# Are there any cons in the DC area?



## Dantor (Jun 6, 2010)

I live in NoVA and I don't have the money to travel right now. Are there any cons in DC/NoVA/Maryland? Thanks!


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## Dragoneer (Jun 7, 2010)

The closest con to DC that I know of by NoVA (where I live) is FA: United (Jersey/Philadelphia) which is about a 2.5 hour drive away. There's nothing really closer.

I actually (for shits and giggles) was trying to see what it would take to start up a convention in NoVA given how many major hotels are nearby, but... short of being able to gaurantee at least 400+ people for a first year con it's too freakin' hard to budget anything.

NoVA & DC is just too expensive, and the traffic to get here is unfathomly terrifying.


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## Oasus (Jun 7, 2010)

Dragoneer said:


> NoVA & DC is just too expensive, and the traffic to get here is unfathomly terrifying.



I've heard many a nightmare tale about traffic in that area.  Can you say "left turn on red"?


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## Dragoneer (Jun 7, 2010)

jb_oasus said:


> I've heard many a nightmare tale about traffic in that area.  Can you say "left turn on red"?


I work 8 miles from my office. It takes me 40 minutes on average to make that drive. Another co-worker of mine takes the dreaded 95s during rush hour. Her 35 mile commute takes 2.5 hours. 35 miles. On a straight highway.

DC is just fucked. Fucked, fucked, fucked. I can't put it in nicer terms than that. Every single road going by DC (the 95s and US1) service the ENTIRE EAST COAST. They also service almost all of DC's morning traffic, too. So you have the entire east coast and the locals all crammed onto the same roads... oi. It's bad.

http://scorecard.inrix.com/scorecard/Top100Metros.asp

Washington DC was ranked #4 for worst traffic in the United States for 2009. It has the most traffic yet one of the least amount of roadways. It's just bad.

DC is central to much of the east coast (good for a con) and the fact Dullest International Airport is right there is a perk, but traffic? Oi vey.

Granted, hosting a convention in a city like mine (Reston) wouldn't be so bad. But even then, getting a cheap hotel...


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## Dantor (Jun 7, 2010)

Dragoneer said:


> Oi vey.



It's Oy not Oi but that's another thread. Anyway, a con in NoVA would be awesome. A con in DC would not be. NoVA is better traffic wise then DC by a long shot. Plus, METRO!!!  Why did you choose NJ for FA:U btw? It seems a bit strange.


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## Miryhis (Jun 8, 2010)

I wouldn't mind a furcon in VA period. I hate that the nearest con is 6-5 hours away from me. The farthest I've traveled to a con was 3 hours to get to Katsu. But I've heard there's more than the hotels causing problems for the cons. I had no clue 400+ people would attend the first con though. 

But yeah... D.C. just isn't the best place. The few times I've been, the car will move through the traffic inch by inch.


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## Soka (Jun 8, 2010)

A con here in Virginia period, would be awesome. DC, not so much. What would it take to start a con here though? Money-wise, prep-wise, and all that jazz? Maybe we could start a furmeet somewhere in northern Virginia and maybe it could evolve into a con if enough people came?


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## Danale (Jun 8, 2010)

Can you imagine a troupe of furries showing up to any of the many DC protests that happen on a daily basis?

Brings a whole new meaning to 'tea party'.


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## Miryhis (Jun 8, 2010)

Soka said:


> A con here in Virginia period, would be awesome. DC, not so much. What would it take to start a con here though? Money-wise, prep-wise, and all that jazz? Maybe we could start a furmeet somewhere in northern Virginia and maybe it could evolve into a con if enough people came?



I think there's a fur meet in North Va. 

Also I remember reading somewhere to start a con would be around $20,000 or more >:


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## Dragoneer (Jun 8, 2010)

Miryhis said:


> I think there's a fur meet in North Va.
> 
> Also I remember reading somewhere to start a con would be around $20,000 or more >:


Depends on the hotel, really. Having done FAU 3 times in a row, it all depends on the responses you get, the venue, and location. Look at Nakamacon. Nakamacon wasn't held in a major area (like DC) and they were able to get cheaper room rates and solid venues due to their location (which rocks for them!).

