Midwest FurFest 2009: Ten Years of Midwest FurFest is over, and we had a blast!
Our final attendance for this year was 2,040, including 145 Sponsors and 55 Anniversary Sponsors. The total number of fursuiters in the Fursuit Parade was 357.
Our Art Show had 1,129 pieces entered by 81 artists. Total revenues for artists were over $16,000. As is customary at Midwest FurFest, we were able to give artists their checks on the spot at Closing Ceremonies! (If you were not at Closing Ceremonies and sold any art, your check will be mailed to you.)
This year, we were so pleased with the generosity shown to our charity, Kane Area Rehabilitation and Education for Animals. Between the approximately $1,800 raised in donations at their table, plus $700 raised by the Charity Poker Tournament (which was won by Jaggers Pawtucket), plus $773 raised by Kage and 2 the Ranting Gryphon in an impromptu benefit performance on Saturday night, and a whopping $4,526 raised at the Charity Auction, $7,799 was raised for KARE. In addition, the board of Midwest Furry Fandom, Inc. (MFF's parent corporation) was pleased to be able to add a donation of $5,000 to this, for a grand total of $12,799!
Plans for Midwest FurFest 2010 are already underway! The convention will be November 19-21, 2010, and the theme is "Chicago Blues". Our first two Guests of Honor are Amber "Vantid" Hill and Kipper, with more still to come.
And then there was the question of hotels. For that, we have this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBY42szQoa8
To recap: We will be at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Rosemont, Illinois. The hotel has 1,100 rooms (compared to the Westin's 412 rooms) that were renovated last summer, a 24-hour shuttle to and from O'Hare International Airport, and 110,000 square feet of function space, compared to the Westin's 35,000 square feet. We have negotiated free parking in the hotel's 1,000-space parking lot and garage. Rooms are $124 per night and can be booked right now via the link on the left of this page. Suite reservations will be made available sometime in the first quarter of 2010.
And now? Now we are going to take a break from convention business, rest up, spend some time with our families and loved ones, and generally relax...before starting all over again in January! We hope everyone enjoys a great holiday season, and thank you for making Midwest FurFest 2009 such a huge success!
