Apologies for any confusion this late-breaking release may have
generated--you'll understand we at Furnal Equinox are thrilled and doing
a lot of planning at the moment. So as co-chair I'd like to elaborate a
bit and to pass on some of the excitement we're feeling. Nobody out
there is going to have to change their room bookings or travel
plans--you'll just find the con is bigger and better!
We had a great con in 2010, wildly exceeding expectations and outgrowing
the space that we'd booked. It was clear that 2011 was going to be even
bigger, but booking lead times, space availability, and contractual
obligations were conspiring to keep us in the same space. The
Mississauga area of the Doubletree is nice, and all the rooms coming off
a private area is a dream come true for a furry con, but it was going to
be cramped! (One example of this is that we doubled the dealer's space
for 2011, and it was sold out 4 months in advance).
So we made the best of it, adding a hospitality suite and reserving a
much bigger space for 2012, which would allow us to take advantage of
the big things happening then (and no, we won't talk about those--wait
till the announcement at closing ceremonies). It was a big surprise
then when the hotel unexpectedly offered up that big space a year early,
and there was some careful consideration--could we pull off an expansion
at this late date? We already had a fair amount of planning for the
expansion done, and sometimes you have to take a chance--there's a
proverb that the Chinese ideograms for "risk" and "opportunity" are the
same. So it didn't take long to decide to go for it! We signed on the
dotted line, and we're moving to the International area of the
Doubletree, which keeps the private central area but adds more and
bigger rooms--plenty of space for bigger dance, more panels, and a huge
Dealer's Den.
That means some re-planning and expansion of some of the venues, and we
will definitely be needing some extra hands for setup, security, and
operations (do please drop by
www.furnalequinox.com/Volunteer to see how
you can help!). And a great big thanks to those of this (and those of
you popping for a sponsorship, you're not only getting a cool T-shirt
and free snacks, you're helping to make this expansion possible, and
we're really grateful for that. We can also fit in more panels and
events not, so keep those proposals coming
(
www.furnalequinox.com/Events)! (We will have to close submissions in a
week or two, in order to get the schedule together and in your hands on
time, so don't delay).
We're also able to accept more dealers, so if you want a guaranteed
table space, so check it out at
www.furnalequinox.com/Dealers or email
dealers@furnalequinox.com and request an information package! We will
also be offering a small Artist's Alley, which allows local artists to
have a shot at a few free tables (still being finalized, but probably
daily sign-up and some kind of draw). We'll also have a big charity
auction and bidding/display area, and Shane's been working tirelessly to
get some really stellar items as donations--you can also bring donations
to the con and drop them off in the Dealer's Den.
So we all hope to see you in March, for three days of furry fun, and
maybe some Wild Magic!
