Yes, and ConFuzzled and RBW are two of the conventions that I need some information about. Any help will be appreciated.
RBW 2006
MV Erasmus, River Thames, London, England, U.K.
December 3, 2006
Attendance: 85 (estimated)
GoH: Matthew Wayne Davis (2, the Ranting Gryphon)
Chair: Rapido
RBW was the second 2006 Furmeet that turned into a convention. RBW started in 1998 as a Christmas banquet for the LondonFurs. By 2006 it had grown so large that chairman Rapido turned it into a formal boat excursion on the Thames, originally called the London Boat Party. RBW stood for Red, Blue & White.
The boat party aboard the MV Erasmus, one of the largest party boats on the Thames, began after the traditional LondonFur Christmas meet. The entertainment included music and a rant by 2, the Ranting Gryphon. [Where was the Christmas meet?]
RBW 2007 – Furs in Black
The Calico Bar pub, Royal National Hotel, London, England, U.K. in the daytime, the Golden Jubilee boat party on the River Thames on Saturday night
December 1-2, 2007
Attendance: 242
GoH: Matthew Wayne Davis (2, the Ranting Gryphon) (Entertainment Track), Fatkraken (Fursuiting Track), Cassandra Gunn (Ultraviolet) (Art Track)
Charity: Mammal Trust UK (£1,331.23)
Chair: Rapido
The attendance included 197 on the boat party. American Furry notables included Timothy Albee, Steve Gallacci, Lance Ikegawa, and Uncle Kage. The events included Saturday morning and afternoon workshops and games (including the Fursuit Commonwealth Games), the Saturday evening boat party including a late night rant by 2, the Ranting Gryphon, and a 11:30 p.m. Fursuit Walk; and a Sunday afternoon Fursuit performance, a Treasure Hunt, and the Charity Auction. The donation to the charity included both the auction and a percentage of the convention store sales.
The late night boat party was reported as highly enjoyable despite a very choppy river. The boat returned to the wrong pier, requiring the partygoers (some in Fursuits) to walk back to the hotel.
ConFuzzled 2008 -- Fursuiting
The Manchester International Youth Hostel, Manchester, England, U.K.
June 20-23, 2008
Attendance: 136 (42 in Parade)
GoH: Karsten Auchter (BigBlueFox; German Furry artist/Fursuiter)
Charity: The Badger Trust
Chair: Mike Francis (FurbleFox)
Arguably the first British Furry convention, ConFuzzled was organized starting in 2005 by FurbleFox and a committee of BritFurs who felt that it was time for British Furry fans to have a regular convention. There was a full range of panels, workshops, Art Show, Dealers’ Den, dances, a Pawpet show, and games. BigBlueFox conducted a cinematic workshop on How To Film Furries. Unique events included the Pub Quiz, the Frankensuit where contestants are given Fursuit materials and have one hour to construct a suit, and MotorFurs where attendees show off their vehicles. Memberships were £170. The permanent mascot is Brok the Badger, designed by Josef Zsapka (Tabbie). [How much was raised for the charity?]
RBW 2008 -- The Masters of Alchemy
The Royal National Hotel, Russell Square, London; and the Saturday evening boat trip up and down the Thames on the MV Erasmus
November 27-30, 2008
Attendance: 290
GoH: Timduru (Fursuiter), Zen (artist), Sven Tegethoff (Cheetah) (EuroFurence chair)
Charity: The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (£1,100 estimated)
Chair: Rapido
The Fursuiting events went well, but non-Fursuiting events at the hotel were described as disorganized and chaotic. The boat party was a success, despite having its pickup location changed at the last moment. The hotel staff was described as uncooperative and surly, and the hotel had many non-fan guests who complained about the Fursuits. RBW 2008 operated at a loss that was covered by private donations.
ConFuzzled 2009 – Victorian Era England
The Manchester International Youth Hostel, Manchester, England, U.K.
May 22-25, 2009
Attendance: 182
G-o-H: Tabbiefox (Furry artist), Cheetah (EuroFurence chairman)
Charities: The Badger Trust, Manchester Dogs Home (£2,000)
Chair: Mike Francis (FurbleFox)
The second ConFuzzled repeated many of the events of the previous year, and added extra gaming events, an anime talk, and a writing workshop. There were over 40 events, including the first UK Pawpet Show, a cartoon workshop led by Tabbiefox, and a talk by Cheetah on how to run a convention. The Pawpet Show featured an original story, “The Great James Mountbatten-Windsor’s Magnificent Zoological Extravaganza; or, The Mancunian Play”, with custom-built puppets. [Was there a Fursuit Parade, or a T-shirt?]
