the minimum age to be a badge holding Member of the convention.

Merchandise can only be sold in approved, authorized areas of Hall A&B and by approved, authorized Dealerships. Hotel policies and local tax regulations prevent sales from hotel guest rooms, common areas of hotels, unapproved convention space, or on the street. These regulations apply during the entire duration of Anthrocon, not merely during Dealer’s Room hours.

Step II: Application

Applications will open on October 21, 2024, and will continue to November 21, 2024.

For 2025, go to the following URL:

Fill out your application completely and carefully. Dealer Assistants should not register until their Dealership is approved. Dealers should apply once and only once. Subsequent applications, even if different, will not be considered.

The Dealers Room Staff will review your submission and begin approvals as promptly as possible, beginning by January 2025. We may ask you for more information before we can approve your Dealership. You’ll be emailed about approval, denial, or waitlisting; there may be multiple rounds of approvals before notification of denial or waitlisting in order to efficiently handle matters.

Types of Memberships: Dealers and Dealer Assistants

Dealers

The Dealer is the lead person for the Dealership. In almost all cases, they will be the owner of the business and the person who holds the Pennsylvania Tax License; they will be directly responsible for the Dealership, and they will be the final authority for communication with Dealers Room Staff, convention staff, or Convention Center staff. Every Dealership must have one and only one Dealer, and a Dealer can belong to only one Dealership.

There are occasions where a business owner must have someone else operate the Dealership at Anthrocon; this physically present person should be assigned as the Dealer so that Anthrocon has an immediate point of contract at the convention.

You can apply for a Dealer, Dealer+Sponsor, Dealer+Supersponsor or Dealer+Ultrasponsor Membership if desired. You may also upgrade your Membership at any time before the close of Pre-registration by returning to the link for Membership sent to you in your confirmation email. Dealer Memberships of all types may be converted to the equivalent standard Membership if needed; see the ‘Canceling Your Dealership’ for further information.

Dealer Assistants

A Dealer Assistant (DA) is an assistant to a Dealer, serving as part of their Dealership, with most of the same access and sales privileges as a Dealer. Assistant status is particularly important during setup and breakdown, as only Dealers and Assistants are permitted in the Dealers Room during those hours. Dealerships may have multiple Assistants based on the size of their Table and their needs. Each Assistant must be assigned to one and only one Dealership, though DAs are permitted to aid other Dealerships.

DA memberships may also be Sponsors, Supersponsors or Ultrasponsors. DA Memberships must be purchased separately, and no Dealer Assistant Memberships are included in Table costs. If a Membership needs to be converted to a Dealer Assistant, the Dealer should email the Dealer Room Staff by the close of Pre-registration with the required information. Making someone a Dealer Assistant on-site is possible, but it will slow down everyone. If possible, registering DAs in advance saves a great deal of time on site.

Dealers in The Bodega (Half Tables) are not allowed Dealer Assistants due to the limited space afforded to their dealership.

Types and Sizes of Dealership Tables

Standard tables: These are located in rows, in groups of three or five with exit gaps to either end of the group. Other dealers will be beside you and in a row directly behind you. Half tables will only be available in the Bodega area of the Dealers Room. All Standard table rows include a 2’8” center aisle to make movement around tables easier and keep dealerships from butting against each other.

Endcap tables: These are identical to Standard tables, except they are located on the end of a row. They may be purchased in Single, Double, Quad, or Hextuple sizes.

* Quad and Hextuple dealerships should maintain access to the nearest egress, and if necessary may move their side tables to do so. Changes should be presented to the Dealers Room Staff for approval in advance.

Electrical power is NOT included with Standard or Endcap tables; it must be purchased from the convention center. Information will be made available on the website, as well as by email to approved dealers, when the order forms for 2025 are available.

Booths: These are open spaces bounded on two or three sides by pipe and drape and are available in two sizes, Small (16’x16’) and Large (20’x24’). All the space within may be used, and tables and chairs are provided, though you may provide your own. Each comes with a 20A 3-outlet circuit for your use at no additional charge.

