General Rules

• Anthro Weekend Utah’s primary goal is to be a family-friendly, safe, and welcoming convention for members of all ages. As such, the maximum permissible rating for general events, activities, panels, artwork, and other items in open convention space is PG/SFW. Those seeking a more adult-oriented convention experience may find their tastes better suited by another event.
• Displayed wares in the dealer’s den will follow these guidelines; open display of NSFW items in convention space is not permitted.
• If a panel is intended to be for more mature audiences (e.g. Cards Against Humanity), it will be clearly indicated on the schedule and signage. Such circumstances are the only exception to the convention’s PG policy.
• Anything illegal outside the convention is obviously illegal inside the convention. Note that the laws in Utah may differ from those in your home state.
• If an action compromises the general feeling of safety, positivity, and enjoyment by convention members, Anthro Weekend Utah will take an appropriate reaction, up to and including a ban from the convention or pursuit of legal action via the appropriate authorities.
• The policies contained on this page are generally worst-case scenarios. In general, Anthro Weekend Utah expects little to no difficulties with its members, as everyone at large is willing to be a reasonable and rational individual.

Registration

• You may only register once, i.e. one person may not have multiple registrations and badges.
• Your personal information, such as your name, date of birth, and address as entered on Anthro Weekend Utah’s registration form MUST match your legal ID or you will not be permitted to enter the convention space. Your personal identifying information is kept secure and is never shared with outside parties.
• Individuals who meet any of the following criteria must ask regarding their eligibility if they wish to gain membership to the convention:
• Anyone who has been banned from a major convention.
• Anyone who has been convicted of a violent or sexual felony.
• Anyone who has been convicted of a sexual or violent crime against children or vulnerable adults.
• Anyone who is a member of a group which advocates for the attack or persecution of a class of people based on immutable characteristics.
• Such individuals will be reviewed by the convention board and a determination will be met prior to the convention.
• Attending Anthro Weekend Utah when you are unqualified or unregistered (or providing the means for another such individual to do so) is grounds for a permanent ban from the convention, in addition to any applicable legal action.

COVID-19

After taking into careful consideration all the feedback we received from our attendees regarding potential mask requirements, the following policy is in place for the 2022 Anthro Weekend Utah Convention. The final policy is as follows:

• In order to accommodate individuals unwilling to comply with the policies outlined on this document, the AWU 2022 refund deadline has been extended to Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Individuals requesting refunds may reach out to us at registration@anthroweekendutah.org. Alternatively, a registration may also be rolled over to 2023.

Our full COVID policy is as follows:

• A negative COVID test within 72 hours of the event, OR proof of vaccination is still required in order to attend. Rapid tests are permitted, but must be administered by a medical professional. Self-administered COVID tests are not permitted.
• Children age 5+ are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations and will therefore be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test.
• All convention members must sign a Covid Release Form. Links to this form are provided on the registration form to allow for electronic submission and faster check-in. The form can also be completed in-person at convention check-in.
• You must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and present genuine, government-issued proof of said vaccination, OR provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event, at registration check-in.
  • “Fully vaccinated” means you have received both doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or have received a one-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. Regardless of vaccine type, the complete dose of your vaccine must be received by July 1, 2022, two weeks prior to the start of the convention.
  • A booster is not required to be considered “fully vaccinated.”
  • Any home-based COVID-19 test kit results will not be accepted.
• Masks must be worn while in convention space.
  • Woven, knitted, mesh, or other masks which do not provide a substantial barrier are not permitted.
• If you feel ill, do not attend, or return home (as applicable).
• If you begin experiencing COVID symptoms during or after the convention, we urge you to take advantage of free testing and to inform others of any positive test results so we can all work to stay safe. Above all else, the number one thing we can all do to be safe is get vaccinated; vaccines work! We thank you for your cooperation in navigating this pandemic, and look forward to a wonderful weekend together.