Conventions hosted inside a city cost a shit fuck ton more, given you're paying for paying per person, higher costs, city taxes, etc. Something like Anthrocon or MFF would have a fairly large bill, but then again, they've got the attending populations to pull that off. The farther out a smaller con is from a larger city the better off it would be.

Which makes a NoVA con somewhat hard to do. People in NoVA commute 2-3 hours daily just to go to work given how far out people live to save some cash.


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## Miryhis (Jun 8, 2010)

Dragoneer said:


> Depends on the hotel, really. Having done FAU 3 times in a row, it all depends on the responses you get, the venue, and location. Look at Nakamacon. Nakamacon wasn't held in a major area (like DC) and they were able to get cheaper room rates and solid venues due to their location (which rocks for them!).
> 
> Conventions hosted inside a city cost a shit fuck ton more, given you're paying for paying per person, higher costs, city taxes, etc. Something like Anthrocon or MFF would have a fairly large bill, but then again, they've got the attending populations to pull that off. The farther out a smaller con is from a larger city the better off it would be.
> 
> Which makes a NoVA con somewhat hard to do. People in NoVA commute 2-3 hours daily just to go to work given how far out people live to save some cash.




I live in the Hampton Roads area where Nekocon is. It's a big city, but Nekocon is really small. From what you tell me about locations, it sounds like they're losing money when they host the con. Then again, we have a convention center here, so I bet that helps lower the cost as well.

I guess the Convention Center is the best bet for a furcon in VA though, but for a really out of the way place Danville or Farmville might work as well.


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## Dragoneer (Jun 8, 2010)

Miryhis said:


> I live in the Hampton Roads area where Nekocon is. It's a big city, but Nekocon is really small. From what you tell me about locations, it sounds like they're losing money when they host the con. Then again, we have a convention center here, so I bet that helps lower the cost as well.
> 
> I guess the Convention Center is the best bet for a furcon in VA though, but for a really out of the way place Danville or Farmville might work as well.


Farmville? *HISS!*

Heh. But seriously, the problem with a convention center is that they usually want you to fill it. Also, you have to worry about unions and power requirements - unions can rape a convention (just ask any big con at a union hotel).


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## Miryhis (Jun 9, 2010)

Dragoneer said:


> Farmville? *HISS!*
> 
> Heh. But seriously, the problem with a convention center is that they usually want you to fill it. Also, you have to worry about unions and power requirements - unions can rape a convention (just ask any big con at a union hotel).



It's a sad reality, especially when people in Farmville play the game x3


Dang, you just blew my mind, because I was thinking of all the math involved. So starting a con would definitely be i the 6 figure mark and continuing it would cost even more. If someone is lurking on this and thinking of starting a con in VA they better start saving their pennies x3 Maybe one day someone can though c:


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## Revy (Jun 14, 2010)

1 word, otakon


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## Karimah (Jun 15, 2010)

Revy said:


> 1 word, otakon


 
Despite the $65 registration fee and hellish hotel prices for anything good nearby, I totally agree. I'll be there hopefully in my first fursuit :3


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## reian (Jul 2, 2010)

Karimah said:


> Despite the $65 registration fee and hellish hotel prices for anything good nearby, I totally agree. I'll be there hopefully in my first fursuit :3



It could be worse...I got a decent hotel room with shuttle to the convention on the other side of the harbor....I never stay to close to a con...

As for a VA con, has anyone thought of RVA?  Or even Fredricksburg?  Both places are much cheaper than NoVA, DC, or Baltimore


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## TrinityWolfess (Jul 2, 2010)

Miryhis said:


> I wouldn't mind a furcon in VA period. I hate that the nearest con is 6-5 hours away from me. The farthest I've traveled to a con was 3 hours to get to Katsu. But I've heard there's more than the hotels causing problems for the cons. I had no clue 400+ people would attend the first con though.
> 
> But yeah... D.C. just isn't the best place. The few times I've been, the car will move through the traffic inch by inch.