*NEW FOR 2025* We also offer a third type of booth space intended for people who would like to tattoo at the convention. This is a 10’x10’ space enclosed on all sides with pipe and drape curtains. The curtains at the front of the booth can be opened entirely or partially closed to allow more privacy while tattooing and still display items for sale as well. Tattoos may not be on any areas requiring censorship, ie: genitals or breasts, and clients must remain fully clothed. The space includes a 20A 3-outlet circuit at no additional charge, as well as two tables and three chairs. Anyone offering tattoos at the convention must provide Anthrocon with a Bloodborne Pathogen certification as well as proof of liability insurance. We recommend that you be licensed in your home state as well. Tattoos may not be offered in the dealers room anywhere outside of these spaces for hygiene reasons. Hotels expressly forbid tattooing inside their rooms. For specific questions, please reach out to dealers room staff.

All Dealerships may use vertical space freely up to building features, all of which are over 14 feet in height. Two seats will be provided for each table (one in the case of a Half Table).

No Dealership may encroach on aisle space, other dealerships, safety gaps, the center aisle, or any indicated walking paths. This includes placement of merchandise, signage, seating, or storage, as well as gaps adjoining Endcap tables; these gaps may not be adjusted without the approval of staff.

Upon request, tables and chairs may be removed from your area; contact us in advance of the convention with these requests, or place them in front of your dealership during Setup and a Teamster will remove them. Relocating or removing a Bodega table requires the full agreement of both Dealerships using the table.

Extra tables added to your space will require the purchase of at least a Double Table, payment of a surcharge, and advance communication with the Dealers Room Staff. We cannot place additional chairs at your dealership due to space and supply constraints.

If the requested table size is not available, you may be offered a smaller alternative option. However, dealers cannot “upgrade” to a larger space. We recommend applying for the amount of space you need.

Step III: Approval

Dealerships at Anthrocon will be approved via a curation process. Curation will be performed principally by the Anthrocon Dealers Room staff, although other Anthrocon staff may be involved. Dealerships will be chosen based on a variety of factors, including:

On-Topic: Items offered for sale should be related to the furry fandom, be produced by furries, or should have a broad appeal to furries and others in attendance at Anthrocon. Merchandise shown in your application and offered at your Dealership should be well-curated for furry conventions over other types of convention.

Quality: Is a Dealership selling quality goods that will interest our Members and make for good sales? This may be judged by information and photographs from a Dealer’s website, prior years in the Dealers Room, and/or additional information.

Variety: Are there many or few Dealerships selling products of this type? Are they filling a niche other Dealers will not be?

Originality: Does the merchandise feature original characters or designs? Is there notable copyright infringement? Are the items unique?

Craft: Is this Dealership involved in the art, design, creation, and/or manufacture of their goods?

Behavior: Is the Dealership friendly and communicative with Anthrocon Staff and Members of the convention? Do they create a positive environment and make us glad to interact with them?

Prior Status: Has the Dealer been a Guest of Honor or Charitable Organization with Anthrocon before?

Incomplete applications will not be considered until all required information is provided.

General application guidelines: Avoid linking to any sites or galleries that require a log in (locked FA, Twitter). Linking to a website or page with merch/art samples and table setup photo is best practice. Avoid Google Docs or Discord links if possible as they do expire.

Dealers staff can not provide individual feedback on applications due to the volume of applications received.

Step IV: Payment

After approval, an email will be sent to the address used on your application notifying you of your updated status and asking for payment. To pay, log in to your application through the registration portal either via that email or via the Anthrocon website. Payment due dates will be sent with accepted emails, generally payment is due two to three weeks after receiving notice of acceptance. For payment extensions, please email us and we’ll see what we can do for you.

Anthrocon handles all transactions via credit or debit cards. Anthrocon cannot accept digital payment services such as PayPal, Cash.app, Zelle, Venmo, or cash payments. If your credit card information changes, log in to your application via the registration portal to update it and pay. For your own safety, under no circumstances should you email any credit card info to the staff!

Step V: Placement & Hotel Bookings

Once payment is complete and your dealership is confirmed, Anthrocon will review your application and find the best place to seat you based on your requests and our table availability. Please make it clear what your priorities are for placement requests: we need to know if ‘Next to this Dealer’ is more important than ‘Near the bathrooms’. You can request to be next to, near, or away from other dealers by name or by product type (ie, not near soap vendors due to smell sensitivities). Please understand that if you have made many requests or very precise requests, we may not be able to accommodate them all specifically, and will do our best to meet as many as possible within reason. Please let us know if you need a placement for accessibility or health reasons.

All Half-tables will be grouped together in “The Bodega”, an area designed to help new, growing, or simply small-format Dealers who have outgrown the Artists Alley stand out. Tables in The Bodega are considered the same as any other Dealer Table, and those Dealers have the same privileges and options as any other Dealer. Endcaps in The Bodega do not carry an extra charge but will be randomly selected.