Interpersonal

• Anthro Weekend Utah currently takes place in the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah. The convention rooms are rented out, but the attached hotel is a public thoroughfare and may have non-members walking through. Remember, this may be the first time people encounter our fandom. Be polite, understanding, and kind to people who are learning about furries for the first time.
• Treat each other with respect! Everyone is here to have fun and meet people. Harassing, bullying, intimidating, threatening, obstructing, or otherwise targeting others will not be tolerated. You’re a big, lovable fuzzy (or scaley, or feathered!) creature. Act like one!
• If you are a victim of harassment, inform convention staff immediately so the issue can be addressed.
• Some people may not like hugs, especially from strangers; please refrain from hugging or touching others unless you have their consent.
• If you have a hotel room and are planning a party, please follow the rules of your respective hotels.
• Please do not engage in public affection in excess of what is appropriate for a PG atmosphere. Get a room!
• Treat the convention space with respect. If you damage the space, you will be responsible for paying for the damage. If you want a hole in your wallet, you can go to the dealer’s den instead- and you’ll get to keep something to show for it!
• The Davis Conference Center does not allow animals into the convention space, including therapy or anxiety pets. The only exception to this is service animals that have been trained in accordance with the ADA to provide assistance to an individual with a disability through a specific action.
• Anthro Weekend Utah is not responsible for solving personal issues between members that arise before the convention. AWU cannot bar an individual from attending solely because someone does not want them to attend. For most circumstances, an individual cannot be barred from attending unless that individual presents a specific and credible threat toward the convention itself or if another individual can produce a legal restraining order.

Costumes

• Cosplay or fursuiting is NOT consent.
• Do not touch, hug, grab, squeeze, or otherwise make physical contact with people that have not already consented to it. If you don’t know if you have permission, ask.
• Everyone needs to be afforded the courtesy of asking before making contact. If the person you are wanting to hug or “boop” (touch on the nose) asks you NOT to touch them or expresses that would make them uncomfortable, DO NOT touch them.
• You can turn someone’s great convention experience into a bad one by invading their personal space and touching them without permission. Don’t.
• Do not touch or move others’ fursuits without their permission. This extends to spraying Febreeze or other deodorizing products on people and/or their suits. Fursuits are expensive, and not all materials react the same way to cleaning agents. Risk of damage to suits, or possible allergic reactions of suiters, must be avoided.
• Please respect suiters’ space and well-being. If a suiter is obviously in a hurry or declining forms of interaction (e.g. photos), let them get to their destination. They may be overheating and/or in need of a break.
• The headless lounge is meant to be a sanctuary for fursuiters to cool off, not a high-traffic social space. Each suiter is permitted a maximum of one non-suited handler to accompany them into the lounge; other non-suiters are not permitted. Photography inside or into the lounge is prohibited, but you are welcome to capture a suiter’s grand re-entry into the public convention space!

Dress

• In convention space, refrain from wearing clothing or any accessory which is overly revealing, inappropriate for our convention’s PG/family-friendly atmosphere, or likely to result in complaints or offense from others. This includes excess gore/horror, explicit OR implicit sex- or fetish-related gear as well as clothing or modifications with obvious sexual implications.
• Harnesses and collars are permitted.
• Displays of excessive gore, blood, disembowelment, dismemberment or similar are not permitted.
• Leashes are not permitted.
• Pup play gear or masks are not permitted.
• Rubber costumes and masks are generally not permitted.
• Underwear may not be worn as outerwear.
• Any mechanism which deliberately draws focus to the genital area is not permitted.
• Arm bands are not permitted.
• Generally speaking, If you can wear it in public and it adheres to the rules above, you can wear it in the convention space.

Hygiene

• Shower, use deodorant, brush your teeth, the works.
• Clean and brush your fursuit.
• A lot of people in a shared space can quickly compound bad smells. It is recommended that you bathe yourself at least every day, possibly more depending on other factors (like exertion levels). You know what it takes to keep yourself clean, please do it!
• Your general health is important! Remember the classic 6-2-1 rule: at least six hours of sleep a day, two meals, and one shower or bath will keep you in top shape for the weekend.

