Fursuit Dance Comp Registration Now Open! – Submit by August 23rd
At FursonaCon (FSC), we pride ourselves on giving our attendees the best experience we can in the safest and most inclusive environment possible. If you have any concerns about your safety or the safety of other attendees while at FSC, please contact us immediately. We cannot help if we don’t know it’s happening.
If you see something…say something! If you witness any behavior during an FSC event that makes you concerned for your safety, the safety of others, or the safety of the event, please reach out to a member of our staff or leadership team. FSC Animal Control is responsible for safety and information help during the event, but any staff member can assist you with locating an appropriate resource.
All formally submitted complaints or concerns will be documented and investigated by an appropriate member of our staff or leadership team within a reasonable amount of time. If you have a complaint or concern regarding another attendee, possible attendee, staff member, volunteer or vendor, we ask that you contact us at [email protected]
If there is an immediate threat to health or personal safety, please call 911 immediately.
FursonaCon reserves the right to revoke or suspend membership and passes, without refunds, for not following our attendee policies and code of conduct. Criminal matters will be immediately handed over to law enforcement.
Memberships and Convention Space: “Convention space” is defined as all areas leased by FursonaCon for the convention. This includes all event space, hotel ballrooms, suites, other miscellaneous rooms, or vehicles that may be under FursonaCon’s control.
Members granted access to FursonaCon and its convention space will be identified by a convention membership badge. Membership badges are the property of FursonaCon for the duration of the convention and must be visibly displayed at all times when in convention space. They must be presented or surrendered to any staff member upon request.
FursonaCon membership badges are issued to a single individual and are not to be shared or duplicated in any way, shape or form. Any person using a membership badge other than their own will have that badge confiscated and will be asked to either purchase a valid membership or leave the convention space. Any member knowingly allowing another person to use their badge will have their membership revoked and may be banned from the convention and convention space indefinitely.
Should your badge be lost or stolen, you must visit registration to and let them know immediately upon discovering that it is lost. FursonaCon will replace your badge as a courtesy, at no cost to you. However, if FursonaCon finds suspicious activity with your membership, FursonaCon reserves the right to request that you purchase a full-price membership to replace the lost badge.
Registration is the primary source of income for FursonaCon and therefore acts of forgery or falsification of registration information are taken very seriously. Anyone found with a forged badge or found to have provided false registration information, including payment information, will be removed from convention space and barred from attending future FursonaCon Conventions. Anyone repeatedly attempting to enter the convention without a legitimately purchased or obtained membership is subject to arrest for criminal trespass and theft of services.
Rating: All public spaces in the hotel are to be considered under a PG-13 rating. Please keep in mind that other patrons of the hotel and possibly minors may be present, and your behavior reflects on the fandom as a whole. All daytime convention programming will have no more than a PG-13 rating. Some evening events may be rated 18+, sometimes referred to as “After Dark” or “AD” events. After Dark events may feature mature topics and strong language, and minors will not be permitted to attend these events. These events are verified and properly marked on our schedule. Nightly DJs and other performances may contain strong language and content not suitable for all audiences. As such, DJs and other performances occurring after 9:00p are considered “Rated R.”
After Dark (18+) marked events: Certain events scheduled after 9:00pm each day of the convention are considered “After Dark” events. This means that the content inside of the event is mature in nature and anyone under 18 years old will not be permitted to attend. After Dark events will be clearly noted as such and may occur in Panel Rooms, Hotel Suites, or other specifically marked areas. Common space inside of the hotel must be suitable for all audiences at all times. When going to or from an After Dark event, attendees’ wardrobe must be in line with a PG-13 rating.
Minors: A minor at FursonaCon is classified as an attendee who is under the age of 18 as of opening ceremonies, regardless of the actual day of the convention on which they arrive. A minor attending FursonaCon must either have a parent or legal guardian accompanying them at all times and a signed parental accompany form on file with FursonaCon. Minors will be barred from attending certain events at FursonaCon which may feature mature themes unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Minors under 13 years of age must have a chaperone present and with them at all times they are in convention space.
Any attempt to forge or falsify documentation relating to age or identity will result in immediate removal from the convention and will be turned over to law enforcement.
Code of Conduct:
We ask that all attendees follow common sense rules for your behavior and interactions with others during the convention. Show some hospitality while you’re here – Be kind, be respectful, and be responsible. We are here to make memories with our friends and community.