Once determined, we will email you with your table placement. We must note that table placements are not final until the convention, and within the first month after assignment, there may be changes. If you would prefer a different location after placement, please request one promptly and we’ll make an effort to re-seat you. Due to the complications of seating 300+ Dealerships, we cannot always grant placement requests.

Alternatively, if a situation requires adjusting your assignment, we will contact you to request permission. If at all possible, no re-assignments will be done without the approval of all Dealers involved.

In the unlikely event there is a conflict of placement at the convention, Dealers Room Staff will determine any placement adjustments.

In late January or early February, all confirmed dealers will be emailed a link to use for booking their hotel rooms. This is in advance of general hotel booking to help ensure dealers are able to successfully get a room. Do not share this link with any other person, dealer or otherwise. Any room that is not booked by a confirmed dealer during this period will be canceled, and any dealer found to be sharing the link will lose their booking as well. You will not need to pay for any room nights in advance.

Waiting Lists and Cancellations

Once all tables in the Dealers Room have been assigned or suitable space is not available, any remaining applications will be placed on the Waitlist. We will inform you if you have been placed on the waitlist once it has been determined. It is entirely possible that some Dealers may be told of their approval before other dealers are told of their Waitlist status, as curation and assignments are done in groups. We will not deliberately oversell the Dealers Room.

We will process the Waitlist based on the same curated criteria. Let us know you are willing to accept a different table type than your requested one. When listing minimum table sizes you would be willing to take, do not take a table that your set up or merchandise will not fit in. There will be no option to “upgrade” to a larger table size once you have accepted a space.

Once a table comes open, we will email the next Dealer on the waitlist that has a matching table type. There will be a limited time for response, generally a week to 14 days. Once the Dealer indicates their willingness to purchase a table, the Dealership will be approved and the payment will be required via the registration portal. All payments must be made by credit or debit card. There is no need to email the Dealers Room staff about table openings; they will notify you when a table is available, and they will not be able to tell your position on the waitlist.

In the event you are unable to get a table from the waitlist, any Dealer or Dealer Assistant Membership can become an Attending Membership at the listed price. Similarly, Dealer-Sponsors can be Sponsors and Dealer-Supersponsors can be Supersponsors. However, we will not convert memberships unless the request is emailed prior to the close of Pre-registration on June 15th, 2025. These Memberships may also be canceled until the close of Pre-registration; please email [email protected] if a refund is needed.

If you find that you will not need or cannot use any or all of your Dealership space, please inform us as soon as possible. The earlier we know, the easier it will be for a replacement Dealer to make travel plans for Anthrocon. It is against Anthrocon’s policy to transfer an unwanted table to another person to bypass the waiting list.

Table or Memberships cancellations should be directed to both [email protected] and [email protected]. If canceling a table, please mention explicitly whether you wish to cancel your Dealer membership or have it converted to a standard Membership.

Full refunds will be given for 2025 tables that are canceled on or before April 30th, 2025. No refunds will be given for tables canceled after this date!

Full refunds will be given for 2025 Memberships that are canceled on or before June 13th, 2025. No refunds will be given for memberships canceled after this date! Neither Memberships nor Dealerships can be ‘rolled over’ to the next year’s convention, and ‘vouchers’ are no longer provided.

There are occasionally last-minute cancellations that cannot be dealt with before the close of pre-registration. Anthrocon will offer these tables on a first-come first-serve basis to appropriate new potential Dealers or as upgrade options for Dealers seeking a larger table. These tables will be available on Thursday at noon.

Any table that is left unclaimed as of 6 PM on the Friday of convention will be offered on a first-come first-serve to appropriate potential Dealers, unless the owner of the table contacts us prior to that time and provides a reason for the delay in arriving. If you know you will be late or are unable to attend at the last minute, please contact Dealer Staff by email or other means as soon as possible.

To purchase a table on site on Thursday or Friday, any potential dealer must have a Pennsylvania Tax ID. Thursday tables will be available starting at 12 PM at the Dealers Registration table in Hall E. No one will be allowed to que for these tables until 11:45 on Thursday. Friday open tables will be available starting at 6 PM at the Dealers Room Staff table in Hall A. No one will be allowed to queue for these tables until 5:45 PM. All tables are available on a first come, first served basis. Please be respectful of each other, any pushing or hassling fellow dealers in line will be met with a denial of a table purchase. Set up for tables purchased on Thursday can happen immediately, set up for tables purchased on Friday will happen Saturday morning before the room opens to the public.

