Do you AWU?

(Pronunciation: *dew yew ah-woo*)

Anthro Weekend Utah is a brand new furry convention coming to Salt Lake City, October 27th and 28th, 2017. We are a non-profit group with a goal of bringing the community and furry fandom together.
Anthro Weekend Utah was dreamed up by Giga, Rocky, and Bexis in early 2016. At the time it was just a name, but it was only a matter of time before it became much more. As the summer of 2016 came to a close, Giga revived the idea of a convention with Bexis and Rocky, this time bringing in a few others to form a tight knit group, and began planning what would soon become Anthro Weekend Utah.

MASCOTS:

Our mascots, Carver and Arc, are representations of what Utah is all about and all the adventures it has to offer.

Arc, named after Arches National Park, is a mischievous coyote with a bit of a pyromania problem. He’s a representation of the blistering hot desert summers that we in Utah are all too familiar with. But with summer comes rock climbing, hiking the slot canyons, and the gorgeous vistas of Utah’s national and state parks.

 

 

Carver, on the other hand, is a bear who prefers our snowy peaks. A winter sports fanatic, you can count on her hitting the fresh powder at one of Utah’s many ski and snowboard resorts.

 

 

The theme we’ve chosen for this year is well known by all in the fandom, and even by those outside of it- “Legalize AWU”. Popularized by the internet meme, that infamous sign “Don’t Awoo: $350 Fine” has started a worldwide revolution to let the howls be heard.

As our resident expert on the subject of awoo, Arc the coyote will be heading the local effort, and all types of howls are welcome. Including, but not limited to: howls, yips, barks, yowls, meows, noots, boops, baps, yaps, woofs, whinnies, meeps, and AAAUUUGGGHHHs.

 

 

Utah has enjoyed a few different furry conventions in the past, and we here at AWU aim to learn from those experiences, improve where we can, and reinvigorate the best parts to create something new and fresh. We’re thrilled to be working with amazing local talent, in the best fandom ever!

 

Staff Bios:

Giga Fox: (Twitter: @Gigabytefox) Giga is the convention chair, co-manager, and the crazy fox behind a big chunk of what AWU is, as well as the voice you heard in the first promo video. Giga has been a part of the fandom for most of his life, but only recently dove into the community with both feet. He’s previously worked in media with Salt Lake Comic Con and FanX, as well as with several other smaller local conventions and events. A professional photographer, and amateur artist and fursuit builder, Giga hopes to bring his past skills to the table to make AWU the best it can be.

Jojo da Wuff: Relatively new to the fandom, Jojo is a passionate and talented videographer, and editor, and has experience organizing major events. Jojo is our co-manager and hotel liaison, and also has worked tirelessly on financial planning as well.

 

 

 

Snow: (Twitter: @CharcoalSnow) Definitely the prettiest of the board members, Snow was dragged kicking and screaming into the fandom, but has found herself organizing a convention a year in. Snow has a B.F.A. in Theatre and has participated in conventions for years, and brings her talents into play as a business liaison, assistant financial manager, and dance floor manager.

 

 

 

Talon Windstryke: (Twitter: @Reederda) Talon is our resident dragon, and IT overlord. Currently hoarding all the technological knowledge he can find at a nearby university, he created our website and keeps all the tech running for the con! He also helps translate AWU into a more dragon-friendly language (RAWR).

 

 

 

Rocky Road: (Twitter: @rockyroadcoyfox) A summer and snow sports enthusiast, Rocky is the brains behind the name and logo for the con. You may even recognize him from Vine (RIP).

 

 

 

Bexis: The other half of the duo that came up with the name and logo, Bexis is a fox with beautiful and majestic purple eyes. He does the best cartwheels, and has the dankest beats.

 

 

 

 

 

Saxon Shepsky: (Twitter: @SaxonShepsky)

Originally from Louisiana, this big-hearted Shepsky fits perfectly within the staff, bringing her southern charm and skills to the convention. Saxon has a big heart and is super friendly. She’s in charge of merchandise/swag, as well as helping with PR responsibilities!