Postponement to 2021

Hello Furvana,

We are afraid that today we have some unfortunate news. Furvana 2020 will not be able to proceed as planned. We have been watching Washington State and King County COVID-19 trends very closely over the past few months and had planned a set of milestones that we must meet. Unfortunately, those milestones have not been met, and we have concluded that if we were to proceed in running the convention, we would be putting lives at risk.

In order for public gatherings of over 50 people to be allowed, we must reach Phase 4 of Washington’s Safe Start plan by September (learn more at coronavirus.wa.gov). Grays Harbor County, where our convention is held in Ocean Shores is fortunately looking on track to meet this goal. However, many of our attendees come to us from King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, as well as parts of Oregon, British Columbia, and even further beyond. The current virus trends in these regions indicate that they will not reach Phase 4 by September, and we cannot in good conscience bring together hundreds of people from these high-risk areas just because our convention happens to be in a place where it is allowed.

We have high-risk persons within our attendees, within our staff, the community, and our families. Their health and wellbeing are far too precious to risk on a fun furry weekend at the beach (even if it would have been really, super fun!)

Registration

By default, anyone who has already registered for Furvana 2020 will automatically have their membership rolled over to 2021. No additional action will be required on your part. If you would prefer that we do not rollover your registration, then you have 2 other options:

You may request a refund of your membership, which will be granted in full. Please understand that it may take us some time to fully process all refunds, but it will be granted. In order to request a refund, log in to your account, select “Order History”, and then select “Request Refund” from the menu in the top right corner of your purchase information.

You may instead donate the cost of your membership to Furvana. Cancelling the event will incur significant costs for Furvana, and a donation of your membership is very greatly appreciated in helping us offset those costs and ensuring that we come back better than ever in 2021. If you would like to donate your membership, please send an email to registration@furvana.org and let us know. We very much appreciate the help!

Dealers

Any dealer who has already been approved automatically has a spot in the 2021 Dealers Den. You will not need to re-apply and no additional action will be required on your part. All dealer payments that have already been made will be applied to your 2021 dealers table and there will be no increase in table prices. New applications for the 2021 Dealers Den will be closed until we are closer to the new event’s date. If you expect to not be able to attend next year or would prefer not to rollover your Dealers Den space to 2021, you may instead request a refund which will be granted in full. Please look for an email from our staff confirming your interest in 2021, or feel free to contact us directly at dealers@furvana.org.

Hotel

Hotel room reservations will not automatically carry over. You will need to contact your hotel directly to cancel your reservation. If you are staying at the Shilo Inn, they can be reached by calling (360) 289-4600. Room block information and rates for 2021 will be made available as soon as possible. You are also welcome to keep your 2020 hotel room reservation which will be honored at the original convention rate, should you choose to have a personal vacation in Ocean Shores during the original dates.

Guests of Honor

All three of our wonderful 2020 Guests of Honor will be carried over to 2021! You can still enjoy Meep’s adorable artwork, Ian Madison Keller’s fantastic stories, and Recca’s electric performances with us in person next year.

Panel and Conbook Submissions

All panel and conbook submissions that have been made so far will be carried over to 2021. If there is a panel that you had signed up for but are no longer able to host, please contact us at events@furvana.org to let us know. If you have submitted to the conbook but will be unable to attend, please let us know at publishing@furvana.org and we will be sure a physical copy of the conbook is mailed to you free of charge after the event in 2021.

Theme, Charity, and Other Plans

We will be carrying over all 2020 plans to 2021, to the maximum extent that we are able. This includes maintaining our theme of “Starry Night” and giving us more time to build an even better Furvana experience! Although our charity partner is yet un-announced, we do have a great charity in mind that we plan on supporting for 2021. More information about this will be announced in the coming months.

How can I help?

Check out your favorite dealers, writers, artists, and crafters online! Many creators in our community make a living from conventions and the inability to vend is an enormous loss to them, but you can still support them by purchasing merchandise, books, or commissions online or by mail.

Many other conventions have also had to be cancelled or postponed, show them your love and support too! There are many new online-only events and conventions happening now, including new steaming events being hosted by our friends at FetchNW featuring some of the PNW’s very best furry DJs! Keep the love going and support these events!

Donating your Furvana 2020 membership instead of a refund or rollover also goes a long way in helping us recoup the losses from an event cancellation. We are very appreciative if this is something you can afford to do.

Most importantly, look out for each other. We understand that this is an exceedingly difficult and stressful time for all of us. Many of you may be frustrated, anxious, or feeling lost in such unprecedented times, but the furry community has always looked out for each other. Frankly, it’s something we’re really, really good at. So, remember to be kind, check in on your friends, offer your love and support digitally and remotely, and continue to follow the advice of public health officials so that we all get through this safely.

Questions?

Come join us on our Telegram group, join our Discord channel, or email us directly at chair@furvana.org. Thank you all! Stay safe, stay furry!