Before the Dealers Room Opens

Registration and Membership Badges

Dealer Registration is located in Hall D/E. Be aware that you cannot enter the rest of the DLCC without first collecting your badge, and as such you will not be able to reach Halls A and B. You will need a government issued photo ID to pick up your registration the same as attendee registration.

Dealer registration will be opening at 12 PM on Thursday, July 3rd, 2025. There will be a specific line only for dealers and dealer assistants to pick up their registration badges, you do not need to wait in the general attendee lines. Dealer registration tends to fairly quickly, but be aware there can be waits during peak times such as opening and just before dock opening. Any available tables can be purchased on a first come, first served basis at dealer registration right at 12 PM. There will be no queuing allowed for open tables until 11:45 AM with no exceptions. Dealer registration may open early if possible but tables will not be sold until noon.

Dealer Assistants may also pick their preregistered assistant badges in this line. If a Dealer Assistant is not already registered, they can also register in this line. A registered Dealer must accompany anyone registering on site as a Dealer Assistant to verify that they authorize their assistant. Preregistered Dealer Assistants do not need to be accompanied by anyone but do still need their photo ID as above.

General attending badges can not be picked up at dealer registration, even if accompanying a dealer.

Load-In and Union Labor

We are quite fortunate that the unions who are employed by the David L. Lawrence Convention Center are reasonable and have been willing to work with us on many issues. It is important that our Dealers understand the rules that will pertain to the Dealers Room:

During all setup and teardown periods, dealers may hand-carry or use a non-motorized cart to carry in their wares and materials from the concourse. Anything that is large enough to require a forklift, is motorized, or does not fit in the DLCC’s passenger elevators will need professional moving. (Dealers are not permitted to use the Convention Center’s freight elevators.) Please contact Anthrocon in advance for rates for these specialized services.

Dealers are able to drive their vehicles onto the floor of Halls A&B for unloading. Vehicles can only remain on the floor while being unloaded, and once unloaded they must be removed from the convention center immediately. Dealers may not keep their vehicles parked while setting up their tables, and all vehicles must be removed from the convention center prior to 8:30 PM on Thursday, with no exceptions.

The Teamsters and loading dock will be available from 3:00 PM until 9:00 PM on Thursday. Teamsters and the loading dock will be available from 4 PM until 8 PM on Sunday, July 7th for teardown and loadout. New for 2025: because of the early opening time, vehicles are not permitted on the floor on Friday, though items can still be dropped off at the loading dock to be delivered to your table.

Dealers who wish to have things shipped in advance and delivered to the DLCC during load-in can do so via APA Exhibition Services, who provide both warehousing and delivery services for a fee. This service must be ordered and paid for before the convention; the order form for shipping and delivery will be provided four to six weeks prior to the convention. Please note that Anthrocon has no control over this service, and will not be able to provide much in the way of assistance; issues should be brought up to APA directly.

A paid remote parking area will be provided to dealers who need to park their vehicles during the convention. It will become available on Thursday during load-in and will remain open until the following Monday. This lot is intended primarily for dealers with very large vehicles who otherwise would have difficulty parking, but any dealer is welcome to use it. Dealers will need to request parking in advance; further details are expected in early 2025 and will be passed to Dealers as soon as possible. This lot requires sign up and payment before the convention starts so please keep an eye out for that information if you will need it.

The air conditioning in Halls A&B automatically shuts off when the loading dock doors are open, except under extreme circumstances. During load-in, the room will be warm, so please dress accordingly and stay hydrated during these times. Once the doors close, the air conditioning will come back on and the room will cool down. Unfortunately this is outside of Anthrocon’s control and is up to the discretion of the Convention Center management.

All dealerships under 400 square feet may use battery-powered tools, install floor coverings, and generally avoid carpentry calls. Large Booths and Hextuple Endcaps are currently limited to hand-powered tools installed by a single person or will require a union carpenter at additional rates.

It is important that Anthrocon maintain a strong and friendly working relationship with the local staff. If you have any disagreements or issues with any Union workers or Convention Center Staff, please bring the issue to one of the Dealers Room Staff as soon as possible; we ask that you avoid arguing with venue personnel.

The Dealers Room is Open!