I lived in VA and I miss it!  I only went to one fur meet but my friend goes to alot of meets in VA. I guess they could have done a con at Dulles Expo but thats all one floor...


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## ShadowEon (Jul 5, 2010)

I live in NOVA too, it's too bad we couldn't have one around here. :c There are anime cons around, so why not furry ones too?


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## Stahi (Jul 6, 2010)

Revy said:


> 1 word, otakon


 
You forget Katsucon & MAGfest.



ShadowEon said:


> I live in NOVA too, it's too bad we couldn't  have one around here.



My roommate used to hold a mini-con at the house every year.  But this year he quit and I'm fucking glad he did as too many furries in the house led to social awkwardness and drama.  Course, I want to strangle any of them that come over nowadays anyway.


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## reian (Jul 7, 2010)

Stahi said:


> You forget Katsucon & MAGfest.


MAG is cool...Katsucon is the most unorganized piece of shit to call itself a con ever....



Stahi said:


> My roommate used to hold a mini-con at the house every year.  But this year he quit and I'm fucking glad he did as too many furries in the house led to social awkwardness and drama.  Course, I want to strangle any of them that come over nowadays anyway.


Cool idea, but yeah...Quite sure it would be awkward...

I work at Virginia Commonwealth University....if there was a larger furry precense on campus(like a club) there could be a little con here, just to see how it would work.  It wouldn't cost to terribly much if done by students and we would have like, two or three large rooms to use. Could probably work for about 700 ppl


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## Miryhis (Jul 7, 2010)

reian said:


> MAG is cool...Katsucon is the most unorganized piece of shit to call itself a con ever....
> 
> 
> Cool idea, but yeah...Quite sure it would be awkward...
> ...


 
That's weird I went to Katsu and had a blast, but that's probably my friends were there with me so I barely noticed anything wrong... other than that weird Maid Cafe they had that took forever.

I go to college in Farmville and I have some friends at VCU as well. Once I get a car I won't mind helping to plan a con there... then again *points to above comments* It's going to be a lot of money >:




TrinityWolfess said:


> I lived in VA and I miss it!  I only went to one fur meet but my friend goes to alot of meets in VA. I guess they could have done a con at Dulles Expo but thats all one floor...


 

Daw >: I'm part of a furmeet group at the beach, though I can't make it to any of the meets. I'm sure once I get to one it will be fun though. I'm just a really shy person.


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## Munich (Jul 18, 2010)

I'm keen for meetups in NOVA--- and hopefully it could turn into like a suite or two at a hotel for a small overnight party before going full blown con?  I tend to hit up Katsucon, Otakon and Anime USA... all anime cons, but I don't mind because I like anime too.


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## jerrymojo2 (Jul 19, 2010)

I've been wondering the same question for awhile. I'm in Maryland, and the 5 hour drive to Anthrocon is a pain. We need a Maryland con of some sort.


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## reian (Jul 19, 2010)

Miryhis said:


> That's weird I went to Katsu and had a blast, but that's probably my friends were there with me so I barely noticed anything wrong... other than that weird Maid Cafe they had that took forever.
> 
> I go to college in Farmville and I have some friends at VCU as well. Once I get a car I won't mind helping to plan a con there... then again *points to above comments* It's going to be a lot of money >:


I had the worst time at Katsucon ever...

And like I said, if it is at VCU, with student backing like a club, it won't be much at all.  The rooms are free to students, so you might have to pay for some A/V stuff(like $12 an hour), like $66 for guest access to the network(for the whole group I think), and parking, which is $5.  Even if it is just a day con to see how it works the first time around. 
As far as cons go, that is cheap.


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