Any abusive, threatening or harassing behavior or threats of any such behavior directed at our guests, staff, volunteers, hotel partners or vendors will result in revocation of your registration for the event, immediate expulsion from the hotel and will be referred to law enforcement. If you find yourself in disagreement with an FSC staff member, volunteer or vendor such as private security, please calmly ask to speak to the FSC chairmen.
Any acts or threats of acts that would cause disruption, interruption or impediment to the overall safe and orderly operation of the convention in any way will not be tolerated. These acts or threats of acts may result in the revocation of membership, expulsion from the event, expulsion from guest hotel rooms, revocation of membership at future events, civil liability for damages and criminal prosecution.
The volunteers of FSC spend a lot of time throughout the year creating props and art for you to enjoy; treat them with respect so that all may enjoy the result of their hard work. Destruction of or tampering with any FSC property may result in your membership being revoked, civil liability for damages and criminal prosecution.
For the safety and comfort of all guests, horseplay, reckless behavior and excessive noise are not allowed.
Violence of any kind will not be tolerated, period. Local law enforcement will be present throughout the event and will immediately respond to and handle any reports of violent activity.
Loud and excessive use of explicit language or obscene gestures will be considered harassment and treated as such.
While in public areas of the hotel, do not throw any physical objects as this is a direct violation of hotel policy, this will result in immediate removal by hotel security and may be referred to law enforcement.
We ask that our attendees not attempt to enter into any areas that are clearly not open to the public. This includes crossing barriers set up by the convention (such as curtains or ropes) and areas of the hotel where guests are not usually permitted. This also includes event spaces that are closed between events.
There will be no sleeping in public areas of the hotel (including the lobby, hallways, meeting rooms or other public areas). Individuals who sleep in public areas risk being removed from the building.
Please be respectful and ask permission for hugs, pets, and other types of attention. It does not matter how cute and adorable they are, you still have to ask. Please do not grab fursuits or costume tails, noses, or other extremities without asking permission as you can cause damage.
The furry community is known for its friendly hugging, scritching, and holding hands, all of which is entirely acceptable. However, please keep in mind that not all people may share the same view of what is acceptable in public. Common sense should be a good measure in what behaviors are permissible in public. Regardless, if you feel the need to express deep, physical affection for another we ask that you kindly retire to your hotel room. PLEASE don’t make the staff have to ask you – it’s uncomfortable for us and embarrassing for you.
If you are caught falsely portraying yourself as a representative or staff member of FursonaCon, you will be immediately expelled from the convention and barred from attending future conventions.
Please remember that you are a guest at a hotel, and that others not associated with the convention will be present. We ask that you treat them with respect and show them what an amazing community we are. If these guests are not showing you the same type of respect, please notify us or hotel staff immediately.
Harassment:
Harassment is any unwanted behavior, physical or verbal, that makes a reasonable person feel uncomfortable, humiliated, or mentally distressed. At FursonaCon, harassment of any kind, whether physical, sexual, or verbal, will not be tolerated.
We do not tolerate racism, discrimination, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, hate speech or hate-motivated action against anyone or any group.
Remember that “no” means no and that if someone asks you to “leave them alone” you must respect their request.
Fursuits, costumes, and cosplay are not consent. Without consent, you do not have the right to touch, “cat-call”, or taunt someone because of what they are wearing.
Animal Control is not responsible for solving interpersonal problems. Our Animal Control are not bodyguards or mediators. We can only act when there is a credible, actionable threat made against one or more members of the convention or the event itself.
If you have been the victim of harassment, threatening behavior or any other criminal act, please contact your local law enforcement agency for guidance. A protective order, restraining order or other such order from a court is required for us to take any action against an attendees registration or presence at the event.
No one may attend a FursonaCon event if such attendance would place them in violation of any law or an order from any court. Examples include restraining orders, temporary protective orders, no-contact orders, bail/bond restrictions, parole restrictions, release restrictions, criminal trespass warnings, etc.
False accusations made against another person are taken extremely seriously and treated as a form of harassment. False reporting of a crime is itself a criminal offense and will be handed over to local law enforcement.
Any of these violations may result in your membership being revoked, expulsion from the hotel, and the matter being referred to local law enforcement.