At the scheduled times, the Dealers Room will open to Members. Each day, there is an initial period where Sponsors, Supersponsors, and Ultrasponsors will be permitted entry before General Admission. We will do our best to control the crowd and avoid a ‘mob rush’, but be prepared for a rush of people.

On Friday, the Dealers Room will use a “rolling queue” or “Shinjuku Method” system to manage crowds, which breaks the queue into smaller groups managed by Public Safety. At 11:30 AM, Ultrasponsors, then Supersponsors, and finally Sponsors will be allowed into Hall B via a doorway in the north-eastern corner. This will be a controlled queue, and be complete before Noon. Once that queue has been cleared, General Attendees will be allowed to enter from Hall C. There will be a strict limit on how many people can be in this queue to stay under capacity, and our Public Safety staff will be controlling how fast people can enter to avoid a mob rush. The Dealers Staff will do our very best to keep dealers informed as the rolling open proceeds.

Anthrocon does not provide wireless internet service for the Dealers Room. Instead, Dealers will need to purchase either daily or weekend access from the Convention Center’s showNet service directly. More information on using showNet can be found at https://www.anthrocon.org/wireless-internet. Please note that the Dealers Room Staff will not be able to provide support for showNet, and dealers with questions or issues should contact showNet support directly.

While the halls are monitored by security cameras, they are covering large areas of the room from significant height and the footage does not provide much detail. Dealers are allowed to place cameras at their tables for security purposes. These cameras should not be publicly streaming, and camera footage or stills must not be posted publicly online during or after the convention. If you feel camera footage needs to be reviewed by Anthrocon, please contact the Dealers Room Staff directly. Anthrocon cannot insure lost, damaged, or stolen items or provide security for your dealership.

After closing, all doors to Halls A and B from the concourse will be locked and secured, and the gates to the loading ramp will be closed and secured outside of load-in and load-out. All halls and concourses will be monitored by Public Safety until 12:00 AM, at which time DLCC Security will take over. Additionally, security cameras will be monitoring the inside of Halls A and B at all times. At no time will the area be unmonitored or will unauthorized persons be allowed in. All doors from the outside as well as the Westin skybridge will be locked overnight.

Both halls are equipped with a fire suppression system, located along the upper perimeter of the room. This system uses high volumes of constant water to ‘drown’ any fires and empty the room onto the loading dock or concourse. Because of the destructive nature of this system, no open flames are permitted in the Dealers Room under any circumstances, and any threats about activating the fire suppression system will be taken seriously by the Staff.

Guidelines on Merchandise

Items and services offered in the Anthrocon Dealers Room should be related to the anthropomorphic theme of the convention or should have a broad appeal to furries and others in attendance at Anthrocon. While we do not exclude any sort of merchandise or services, those more “on-brand” with Anthrocon will be given preference.

Items and services that are illegal to possess or sell in the United States, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or City of Pittsburgh are equally prohibited in the Dealers Room. Items and services that require a specific permit or license to display or sell will require the Dealer to present the license. Notably, this includes CBD products, tobacco, lotteries, and raffles. Items or services which may be hazardous will require the Dealer to carry their own insurance; if we determine this is necessary, the Dealers Staff will reach out for a copy of your Certificate of Insurance.

Any item that is prohibited for direct sale is also not permitted for display, giveaway, or delivery during or after the convention unless otherwise specified.

The responsibility to ensure proper copyright of merchandise rests with Dealerships. Anthrocon recommends Dealers research and be aware of the legality of copyrights, trademarks, works of parody, and fan art. Artwork or merchandise that is known to be counterfeit is prohibited.

Depiction of minors, real or fictional, in adult situations is strictly prohibited, either on display or for sale; such items may not be kept out of sight but available. This rule applies to both the general Dealers Room and the 18+ Section.

Items of a racist, sexist, or otherwise hateful nature will not be permitted for sale in the Dealers Room. This includes paraphernalia related to certain groups or political movements, or items intended to agitate and provoke.

Non-firearm weapons such as swords are acceptable provided the item is blunted and that the purchases are fully wrapped afterward. Anthrocon safety policy requires that these items not be waved, pointed, or otherwise brandished in public. Any items which resemble firearms but are non-firing must also be fully wrapped and not brandished. Customers who purchase such items should be encouraged to carry them directly to their hotel rooms or vehicles.

