http://www.chicagonow.com/listing-toward-forty/2013/07/anthrocon-furry-furries-pittsburgh/
By Kim Z Dale, Monday at 1:44 pm
Anthrocon is the world's largest convention for furries and their fans. Anthrocon is for people who love animal characters with human features and, more notoriously, people who like to dress like such animals. The Antrocon furry convention has been held in Pittsburgh since 2006. Sorry, Chicago. Anthrocon looks like much a lot more fun than our annual International Mister Leather conference. (Although I'm sure the IML participants would disagree.)
I was first introduced to the world of furries with the "Fur and Loathing" episode of CSI. At the time it was just another quirky story line on a guilty pleasure show. When the episode aired I was in Pittsburgh, and the furries were not. Well, I'm sure there were some, but there was no 1,000 person Anthrocon fursuit parade in which to see them.
In 2009 my best friend from high school told me she was going to Pittsburgh for something called "Anthrocon." Her husband, a comic book artist and animator, was an invited guest. When I got her message I was mostly disappointed about the fact that she'd be visiting Pittsburgh when I now lived in Chicago, but when I saw her pictures I was also disappointed for missing out on the furry spectacle of Anthrocon.Later that year I joined Twitter for the second time. (The first time I didn't "get" it.) One of the people I ended up following was @burghbaby. Her blog burghbaby.com is full of amazing pictures. Usually Michelle's photos are of her daughter, her pets, and delicious looking food, but once a year she posts many pictures of the furries of Anthrocon.
Anthrocon first came to Pittsburgh in 2006. I left Pittsburgh in 2005. Like Trader Joe's, Five Guys and Ethiopian food, Anthrocon is one more fun thing Pittsburgh has gotten since I left. If they'd just manage to get better public transportation and taxis that can actually be hailed they may lure me back. Until then I'll just experience Anthrocon vicariously though people like @burghbaby.
You can see more of Michelle's Anthrocon 2013 pictures here and here. Click around for her past years' pictures too.