Food and Drink

• Per the Davis Conference Center policy, outside food or drink is not allowed in the convention space. Water bottles with water are permitted. If you bring food from outside the convention center, the DCC asks that you consume it outside or in your hotel room.
• The Davis Conference Center will offer a food stand during the day. Food purchased in the Davis Conference Center may be consumed there.

Minors

• All parents and legal guardians must purchase a convention registration, regardless of whether they are “just supervising” their child or not. Our venue, suppliers, equipment, and material costs are not charged on the basis of who is actively participating.
• For those 16-17 years old as of the first day of the convention:
• A signed, notarized Parental Consent Form is required in order to attend without a parent or guardian. If the form is not notarized, you will not be admitted.
• A notarized consent form may be scanned and submitted online after you have registered for the convention. This process will become available at the end of 2021. The form is not considered valid until it has been marked as “accepted” in the online portal.
• Even after electronically submitting the form online on MyAWU, hold on to the physical copy until the convention has concluded.
• If you bring your form in-person rather than submitting it in advance online, you must bring the original document, not a copy.
• Federal and state forgery laws apply for any attempt at faking a notarized document, and such laws can carry felony charges with fines in the tens of thousands and/or jail time. Anthro Weekend Utah must, and will, pursue the full extent of the law. Simply do the right thing and get it truthfully notarized.
• You must bring a photo ID to check in to the convention.
• If you have the notarized form, you do not need to attend with a parent.
• If your parent or legal guardian attends with you, you do not need the notarized form.
• Your parent or legal guardian may appoint another adult to attend with you; see "Appointing an Alternate Guardian" below.
• For those 15 and under as of the first day of the convention:
• You must attend with a parent/legal guardian and they must stay within waving distance of you at all times.
• The parent or legal guardian must purchase a convention badge.
• If you and your parent / legal guardian purchase different registration tiers, the individual with the lower tier is permitted to accompany the individual with the higher tier in any advance admission or seating lines.
  • This privilege is only extended to individuals age 15 or younger, due to the requirement of staying within waving distance of a parent or guardian.
  • This privilege does not extend to the Alpha Dinner; both parties must possess an Alpha-level registration for admission.
• Your parent or legal guardian may appoint another adult to attend with you in their stead; see "Appointing an Alternate Guardian" below.
• A basic registration is available to children 12 years or younger free of charge. Higher-tiered registrations are still available at the standard prices.
• Parents/guardians and children must be physically present and check in together at the convention.
• Appointing an Alternate Guardian
• Parents or legal guardians of members under the age of 18 may approve a responsible adult (18 years of age or older) to serve as a temporary guardian of minor members during the course of the convention.
• To do this, the parent or legal guardian as well as the appointed temporary guardian must sign an Alternate Guardian Form in the presence of a notary. If this form is not notarized, it will not be accepted, and the minor(s) will not be admitted to the convention.
• A notarized Alternate Guardian Form can be submitted online at MyAWU.org, in advance, after all parties have registered for the convention. The form is not considered valid until it has been marked as accepted on the website.
• Even after electronically submitting the form online to AWU, hold on to the physical copy until the convention has concluded.
• A new alternate guardian form must be filled out, signed, and notarized for each child; multiple minors may not be listed on a single form.
• All parents/guardians and children must be physically present and check in together at the convention.
• Refunds will not be issued in any circumstances which arise from a failure to understand and adhere to these procedures and guidelines. Please ensure that you have the proper notarized paperwork either physically in-hand at the convention or submitted and approved online before arriving at the convention.