Items of a distinctly adult or sexual nature whose primary purpose is functional rather than artistic are prohibited for direct sale in all areas of the Dealers Room, including the 18+ Section. However, the 18+ Section permits display of samples and models of functional adult items, and for these items to be sold for delivery off-site. As Anthrocon encourages public health and safety, sale or giveaway of prophylactics such as condoms is permitted.

Our contract with the DLCC does not permit food and drink sales, displays, and giveaways in the Dealers Room without express approval from the Director and Levy Catering. Contact us for details.

No items may be produced or sold that bear the name “Anthrocon’’ or the Anthrocon logo. “Anthrocon’’ and the Anthrocon logo are registered servicemarks of Anthrocon, Inc. Trademark law requires that we prohibit either of these from being used unless formally licensed by Anthrocon, Inc. Such a license agreement requires Anthrocon to request a licensing fee, and that we approve the use of our servicemarks before items bearing them are produced. Unlicensed items must be removed from sale and display.

Guidelines on Displays

Dealers Room Staff at the convention may ask you to change, adapt, censor, or remove items from your display. You may disagree with staff decisions, but you must abide by them and take appropriate action. The Dealers Room Director has the final decision regarding what is and what is not appropriate material for display.

Pennsylvania statute defines “nudity” as “the showing of the human male or female genitals, pubic area, or buttocks with less than a fully opaque covering, or the showing of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any portion thereof below the top of the nipple, or the depiction of covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state.” This definition is very strict, and in the interest of being reasonable, the Anthrocon Dealers Room will provide some leeway.

Defining adult material precisely is a challenge for an art-focused fandom with creative tastes. Our definition for adult material includes but is not limited to:

• Translucent or transparent clothing that exposes genitalia or female-presenting nipples;
• Clothing that creates a detailed shape of the genitals, e.g. a “bulge” where the elements of the penis is distinct, such as presenting a distinct outline of the glans or the placement of piercings;
• Excessive violence and/or gore, including that within the context of BDSM;
• Depictions of sexual assault or rape;
• Depictions of sexual acts with “feral” characters;
• Depictions of extreme bondage or sado-masochism;
• Depictions of sexual or other bodily fluids being shown in sexual situations;
• Any graphic depiction of sexual acts;
• And any imagery prohibited under Anthrocon’s Standards Of Conduct.

Items which should only be available for purchase in the 18+ Section include but are not limited to:

• those Items which resemble male or female genitalia or orifices, whether of a realistic or fantastic nature, that are either penetrative or penetrable;
• those items which resemble male or female genitalia and are not presented as artistic works, with the exception of packers;
• BDSM and other fetish gear items, with the exception of pup hoods, harnesses, cuffs, and collars being sold strictly as costuming accessories or apparel;
• Any item intended for sexual gratification of any sort with no other significant purpose.

Adult artistic items and packers may be sold in the general Dealers Room but must be appropriately censored or kept from view.

Adult services of any sort are not permitted in any section of the Dealers Room.

If you are unsure about a particular item, please contact the Dealers Room Staff for clarification.

Artwork containing adult material may either be shielded by paper, stickers, or a similar covering; or should be kept in a clearly-marked binder which must be kept closed by the dealer when it is not being viewed by an adult customer. Binders or portfolios containing uncensored artwork must be separate from other binders. Any censoring of artwork (pixelation, blurring, censorship bars) must be to the satisfaction of Dealers Room Staff. (This rule does not apply to the 18+ Section.)

Displays of an adult nature outside the 18+ Section must be censored or partially covered; if this is not possible then the item must be removed from view. This includes vulgar and offensive language.

Artwork, clothing, or other items of an appropriate but adult nature may be sold only if they are kept from public view. Such items must be covered or similarly shielded. These must be delivered to the customer in opaque packaging that obscures the mature item completely, such as a bag, envelope, or folder. If a customer has their own packaging, they may place it inside that instead. This rule applies to both the general Dealers Room and the 18+ Section.

Anthrocon holds each Dealer responsible for ensuring that minors are not permitted to view, handle, or be otherwise exposed to adult materials. If you are in doubt, please ask the customer for identification before allowing them to view your wares. Dealers who are found to be displaying adult-oriented items in such a fashion that they can be viewed by underage members will be afforded a single warning; further incidents may result in that dealer being ejected from the Dealers Room without refund and possible loss of Dealers Room privileges for future conventions. Minors will not be present in the 18+ Section; if you spot one, please ask them to leave or notify a Staff member immediately.