RBW 2009 – Good Vibrations
The Britannia International Hotel, Canary Wharf, London; and the Saturday evening boat trip up and down the Thames on the MV Erasmus
October 30 – November 1, 2009
Attendance: 226
G-o-H: None, but “Specially invited attendees” were Markus Kalkbrenner (Atalon Deer, Fursuiter), Fatkraken (Fursuit maker), KaputOtter (Furry artist), and Sketchkat (Furry artist/Fursuiter)
Charity: UK Wolf Conservation Trust (£1,868.45)
Co-Chairs: Robert Barnes (tryst_fel_cath), kittiah, miyabisan
The convention’s acronym was officially changed from Red, Blue & White to Rather Brilliant Weekend. It featured 33 events (unnamed).
ConFuzzled 2010 - Science
The Britannia Country House Hotel, Didsbury, Greater Manchester, England, U.K.
May 7-10, 2010
Attendance: 346
GoH: TaniDaReal (German Furry artist/Fursuiter)
Charity: Wildlife Heritage Foundation (£5,248)
Chair: Matthew Hood (Matt Lion)
The attendees came from 17 different countries. Many events were based on the Science theme, including a talk by a physicist from the Large Hadron Collider. There were Furrylmpics, Fur-e-okie, and a WikiFur pub quiz contests. The highlight of ConFuzzled 2010 was the charity auction. The opportunity to feed wild cats in a non-public reserve located in Kent went for £550. The final item was a tablecloth that TaniDaReal had drawn a picture on. Bidding started at £50, and got into a bidding war between Beshon and staffer Colifox. Beshon got it for £2,000. [Was there a Fursuit Parade? How many were in it? Was there a T-shirt?]
RBW 2010 – Space Cowboys
The Britannia International Hotel, Canary Wharf, London; and the Saturday evening boat trip up and down the Thames on the MV Erasmus
November 5-7, 2010
Attendance: 216
Charity: Sled Dog Welfare (£6,396.90)
Co-Chairs: Robert Barnes (tryst_fel_cath), kittiah, miyabisan
This was the final RBW. Due to the competition of other Britfur events, it was announced in February 2011 that the convention part of RBW was being cancelled but that the boat party would remain. In July it was announced that the MV Erasmus was not available for late October or November. After that, the organizers became involved in other activities. [RBW 2010 events? Were there any G-o-Hs?]
Yes, and ConFuzzled and RBW are two of the conventions that I need some information about. Any help will be appreciated.
RBW 2006
MV Erasmus, River Thames, London, England, U.K.
December 3, 2006
Attendance: 85 (estimated)
GoH: Matthew Wayne Davis (2, the Ranting Gryphon)
Chair: Rapido
RBW was the second 2006 Furmeet that turned into a convention. RBW started in 1998 as a Christmas banquet for the LondonFurs. By 2006 it had grown so large that chairman Rapido turned it into a formal boat excursion on the Thames, originally called the London Boat Party. RBW stood for Red, Blue & White.
The boat party aboard the MV Erasmus, one of the largest party boats on the Thames, began after the traditional LondonFur Christmas meet. The entertainment included music and a rant by 2, the Ranting Gryphon. [Where was the Christmas meet?]
RBW 2007 – Furs in Black
The Calico Bar pub, Royal National Hotel, London, England, U.K. in the daytime, the Golden Jubilee boat party on the River Thames on Saturday night
December 1-2, 2007
Attendance: 242
GoH: Matthew Wayne Davis (2, the Ranting Gryphon) (Entertainment Track), Fatkraken (Fursuiting Track), Cassandra Gunn (Ultraviolet) (Art Track)
Charity: Mammal Trust UK (£1,331.23)
Chair: Rapido
The attendance included 197 on the boat party. American Furry notables included Timothy Albee, Steve Gallacci, Lance Ikegawa, and Uncle Kage. The events included Saturday morning and afternoon workshops and games (including the Fursuit Commonwealth Games), the Saturday evening boat party including a late night rant by 2, the Ranting Gryphon, and a 11:30 p.m. Fursuit Walk; and a Sunday afternoon Fursuit performance, a Treasure Hunt, and the Charity Auction. The donation to the charity included both the auction and a percentage of the convention store sales.
The late night boat party was reported as highly enjoyable despite a very choppy river. The boat returned to the wrong pier, requiring the partygoers (some in Fursuits) to walk back to the hotel.
ConFuzzled 2008 -- Fursuiting
The Manchester International Youth Hostel, Manchester, England, U.K.
