The Morphicon Winter Holiday Newsletter!

Morphicon 5: "Hooray for FURRYWOOD!" May 16-18, 2008
Holiday Inn Columbus-Worthington, OH (Same hotel, new name)
http://www.morphicon.org/2008/
Guests of Honor: D.C. Simpson and Max Black Rabbit

In this issue:

* Morphicon 2008 Deadlines
* Morphicon 2008 Guests of Honor
* Ursa Major Awards
* Morphicon 2008 Charity
* Sponsorship Levels
* Looking to Get Involved at Morphicon?
Morphicon 2008 Deadlines

Registration: March 1, 2008 (early reg = save $10!)
Pre-registration is the same as last year, $30. If you wish to register for Morphicon early (and save $10), your letter, or online payment, must be postmarked by March 1st. If you still wish to pre-register for the convention past March 1st you will have until May 1st to do so through our online forum. You will not receive the pre-registration discount, but your badge will be waiting for you when you arrive at the convention. Hypertrophes MUST register before March 1st. We need time to get all their goodies together! You can visit online registration to register for Morphicon.

Hotel Reservations: May 1st, 2008
Ohio Morphicon has a secured a block of double-queen rooms for $99/night. To reserve a room, call the Holiday Inn directly at 614-436-0700, or fax them at 614-436-5318. You may also call the central office at 1-800-465-4329. You must ask for the Morphicon room rate (room block MO515). The room rate is guaranteed only through May 1st. Please plan ahead and reserve your room early. As it was last year, our room block is again contiguous--but having a room where everyone else is located will depend on how quickly the room block fills up (and therefore, on how soon you reserve your room).

Free Patron Membership Contest: February 25, 2008
Announcing the 2008 T-Shirt Contest! Entries must be line-art, all-ages appropriate, and fit our 2008 theme of " Hooray for FURRYWOOD!". Interpret how you wish, but all entries must be emailed or postmarked by 2/25/08. One winner will be selected for the free Patron Membership, and their submission will be featured on the convention t-shirt. The runners-up get their artwork printed in the 2008 conbook. For all submissions and queries, send email to Publications.

Dealer's Registration: As soon as tables sell out.
Want to be a dealer? It's pretty cheap to do so at Morphicon. Contact dealers@morphicon.org for more info, including prices and how to get a seller's permit in Ohio. We can give you the hookup!

Conbook Submissions: April 1, 2008
Any submissions for the conbook that are not appropriate for the T-shirt Contest (i.e. poetry, stories, advertisements, or grayscale art) must also be received by April 1, 2008 . Submissions and requests for information, advertisement rates, or convention flyer swaps can be handled through Publications.

Morphicon 2008 Guests of Honor

This year we are happy to announce that we will have D.C. Simpson and Max Black Rabbit as our guests of honor. Simpson is the creator of Ozy and Millie which has run continuously since 1998. Before Ozy and Millie, Simpson worked on the serial story Tails of the City Max. Max is a Canadian fur that has worked on a plethora of comics such as Hit the Beach, Furrlough, Extinctioners, Rare Breed, and Sabrina Online. He has also created, among others, the infamous character Zig Zag.

Ursa Major Awards

Morphicon is pleased to announce that we will be hosting the 2007 Ursa Major Awards! This prestigious ceremony has been held annually since 2001. Each year a list of accomplished anthropomorphic artwork from the year prior is established, and then voted upon. This includes work both inside, and outside, of the fandom. If you wish to learn more about the UMA, visit their website.

Morphicon 2008 Charity

Please help us raise money for Ferrets Unlimited of Cleveland, OH! We need your art and memorabilia donations for our charity art auction and raffle. Your donations will make the con more fun and help save lives. Ferrets Unlimited is a volunteer-run, no-kill shelter which finds homes for abandoned ferrets. Last year, donations included a set of animal themed carbonated drinks, furry themed DVDs, T-shirts, and artwork. Please contribute ahead of time, or at the convention, and help support a shelter that cares for abandoned and mistreated animals!

Ferrets Unlimited is in need of supplies for animal care, and will be glad to accept in-kind donations. Please see their needs page for what they currently need. You can bring in-kind donations to the con, but if you're in the Cleveland area, please consider bringing stuff directly to them, to save you both having to haul it around.

We welcome you to send a note to Charity if you would like to donate to the cause, or if you have any further questions about our charity events. Visit Ferrets Unlimited at their website here.

Sponsorship Levels

Sponsors, for an extra $15, will get a special limited edition art gift and a nifty collectible sponsor button, as well as an invitation to the high-class "I Scream Antisocial" event.

Patrons, for an extra $55, will get everything the Sponsors get, and more: a Morphicon 2008 t- shirt with the winning entry printed on the front, admission to the catered Guest of Honor dinner, preferred seating at Morphicon events, and more!

Hypertrophes are fantastic individuals who donate $200 or more to Morphicon for a given year, before the early registration deadline of March 1st. In addition to all of the benefits of Patron, you’ll receive a truly ginormous laminated conbadge, credit and kudos in the conbook (with your own bio), a second limited edition button, a special gift from the Guests of Honor, and a secret surprise! Remember, Hypertrophe memberships are only available through early registration which must be postmarked by March 1, 2008.

Looking to Get Involved at Morphicon?

Our Morphicon Spectacle of Doom will once again need performers, fursuited and not, to put on the acts. A Furry Variety Show with amateur acts will be held on Sunday night, and anyone is invited to contribute their own skit. The judged Masquerade will once again be held as well. For more information on any of these events, contact Programming.

Gophers help make the con go 'round! Please consider lending a paw! Morphicon loves and needs gophers. Enough gopher hours could lead to free admission for 2009. Contact Gophers for more info.

Happy holidays, and see you at Morphicon 2008!

-Jewel, and the rest of Morphicon Staff