DEALERS NEED TO BE AWARE THAT MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, CITY OFFICIALS, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY BE PRESENT IN THE DEALERS’ ROOM AT ANY TIME DURING REGULAR HOURS WITHOUT ANNOUNCEMENT. All signs, banners, standing displays in the Dealers Room must abide by a strict “PG” or better rating. Any signage in the 18+ Section which appears above 6’ in height must also be PG, as this may become visible over the curtains. Any display that may be damaging to Anthrocon’s public image is strictly forbidden.

Five Senses Rule: Your displays, merchandise, and staff should not annoy customers or other dealers with sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch. This includes but is not limited to bright or flashing lights, loudspeakers, strong scents or eating other dealers. Videos, music, video games, and other audio need to be kept at a volume that does not annoy customers or other dealers; headphones are recommended if audio is an important part of your business. The Dealers Room Director and Staff have the final authority on what constitutes an annoyance and may ask to turn off or take down portions of a setup if it is found to be difficult to your neighbors. Please be mindful of your set up and how it may affect others around you.

Guidelines on Sales

Sales are to be made only by authorized Dealerships; that includes Dealers, Dealer Assistants, or another Member of Anthrocon directly designated by a Dealer to make sales. Anthrocon recommends any person a Dealer plans to have watching their table or make sales for an extended period of time be made a Dealer Assistant.

Sales must be made in appropriate and authorized areas; this is understood to be the area of your Dealer Table within Halls A&B. Sales in the walking aisles, front and rear, and other public areas of Hall A&B or other convention space are not permitted without the express permission of the Dealers Room Director or another Director.

Anthrocon Performers may, with advance arrangement with the Dealers Room Director and Programming Director, sell merchandise near their performance space. The Performer must be a part of a registered Dealership and have a Dealer or Dealer Assistant Membership. The merchandise for remote sale must typically also be for sale at the Dealership. Contact the Events department for details.

Sales, exchanges, and barter between Dealerships are welcome and even encouraged. Taxes must still be calculated appropriately.

While all Dealers must pay appropriate Pennsylvania sales tax, it is their choice whether or not that sales tax cost is passed to the Member purchasing goods or included in listed prices.

Dealerships may accept payment in any manner as they choose, so long as sales for sales tax is calculated in US dollars. This includes cash, credit, debit, or even checks if you are equipped to handle them. If you are planning to accept cash, we strongly recommend that you have plenty of change and small bills on hand before the Dealers Room opens; Anthrocon cannot make change for you, nor can the Convention Center.

Anthrocon does not directly involve itself with transactions between Dealers and Members. However, if you have received what you believe to be counterfeit currency, believe theft has occurred, or have other similar concerns please tell staff as promptly as possible so that we can take appropriate steps. We suggest if possible having a counterfeit detection device such a special pen or blacklight if you expect to see larger bills.

Guidelines on Behavior

Horseplay is not allowed in the Dealers Room. This includes the use of any squirt guns, silly string, or any flown, thrown, or projectile items. Anthrocon is not responsible for injuries, breakage, or loss incurred by or caused by any dealer or attendee.

Items or services that may create a mess, such as face painting, should have a disposable floor covering in order to contain the mess and make for easy cleanup. Similarly, items or services with pathogen concerns such as tattooing will require Dealers and Members to have appropriate Personal Protective Equipment and proper sanitation. Under no circumstances should any Dealer clean any item in the Convention Center washrooms.

There is a strict NO SMOKING OR VAPING policy in the Dealers Room. Furthermore, no items that generate an open flame or excessive heat may be employed. If you have an air compressor or similar motorized equipment, you must obtain clearance from the Convention Center through the Dealers Room Director prior to its use.

Electrical power is exclusively for use of the Dealerships that purchase it and is meant only for business equipment and their important personal devices. If you so wish, allowing other Dealers to use your power is allowed, but moving power outlets around to other tables or running cords of any length from one table to another is prohibited.

Dealers may feel free to spend as much or as little time at their Dealer Table during Dealer hours as they choose. However, if the staff note that a Dealer table is often unoccupied or is showing minimal merchandise during the convention, it will be noted during future curations.

Dealers are responsible for ensuring their queues and crowds are under control and not interfering with other dealerships. Queues must not be allowed to extend in front of nearby tables or to block traffic in the aisle. Dealers are permitted to place tape on the floor in front of their tables to create a queue. Dealers Room Staff can assist with creating a queue line if asked, dealers are encouraged to reach out before the convention if they know they’ll have issues with a queue to set up lines before the room opens to the public. If the Dealer Room Staff are required to repeatedly deal with an excessive or unruly queue, the dealer may be removed from the room.

