Furries return to Pittsburgh this week for annual Anthrocon

The summertime sight of brightly colored, human-size foxes, dogs, cats, tigers and magical creatures shouldn't surprise the average Pittsburgher anymore.

For the 12th consecutive year, thousands of people will attend Anthrocon, the world's largest convention for fursuiters (or "furries"), this week at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. And many of them will come in their head-to-toe fursuits that turn them into animal characters.

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City residents and businesses have embraced the convention over the years, with nearby bars and restaurants offering custom menus during the convention and holding special events, such as August Henry's popular "Furry-Oke" night.

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In 2015, the convention moved its "Fursuit Parade" onto Pittsburgh's streets for the first time, and last year more than 1,000 people packed the intersection at 10th Street and Penn Avenue to watch dozens of furries strut their stuff outside the convention center. This year's parade is at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The convention begins Thursday and runs through Sunday.

Cox Media Group