Appropriate Attire:
The hotel requires that shirts, pants, and shoes are worn in all public areas of the hotel. Undergarments must be covered at all times while in the convention space. Examples of undergarments are; Underwear, jockstraps, bras, and diapers. This is for your safety and the safety of everyone else. The state of Virginia has public nudity laws that require you to wear clothing in public areas. Unnecessarily revealing clothing is the same as not wearing any at all. Use common sense here, if you think you’re going to get in trouble, do not risk it. We ask that you keep your attire PG-13 at all times. We understand that while attending our event you may choose to go to panels, events, or parties rated 18+. We ask our attendees who choose to wear any clothing, gear, or wardrobe geared for adult use remain covered while in public spaces. This includes elevators, hallways, and other walkways. Any clothing that accentuates the areas of the genitals is not allowed. Collars, leashes, and harnesses are allowed with your normal or costume attire. Leashes, if used, cannot be hanging freely from the wearer and may not be attached to or carried by any other person or thing at any time. This creates a choking hazard and isn’t safe in such a crowded environment.
Cosplay and props are allowed and encouraged! However, unnecessary large or obtrusive cosplays can become a safety issue during peak times. Please be aware of your surroundings and do not block any entrances, exits or walking paths.
Clothing, costumes and prop weapons should be in good taste and FSC reserves the right to make a final determination on the suitability for any clothing, costume, or prop in convention space. This policy may be modified at any time in the interest of attendee safety.
To avoid inadvertent violation of local laws or confusion regarding the identity of on-duty officials – Costumes, cosplay, or accessories portraying roles such as law enforcement, medical personnel, fire rescue personnel, other government officials or agencies must be obviously fantasy in nature or altered to be clearly recognizable as non-official.
These costumes, cosplay or accessories must always be easily identifiable as fantasy from a distance within convention space. If, in the opinion of Fursonacon, a costume, cosplay or accessory worn or displayed within convention space blurs or crosses the line between obvious fantasy and realism, you may be asked to change or remove identifying elements from the costume. Repeated violations of this policy after receiving a courtesy warning could result in the revocation of membership and, at the discretion of the property, expulsion from hotel guest rooms.
Prop Weapons Policy
Prop guns are allowed as long as they do not look like a real weapon in any way. This includes both form and color. Nerf guns are one of the best examples of a permitted prop weapon. If it looks like a real gun or could easily be mistaken as a real gun at a distance, even with an orange tip, it’s not allowed. The purpose of allowing prop weapons is to complement a costume in keeping with the theme. Props should be fantasy themed and not simply be replicas of actual weapons.
Use this opportunity to paint your props bright colors to match your character. We also encourage the use of lights and sounds, where appropriate.
No prop should be operational in a way that can fire a projectile, this includes Nerf darts. Nerf darts should be nowhere on the con floor.
Any props that use “caps” or a percussion charge of any kind should be modified so as to be incapable of firing.
Squirt guns should be rendered inoperative either with a large hole that can not be easily covered, the end of the barrel plugged or the squirting mechanism removed.
Airsoft guns, paintball guns or BB guns are NOT allowed.
Any real, antique firearm, flare gun, starter pistol, movie realistic prop that has been modified not to fire or was designed never to fire, is also prohibited.
Swords- Same thing as other props. Needs to be fake and clearly a fake. No live steel should be present on the convention floor. Should a vendor be selling swords, we ask that you take your purchase to your room after you’re finished browsing in the Dealer’s Den.
Any other prop weapons should look obviously fake in both form and color. To prevent any potential issues with prop weapons, please seek out a staffer in Animal Control and they’ll be able to clarify if your prop is appropriate.
Prop weapons should be in good taste and FSC reserves the right to make a final determination on the suitability for any prop on the con floor. This policy may be modified at any time in the interest of attendee safety.
Alcohol and Drugs: The possession or use of alcohol is prohibited in all public areas of the convention excluding bars, restaurant areas, or temporary cash bar areas. The legal age to buy, possess and consume alcoholic beverages in Virginia is 21. Anyone who knowingly provides alcoholic beverages or falsified identification to a person under the age of 21 will be expelled from the convention and handed over to law enforcement.
FursonaCon absolutely does not condone and will not tolerate the use or distribution of illegal substances during the convention. Any individual found to be selling, possessing or distributing illegal substances – whether in public or in a room – will be immediately expelled from the convention, barred from attending future conventions, and handed over to law enforcement.
Weapons: To ensure the safety of all of our attendees and other people in the hotel, FursonaCon will be strictly enforcing a ban on weapons at the convention. If it looks like a weapon or could easily be mistaken for a weapon, we don’t want to see it in the convention area. Functioning weapons will absolutely not be tolerated. Possession of a concealed carry permit or weapons carry license does not override this policy. Anyone caught with a weapon will be expelled from the convention, and barred from attending future conventions. Anyone refusing to leave or who returns to the event after expulsion may be subject to arrest for criminal trespass.
Individual convention hotels may also have their own restrictions on the possession of weapons on their properties in addition to the convention policy.