While the Dealers Room is open, some staff will be acting as “Rovers”, wearing pink high-visibility vests and walking through the room. Feel free to ask them for assistance — it’s what they’re there for!

In the event of an emergency, either locate the nearest Rover or come to the Dealer Information Desk near the main entrance. Staff will provide assistance, and if necessary contact Public Safety or Medical staff.

Those in the 18+ Section are still expected to follow the rules presented in the Standards of Conduct; dealers and attendees must remain in “street legal” attire at all times, and displays of affection should remain appropriate for polite company. Leashes and leads may not be attached to collars, and adult-oriented audio must not be audible outside of the 18+ Section, with headphones strongly recommended.

Questions, complaints or concerns about the Dealers Room should be directed onsite to the Dealers Room Staff or Director. You may also feel free to contact Safety, Convention Operations, or other staff persons during the convention for appropriate issues, particularly for urgent situations. Please try to notify us of your concerns onsite and quickly if possible — we want to help you out promptly!

After the Dealer’s Room Closes

Cleanup, Check-out, and Load-out

All Dealerships will be given a check-out form on Sunday of the convention. This form must be filled out and given to the Dealers Room staff or a designated Volunteer, who will check their area to ensure it has been packed up and is clean. This checkout procedure may begin early for small dealers who wish to leave in a hurry, but the loading dock and union labor are not available until 4 PM Sunday. Only Dealerships with a filled-out checkout form are considered ready for departure.

Anthrocon is responsible for leaving the Convention Hall in “broom clean” condition, meaning a good sweeping is all that’s necessary to finish cleaning. We are assessed a steep fee if unreasonable amounts of garbage, empty boxes, etc. are left behind when the room is vacated. Trash receptacles will be provided, especially for teardown on Sunday. Empty boxes should be broken down and bags of trash should be placed at trash cans in the aisles for convention center staff to pick up. Any Dealership that leaves an excessive amount of waste behind in their area will be responsible for a cleaning fee of not less than $100.

After the Dealers Room closes at 4:00 PM on Sunday, load-out begins in force. Dealerships are expected to rapidly pack and clean their areas to ensure a swift departure. From 4 PM onward, only Dealers and DAs are permitted presence and entry to the Dealers Room.

Dealers are permitted to drive their vehicle onto the floor for load-out once their Dealership is completely packed and their check out sheet is initialed by staff. Drivers must be either a registered Dealer or Dealer Assistant and are required to show their check out sheet before entering the ramp to the loading dock to ensure the table is ready to be loaded up. This service is completely at the discretion of Anthrocon Staff and DLCC employees, and at any point a vehicle can be denied entry to the floor. Please do not queue for the loading dock prior to 4:00 PM, or you may be cited by the city police.

Taxis or rideshare vehicles must wait in line as any other vehicle if using the loading dock. As such, they are not recommended.

The dealers room should be completely closed and cleared by 8 PM on Sunday. Your dealership space should be completely packed up and checked by staff before this time and your vehicle should be off the floor by then. Any dealerships still on the floor past 8 PM may be fined for teamster overtime and cleanup charges from the DLCC.

Administrative Details

Issues arising prior to the convention should ideally be emailed to [email protected]. For simple questions, there is a Dealer Telegram group with several staff members present; formal business needs to be conducted by email or phone. While the Dealers Room does have a Twitter account, it is not a good primary way to make the staff aware of issues, and matters sent via Direct Message may be missed. During the convention, we recommend speaking directly to the Dealers Room Staff or other appropriate staff. After the convention ends, email again becomes the preferred method of communication.

All decisions made by the Dealers Room Director as to the appropriateness of display, merchandise, conduct, sales, or any other issue will be final. Refusal to follow their decision may result in ejection.

The Dealers Room Director reserves the right to revoke Dealer status, Dealer Assistant status, Dealer Tables, entire Dealerships, Memberships, Dealers Room access, or loading dock access at any time for any reason, without refund.

Any person who accepts a Dealership at Anthrocon is understood to have read the rules in the Dealer Rules & Information Packet (DRIP), as well as the complete and most recent Anthrocon Standards of Conduct, and has agreed to abide by them. Anthrocon, Inc. also reserves the right to amend these rules at any time without prior or posted notice and reserves the sole right of interpretation.