# Possible new convention needs answers



## Javarod (Nov 1, 2007)

Hello all, I'm the nut behind Phoenix Phurmeet, a potential holiday party and micro-con December 2008, but I need some help deciding whether to do it or not. I've opened a discussion group, Phoenix Phurmeet for discussion, currently we've two polls up to get a better idea of what people think and want, even if they themselves won't be attending, basically a litmus test of whether or not this meet is worth pursuing. Please come, join, vote, comment, etc.


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## Summercat (Nov 2, 2007)

Javarod said:
			
		

> Hello all, I'm the nut behind Phoenix Phurmeet, a potential holiday party and micro-con December 2008, but I need some help deciding whether to do it or not. I've opened a discussion group, Phoenix Phurmeet for discussion, currently we've two polls up to get a better idea of what people think and want, even if they themselves won't be attending, basically a litmus test of whether or not this meet is worth pursuing. Please come, join, vote, comment, etc.



Well, I posted, I might attend - and may even help out. *shrug*


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## Javarod (Nov 2, 2007)

Summercat said:
			
		

> Well, I posted, I might attend - and may even help out. *shrug*



Thanks, we'll need all the help we can get. Mostly we need to figure out if we're going to do this, typically the holiday season is avoided for cons as obviously people have other things they need to put their money to. In this case we're planning on making it a holiday party as much as a con, so we're wondering how many would like that, after all, with many furries being gay, there is some strain with their families, it might also be cheaper and more fun to get to our party than family, but how many need or/and need that?


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## Summercat (Nov 3, 2007)

Javarod said:
			
		

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Honestly? I don't think you're on the right tack with that thinking. While most furries do experience a strain of some kind with their family, unless it's a major falling out they'll still stick together.

What you may be looking at is a Christmas party that's sometime before Christmas, to allow people to travel to Phoenix and back without being screwed over by the holiday traffic.

My first task, would I be in charge, would be to poke around the local fur community to see if they would be interested in a Mini-con Christmas party. While you get the occasional freaks like me that say "Hey, its within 6 hours of driving, I can go!", we're usually in a minority. Califur is still primarily a local furry convention - a very large majority of it's regular goers are locals, despite the fact we DO get people from all over to come. We're still growing, though.

This thing, if you get it off the ground, will be primarly local, and I think you won't ever grow it to be huge, due to the timing. I'd make it the 13th/14th of December '08, to move it as far from Christmas as possible, if not the first weekend of December. That way, you might get more of a draw from non-locals.

Look, I have more to say, but I have to leave for work right now. I'll think over what would need to be done and post it here - anyone else that has anything, please contradict me! I'm not exactly overly-experienced in the act of setting up a convention (My only experience is de-facto running Gaming for Califur.)


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## Javarod (Nov 4, 2007)

Summercat said:
			
		

> Honestly? I don't think you're on the right tack with that thinking. While most furries do experience a strain of some kind with their family, unless it's a major falling out they'll still stick together.
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> What you may be looking at is a Christmas party that's sometime before Christmas, to allow people to travel to Phoenix and back without being screwed over by the holiday traffic.
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> ...



Actually we're playing a weekend between American T-day and Christmass, hence the holiday party theme. That's one of the things we're wondering about, how many furs are lonely at that time for one reason or another, and never underestimate hate in a family.

As to the local, I was involved in the planning of a local con, we only got so-so local support, and I had a bit of a falling out with them, but the less said, the better.


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## Summercat (Nov 5, 2007)

Javarod said:
			
		

> Actually we're playing a weekend between American T-day and Christmass, hence the holiday party theme. That's one of the things we're wondering about, how many furs are lonely at that time for one reason or another, and never underestimate hate in a family.
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> As to the local, I was involved in the planning of a local con, we only got so-so local support, and I had a bit of a falling out with them, but the less said, the better.



Took me a second to catch you meant Thanksgiving. *laugh*

Local con? Wouldn't that be Anthrozona? ; I won't ask, I swear, but I is a kitty, after all >.>;

Anyhow, I can't really think of anyhting more to say at this juncture without further input from others..


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## Javarod (Nov 5, 2007)

Summercat said:
			
		

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Anthrozona is a new one on me. I was with Phoenix Furness as the hotel liaison and hotel hunter. Problem was two fold, lack of support (hard getting answers when you can't find the chairwoman), and that things have a bad habit of changing (they're now going to do a mini-con the first year, negating my work). I'm picky, when I run something, it runs like a business, carefully, thoroughly and professionally, my personal life plays second fidddle to my work, as I'm responsible to my 'customers.' With that in mind, I'm considering doing it m'self, that way I can make sure its done the way I think it should be done, although leading up to that, I want as much input as possible.


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## Summercat (Nov 7, 2007)

Javarod said:
			
		

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Well, that's kinda how Califur got started, as a BBQ/Picnic that got really large...


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## Talutie (Dec 2, 2007)

Javarod said:
			
		

> how many furs are lonely at that time for one reason or another, and never underestimate hate in a family.
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> with many furries being gay, there is some strain with their families



I think this is an interesting generalization you're making here, and I don't think I'd go with that particular line of thinking if I were you...I mean..."come to Phoenix Phurness because your family hates you"...?

That said, I am an AZ fur, and I'm willing to help out however I can...just all the meetings seem to be in the north valley and I am....not in the north valley 

Edit: Waaaait...is this the same as Phoenix Furness?


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## TijiSoothsayer (Jan 1, 2008)

The timing might be inconvenient for someone like me or my guy who live two hours out from Phoenix. We already have to go down for Thanksgiving and for Christmas, and putting it right between the two would make attendance impossible due to work and gas prices. I doubt we are the only people who would have this problem.


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## Javarod (Apr 6, 2008)

Talutie said:
			
		

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Laughs, "Wouldn't be an advertising point, just a reason I think we might attract more attendees than one might expect."

"Nope, but I'm not getting into that."


			
				TijiSoothsayer said:
			
		

> The timing might be inconvenient for someone like me or my guy who live two hours out from Phoenix. We already have to go down for Thanksgiving and for Christmas, and putting it right between the two would make attendance impossible due to work and gas prices. I doubt we are the only people who would have this problem.



Nods, "Actually the idea is to place this as an alternative, come down, hang out, visit family all in one, or ifn you've little or nothing to do on the holidays, this could be your alternative holiday."

"Right now the con is on hold for several reasons, finding a viable hotel is difficult, the best two, one has been sold to UMOM, they're a housing project for families with financial or other difficulties, the other said they were replacing their even space with a restaurant this summer, but there's now a sign saying they're going private owner. The third best never sent us a proposal. Throw in business matters (I've my own company), we might be relocating to Tucson, so this is on hold indefinitely until a combination of money problems (its been a rough year so far, javarod.livejournal.com for more on that) and business matters are squared away. Still, the idea of putting on a holiday party and micro con is something I'd like to do ifn there's a market for it, so the idea is definitely not dead until I am."


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