Pets: While we all love animals and want them to be part of our lives, for the safety of all attendees we must ask that pets not be brought into the convention area. Exceptions are made for working service animals and animals that may be part of presentations that have been cleared with FursonaCon.
Merchandise Sales: Any sales of merchandise outside of the Dealers Den, Artist Alley, and other areas cleared by the convention, are a violation of state law and hotel policy. Anyone caught doing so without the express permission of FursonaCon is subject to expulsion from the event.
Audio Recording, Video Recording, and Photography: Video and audio recording and photography for personal archival use is permitted and encouraged. However, absolutely no commercial or media usage of any video, audio, or photographic recordings collected at FursonaCon, by any source or obtained through any third party, is allowed unless permitted under the FursonaCon Media Activities policy outlined below the rules and policies.
Always be sure to ask permission and act kindly towards others when taking photographs or recording. You must refrain from recording or photographing any person who clearly expresses that he, they, or she does not want to be recorded or photographed, and you may not distribute recordings or photographs that contain audio or video of said person(s), though you may edit out said person(s) and distribute the remaining footage under the FursonaCon Media Activities Policy.
Undercover Devices: Undercover or “hidden” microphones or cameras utilized with the intention of recording are prohibited for the safety and security of our attendees.
Drones, Flying Devices, and Selfie Sticks: For the safety of everyone, drones, flying devices, selfie sticks, and other large extension tools with or without cameras, are not permitted to be used in convention space. This includes non powered devices such as balloons, wires, and poles. You must seek permission from the chairmen or logistics if you wish to use your drone for an event.
Live Streaming and Video Blogging: With the advancement of technology and the shift of media consumption, the following rules have been added to ensure the safety, privacy, and wellbeing of our attendees and guests.
Live streaming for personal and commercial use are not allowed. This includes the use of live streaming apps or platforms on any electronic device (smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.).
Video blogging, sometimes referred to as vlogs, of snippets or your entire experience at FursonaCon for personal use are allowed. However, some of this content can be very disruptive to other attendees, and large productions are not allowed. In other words, if you are using multiple devices and/or people to record audio, video, and photographs, you are crossing into territory that falls under our Press and Media Activities Policies. Our Animal Control staff shall have final say in deciding what does and does not violate our Press and Media Activities Policies. Violation of this policy may result in immediate suspension of your registration and expulsion from the hotel.
Press and Media Activities: Any attendee wishing to use media captured at FursonaCon (either audio or video) for any purpose other than private use will fall under FursonaCon’s Media Access Policy and must have a Press Membership. Attendees bearing a membership not specifically designated as a ‘Press Membership’ agree not to act as agents of any media organization in any way, shape, or form while attending FursonaCon. This includes, but is not limited to: interviewing, photography, and audiovisual recording.
It shall be understood that FursonaCon and ESS Inc. retains all rights to all audiovisual recordings made at FursonaCon as well as the use of the FursonaCons name and logo, unless such use is specifically disclaimed or not permitted by contract.
Hobbyist Photographers & Videographers
We recognize that many members of our community are avid hobbyist photographers and videographers. We want you to be able to enjoy your hobby while attending FursonaCon. To ensure that there is no confusion between a hobbyist and member of the press (requiring a press pass), all hobbyist photographers or videographers using large / professional looking cameras must stop by Animal Control and you’ll be given a secret ribbon for your badge that will allow us to identify you easily.
This ribbon should be visible at any time when the hobbyist is taking video or photos. Please note that this ribbon is in no way a press pass and does not grant any special access to any areas of the convention. It is merely to identify the holder as a hobbyist rather than a member of the press.
Hobbyists must follow the same rules as anyone else taking personal archival use photographs or video recordings. Permission must be obtained from any person before taking a photo or video of them. Photography or video activities cannot interfere with the operation of the convention or create a safety hazard. If any person asks not to be filmed or photographed, that request must be respected. Live streaming is not permitted, even for personal or hobbyist use.
Hobbyists must also avoid the use of any large or obtrusive equipment that could present a hazard in crowded convention spaces. This includes equipment like boom microphones, large gimbal rigs, etc.
FursonaCon reserves the right to revoke the hobbyist ribbon and ask a hobbyist to return their equipment to their room if the actions of the hobbyist become distracting or interfere in the operation of the convention in any way.
Final Notes: The Chairmen of FSC shall have the final say in any interpretation of or dispute involving these rules. Animal Control will enforce these rules and have discretionary power to stop any activities that may pose a danger to the convention, the welfare of individual attendees or create a situation that negatively impacts the experience for other attendees.