June 20-23, 2008
Attendance: 136 (42 in Parade)
GoH: Karsten Auchter (BigBlueFox; German Furry artist/Fursuiter)
Charity: The Badger Trust
Chair: Mike Francis (FurbleFox)
Arguably the first British Furry convention, ConFuzzled was organized starting in 2005 by FurbleFox and a committee of BritFurs who felt that it was time for British Furry fans to have a regular convention. There was a full range of panels, workshops, Art Show, Dealers’ Den, dances, a Pawpet show, and games. BigBlueFox conducted a cinematic workshop on How To Film Furries. Unique events included the Pub Quiz, the Frankensuit where contestants are given Fursuit materials and have one hour to construct a suit, and MotorFurs where attendees show off their vehicles. Memberships were £170. The permanent mascot is Brok the Badger, designed by Josef Zsapka (Tabbie). [How much was raised for the charity?]
RBW 2008 -- The Masters of Alchemy
The Royal National Hotel, Russell Square, London; and the Saturday evening boat trip up and down the Thames on the MV Erasmus
November 27-30, 2008
Attendance: 290
GoH: Timduru (Fursuiter), Zen (artist), Sven Tegethoff (Cheetah) (EuroFurence chair)
Charity: The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (£1,100 estimated)
Chair: Rapido
The Fursuiting events went well, but non-Fursuiting events at the hotel were described as disorganized and chaotic. The boat party was a success, despite having its pickup location changed at the last moment. The hotel staff was described as uncooperative and surly, and the hotel had many non-fan guests who complained about the Fursuits. RBW 2008 operated at a loss that was covered by private donations.
ConFuzzled 2009 – Victorian Era England
The Manchester International Youth Hostel, Manchester, England, U.K.
May 22-25, 2009
Attendance: 182
G-o-H: Tabbiefox (Furry artist), Cheetah (EuroFurence chairman)
Charities: The Badger Trust, Manchester Dogs Home (£2,000)
Chair: Mike Francis (FurbleFox)
The second ConFuzzled repeated many of the events of the previous year, and added extra gaming events, an anime talk, and a writing workshop. There were over 40 events, including the first UK Pawpet Show, a cartoon workshop led by Tabbiefox, and a talk by Cheetah on how to run a convention. The Pawpet Show featured an original story, “The Great James Mountbatten-Windsor’s Magnificent Zoological Extravaganza; or, The Mancunian Play”, with custom-built puppets. [Was there a Fursuit Parade, or a T-shirt?]
RBW 2009 – Good Vibrations
The Britannia International Hotel, Canary Wharf, London; and the Saturday evening boat trip up and down the Thames on the MV Erasmus
October 30 – November 1, 2009
Attendance: 226
G-o-H: None, but “Specially invited attendees” were Markus Kalkbrenner (Atalon Deer, Fursuiter), Fatkraken (Fursuit maker), KaputOtter (Furry artist), and Sketchkat (Furry artist/Fursuiter)
Charity: UK Wolf Conservation Trust (£1,868.45)
Co-Chairs: Robert Barnes (tryst_fel_cath), kittiah, miyabisan
The convention’s acronym was officially changed from Red, Blue & White to Rather Brilliant Weekend. It featured 33 events (unnamed).
ConFuzzled 2010 - Science
The Britannia Country House Hotel, Didsbury, Greater Manchester, England, U.K.
May 7-10, 2010
Attendance: 346
GoH: TaniDaReal (German Furry artist/Fursuiter)
Charity: Wildlife Heritage Foundation (£5,248)
Chair: Matthew Hood (Matt Lion)
The attendees came from 17 different countries. Many events were based on the Science theme, including a talk by a physicist from the Large Hadron Collider. There were Furrylmpics, Fur-e-okie, and a WikiFur pub quiz contests. The highlight of ConFuzzled 2010 was the charity auction. The opportunity to feed wild cats in a non-public reserve located in Kent went for £550. The final item was a tablecloth that TaniDaReal had drawn a picture on. Bidding started at £50, and got into a bidding war between Beshon and staffer Colifox. Beshon got it for £2,000. [Was there a Fursuit Parade? How many were in it? Was there a T-shirt?]
RBW 2010 – Space Cowboys
The Britannia International Hotel, Canary Wharf, London; and the Saturday evening boat trip up and down the Thames on the MV Erasmus
November 5-7, 2010
Attendance: 216
Charity: Sled Dog Welfare (£6,396.90)
Co-Chairs: Robert Barnes (tryst_fel_cath), kittiah, miyabisan
This was the final RBW. Due to the competition of other Britfur events, it was announced in February 2011 that the convention part of RBW was being cancelled but that the boat party would remain. In July it was announced that the MV Erasmus was not available for late October or November. After that, the organizers became involved in other activities. [RBW 2010 events? Were there any G-o-Hs?]
Fred Patten