Our History

Anthrocon began as “Albany Anthrocon” in 1997, and has since grown into one of the largest furry conventions in the world, appearing in the 2008 Guinness Book of World Records. Having outgrown its previous venues in Albany, NY and Philadelphia, PA, Anthrocon has made the David L. Lawrence Convention Center its new home, where it has prospered since 2006. In 2023, the convention contributed an estimated $15 million to the local economy.

Attendance and information by the years

Attendance has reflected our goal and we thank all of our attendees for their patronage.

2023 - Anthropolis, Our Furry City

June 29th-July 2nd, 2023
Special Guest: City of Pittsburgh

Charity: Over $52,000 for Rabbit Wranglers
Attendance: 13,644
Fursuit Parade: 3,127

2022 - Aesop’s Fables

June 30th-July 3rd, 2022

Guests of Honor: Sue Deer, Kévin “Kékéflipnote” Gemin

Special Guest: Sokyokukokoh featuring Hashita Kaoru

Charity: $41,553 for Wildlife Works, Inc.
Attendance: 9,702
Fursuit Parade: 2,562

2021 - Virtual Anthrocon

A virtual event was held this year due to COVID-related issues.

2020 - Virtual Anthrocon

A virtual event was held this year due to COVID-related issues.

2019 - Surf Pacific

July 4th-7th, 2019

Guests of Honor: Benjamin Diskin, SonicFox, Steve Gallacci

Charity: $45,852 for PEARL Parrot Rescue
Attendance: 9,358
Fursuit Parade: 2,132

2018 - Movie Monsters

July 5th-July 8th, 2018
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Len Simon, Ursula Vernon

Charity: $42,051 for South Hills Pet Rescue
Attendance: 8,407
Fursuit Parade: 1,980

2017 - Take Me Out To The Ballgame

June 29-July 2nd, 2017
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Charlie Adler

Charity: $37,598 for Hope Haven Farm Sanctuary
Attendance: 7,544
Fursuit Parade: 1,890

2016 - Roaring Twenty

June 30-July 3, 2016
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Trevor Devall, Tracy Butler, Joaquin Baldwin

Charity: $32,579 for The Pittsburgh Zoo
Attendance: 7,308
Fursuit Parade: 2,100

2015 - Viking Invasion!

July 9-12, 2015
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Kimlinh Tran, The San Diego Chicken

Charity: $35,910 for The Western PA Humane Society
Attendance: 6,348
Fursuit Parade: 1,460 fursuiters

2014 - Secret Societies

July 3-6, 2014
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Lee Tockar, Jim Cummings

Charity: $32,372 for The National Aviary
Attendance: 5,861
Fursuit Parade: 1,326 fursuiters

2013 - The Fast and the Furrious

July 4-7, 2013
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Tom Minton, Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon

Other Guests: Sardyuon

Charity: $31,255 for Equine Angels Rescue
Attendance: 5,577
Fursuit Parade: 1,300 fursuiters

2012 - A Midsummer Night’s Dream

June 14-17, 2012
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Dev Madan, Mike Kazaleh

Other Guests: Sardyuon

Charity: $20,656 for Hello Bully
Attendance: 5,179
Fursuit Parade: 1,044 fursuiters

2011 - The Anthropomorphic Institute of Magic

June 23-26, 2011
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Peter S. Beagle, Andy Runton

Charity: $11,522 for The Toonseum
Attendance: 4,400
Fursuit Parade: 854 fursuiters

2010 - Modern Stone-Age Furries

June 24-27, 2010
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: James Gurney, Jim Martin

Charity: $12,849 for Fayette Friends of Animals
Attendance: 4,238
Fursuit Parade: 713 fursuiters

2009 - “OMG Aliens!”

July 2-5, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Joe Harris, Ben Balistreri, Bob Boyle

Charity: $8,992 for Animal Rescue League Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Attendance: 3,777
Fursuit Parade: 640 fursuiters

2008 - “It’s a jungle out there!”

June 26-29, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Floyd Norman

Charity: $13,154 for Pittsburgh Parrot Rescue
Attendance: 3,390
Fursuit Parade: 453 fursuiters

2007 - “Looking to the Future”

July 5-8, 2007
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Rob Paulsen, Mark Evanier, Caroyln Kelly

Charity: $7,608 for Animal Friends
Attendance: 2,849
Fursuit Parade: 353 fursuiters

2006 - “Making History”

June 15-18, 2006
Pittsburgh, PA

Guests of Honor: Scott Shaw!, Diane Duane

Other Guests: Tom Smith

Charity: $8,407 for Western Pennsylvania National Wild Animal Orphanage
Attendance: 2,489
Fursuit Parade: 191 fursuiters

2005 - “Heroes”

July 7-10, 2005
Philadelphia, PA

Guests of Honor: Peter Laird, Timothy Albee

Charity: $6,470 for Greater Philadelphia Search & Rescue
Attendance: 2,370
Fursuit Parade: 140 fursuiters

2004 - “Summer Games”

July 8-11, 2004
Philadelphia, PA

Guests of Honor: Michel Gagne’, Stan Sakai

Charity: $7,200 for Forgotten Felines & Fidos (FFF)
Attendance: 2,404

2003 - “Creatures of the Night”

July 17-20, 2003
Philadelphia, PA

Guests of Honor: Mark E. Rogers, Guy Gilchrist

Charity: $8,348 for Support Our Shelters
Attendance: 1,949

2002 - “Invention”

July 11-14, 2002
Philadelphia, PA

Guests of Honor: Heather Bruton, Lisanne Norman

Other Guests: Herbie Hamill, Josie DeCarlo, Benjamin Franklin

Charity: $13,280 for Canine Partners for Life
Attendance: 1,648

2001 - “Furries in Flight”

July 27-29, 2001
Philadelphia, PA

Guests of Honor: Bill Holbrook, Dan DeCarlo

Charity: $7,273 for Reins of Life
Attendance: 1,457

2000 - “Furries of Myth and Legend”

June 30-July 2, 2000
Valley Forge, PA

Guests of Honor: Sara Palmer, Paul Kidd

Charity: $6,534 for The National Greyhound Adoption Program
Attendance: 1,128

1999 - “The Furry Revolution”

July 2-4, 1999
Valley Forge, PA

Guests of Honor: Vicky Wyman, S. Andrew Swann

Charity: $3,600 for Great Valley Nature Center
Attendance: 845

1998 - “Here Be Dragons”

July 3-5, 1998
Albany, NY

Guests of Honor: Jeffrey A. Carver, Uncle Kage, Jim Groat

Charity: $3,092 for Whiskers
Attendance: 600 est

1997 - “An East Coast Furry Con”

July 4-6, 1997
Albany, NY

Guests of Honor: Daphne Lage, Watts Martin

Charity: $2,200 for Therapy Dogs/K9 Friends
Attendance: 300 est