These rules are intended to keep all members of the convention safe and happy. We never anticipate having to enforce them, but are prepared to do so quickly and efficiently if necessary and may change or modify any policy at any time without notice. Always remember that the ultimate goal of FursonaCon is to have fun – just keep others in mind when doing so and be safe.
The FursonaCon (FSC) convention is not a public event. It is a private, membership-only event. Our first priority is the safety and security of our members; we cannot state it any more clearly than that. This is a private event and FSC reserves the right to deny admission to any person or group, at any time, and for any reason.
For the purposes of this policy, the term “media” will include all members of the press (print, televised, radio, online, etc), all content creators (anyone who creates content for any commercialized or monetized online platform, social media site, streaming service or the like. If questions arise regarding the difference between personal use and media-related activities, it shall be solely within the discretion of FSC to determine whether such activities are in fact allowed under our personal use exemption or qualify as media-related activities.
FursonaCon attendees are, not without reason, quite wary of anyone claiming to be a member of the media or anyone creating content for commercial or monetized platforms. As such, a balance must be found between the safety and security of our members and the interests of the media.
You should be aware that, if you are a news network and plan on doing a two minute “hey, look at the freaks” piece, you shouldn’t bother applying for a media pass. After many years and hundreds of media applications, we are incredibly good at sniffing these out and will most likely deny your application outright or simply ignore it.
FSC may be willing to grant interviews and requests for information to authorized agents of the media prior to the convention and will have Media Memberships available solely at our discretion for media outlets wishing to cover FursonaCon.
These memberships will only be available to those who can prove that they are employed by a reputable broadcast, print or Internet media organization or have an established content platform. FSC will review the content created by those requesting media passes to ensure the platform and historical content aligns with FSC’s mission statement. This vetting process takes time, so all media passes must be requested no later than March 1st of the convention year. (sorry – we’re too busy after that point to do the necessary vetting).
If you show up at an FSC event and request a media pass without having made prior arrangements and received approval before the March 1st cutoff date, your request for a media pass will be denied. If you were to elect to continue with press, media or content creation activities after being denied the required pass, you will be asked to leave by our Animal Control staff and may be issued a criminal trespass warning by on-site law enforcement.
When applying for a Media Membership, please be able to provide us with the following information: your name and full contact information: address, direct telephone and email address. Members of a press or media outlet must provide full contact information for your editor and publication, the nature of the story you are writing and what type of information and media you will be gathering at FSC. For online content creators requesting a media pass, please provide the above contact information along with links to each of your content platforms, contact information for your management agency if applicable, and a means to access any pay-walled or “members only” content on your platforms.
If you have been granted a Media Membership, you must check in at Registration immediately upon your arrival at the convention to receive your media badge. You must do this before ANY media-related activities can take place at the convention; failure to check in before conducting media-related activities will result in revocation of the Media Membership and you being asked to leave.
When you check in at Registration, please have the following with you: two (2) business cards, a government issued picture ID, and a copy of the approval email you received granting the Media Membership.
Restrictions:
When you check in at Registration, you will be given a list of approved convention events that you will be permitted to attend along with a list of both approved and restricted convention spaces. You will not be permitted to attend any events or enter any spaces on behalf of your organization that are not on the approved list.
You will be required, at all times, while you are within convention spaces, to visibly display your media badge. You may not alter, obscure, duplicate or hide your media badge or otherwise attempt to conceal the fact that you are a member of the media as defined in this policy.
You will be required, at all times, while you are within convention spaces, to carry your government issued photo ID and business cards. The FSC safety team may randomly request to see these; they must be presented without delay.
You will be permitted to conduct interviews and FursaonCon can, at your request, provide you with a quiet area to conduct them. However, you must ask us first; we will not be able to guarantee you an area if you have not arranged it in advance.
You will not be permitted to harass, intimidate, coerce or otherwise force anyone who does not wish to be interviewed or photographed to do so against their will. If someone says any variation of “no” or physically signals that they do not want to be included in your content, you are required to respect their wishes the first time. Repeatedly asking after being told no will be considered harassment, result in the revocation of your Media Membership and you will be asked to leave immediately.
You may not, under any circumstances, share your media badge with another person. Media badges are issued to a single person only. If you have others from your organization with you assisting, each person in your group must have and display their media badge at all times.
Notes:
All attendees holding any type of membership to an FSC event are required to acknowledge, understand and abide by our Attendee Policies and Code of Conduct while at the convention.
