Behind the Scenes at Midwest FurFest 2024

During Midwest FurFest 2024 in Rosemont, Illinois, I had the opportunity to interview Brendan Lonehawk, the convention’s Assistant Director of the Dealers’ Den, who was celebrating his 25th year staffing the convention. As someone unfamiliar with the furry fandom and culture, Lonehawk talked with me about his insights and hopes for the community. 

Stemming from the now defunct DucKon, Midwest FurFest is one of the largest furry gatherings in North America. What started as a science fiction convention, MFF was created to accommodate the growing furry population at other conventions in the midwest. Lonehawk first took interest in the furry community 30 years ago while running the dealer’s space at DucKon, and later agreed to transition to MFF when the con began in 2000. 

Lonehawk described the process of running the Dealers’ Den: from taking initial applications, to creating waitlists, to helping sellers unload prior to the convention. He said that in 2024 there were over 700 applications, with only 250 spots available.

“We’ve reached a point where we get so many dealers that have been coming for years, but we can’t always accommodate them, because we do have a policy of having a certain percentage of the dealers be people who have not dealt here before,” Lonehawk says. Having a policy that requires a certain number of new dealers each year not only keeps things fresh for repeat attendees, it helps new artists and creators establish themselves in the convention circuit. 

Thinking about the past 30 years, Lonehawk said that the furry community has greatly expanded. He describes furries as very accepting, having deep ties to the LGBTQ+ community and activism. MFF itself takes great pride in sponsoring a charity every year, usually focused on animal welfare or wildlife preservation.

“I’ve seen a lot of activity in here trying to make sure that people that might otherwise be marginalized that they can be accepted by the society in general, not just within the furry community,” said Lonehawk. 

Furries have long been the targets of unfair societal judgments and bad publicity. Lonehawk described an article written by Vanity Fair that painted the furry community as people who put on funny costumes and have sex: a stigma that the community has been fighting off for years. The stigma has been so bad, that in 2014, Midwest FurFest was subject to a chlorine gas incident that sent 19 to the hospital, according to United Press International. 

Despite the stigma, Lonehawk remains hopeful that public perceptions will change as furries become more mainstream. “Keep your mind open,” said Lonehawk. “You have friends who are football fans and paint their faces and all that… If they’re not weirdos, then we’re not weirdos.” 

While not a furry myself, it was easy to see the dedication and passion that the MFF community has. Its 25 year anniversary marked a milestone not only in its growing attendees and popularity but stands to demonstrate that fan communities will thrive so long as you nurture them. 

Author: Abby Kirby

Abby Kirby is a high school English teacher and fan studies scholar. She holds an M.A. in Media and Cinema Communications from DePaul University.

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