Substances

• Utah law prohibits the consumption of alcohol in any public building as well as bringing an alcoholic beverage onto the premises of an establishment open to the general public. Party on, and keep those drinks in your room or in the Davis Conference Center’s bar.
• Illegal substances and drugs are, well, illegal. Note that the substance laws in Utah may differ significantly from the substance laws in your home state.
• Smoking and vaping are not permitted inside the Davis Conference Center.

Weapons

• Weapons, firearms, and explosives are not allowed anywhere in the convention space whatsoever.
• There is a zero-tolerance policy for this. if you are found to have a real weapon, you will immediately be ejected from the convention and the appropriate authorities will be contacted. Such conduct will also put you at risk of being banned from any future Anthro Weekend Utah conventions. The safety of the larger population of members is more important than letting you carry around things like pocket knives, etc. If you don’t feel safe enough to attend the convention without a weapon, do not attend. If you know of anyone who has stated an intention to cause harm at the convention, please alert Anthro Weekend Utah staff or the authorities.

Outside Events

• Anthro Weekend Utah is happy to collaborate with other companies and fandoms!
• If you want to be a sponsor or cross advertise with Anthro Weekend Utah, please send an email to pr@anthroweekendutah.org.
• During the days of the convention, July 15th-17th, 2022, AWU does not promote for outside events. For example, if the FanX Comic Convention had a costume competition during Friday night of the convention, Anthro Weekend Utah would not promote their event or advertise for it.
• Unless officially announced, Anthro Weekend Utah has no affiliation with any outside event.

Photography

• Photographs and video are allowed in the convention space, with the exception of any headless lounges.
• The Anthro Weekend Utah Staff as well as designated photographers will be on hand and may take pictures during events or activities.
• If you prefer not to have your picture taken, please notify the person with the camera.
• Unless explicitly requested otherwise, pictures taken may be used by the staff on our website, social media, or for other marketing purposes. AWU will credit the subjects of the photos and/or the photographers given the staff’s best efforts to identify them.
• If you’re taking personal pictures, it is considered polite to get permission from those you’re taking pictures of, prior to taking the photo.
• There will be a photo booth in the main convention area for you to get your picture taken, either with your personal cameras and equipment or by the AWU photographer.

Merchandise and Refunds

• You are expected to pick up your merch with your registration badge at the convention.
• In the event that you purchase Ultimate or Alpha registration and you are not able to pick up the merch at-con, you may email registration at registration@anthroweekendutah.org to request your merch be mailed to you. You must include your name, registration confirmation number, and mailing address in the email so that your registration can be located. You have one month after the last day of the convention to contact Anthro Weekend Utah. For 2022, this date is August 17, 2022.
• If you do not contact the convention by this date, your merch will be surrendered to the online convention store for resale.
• After April 16, 2022, only the value of a Basic-level registration may be refunded.
• After June 15, 2022, refunds are no longer available whatsoever.
• The refund window for the original 2020 convention was closed on April 9, 2021. The only exception made to this rule is for those who are unable to comply with current COVID regulations and policies. While we are happy to roll a registration forward to next year, individuals who registered for the original 2020 convention and who meet the above criteria can request a refund by emailing registration@anthroweekendutah.org.

Questions, Comments, Concerns?

• Please reach out at contact@anthroweekendutah.org. There is also a suggestion box on the registration desk as well as means for electronic feedback submission during the convention for any and all suggestions.
• During the convention, you can talk to volunteers and board members directly. If there are any issues, let Anthro Weekend Utah staff know as soon as possible it can be addressed.

Liability

• Rules and policies may change at any time, and it is your responsibility to read and stay up-to-date on the current Code of Conduct.
• If someone is acting inappropriately, please report it to Anthro Weekend Utah staff. Staff and Volunteers will be on hand at all times for assistance.
• Anthro Weekend Utah reserves the sole right of interpretation of these policies. Don’t try to use a technicality to get around a rule. If you do not understand a rule, the Anthro Weekend Utah staff are happy to explain it and work with you. Be reasonable and spare us the sass, we’re only human too. Well, human-animal people…
• Anthro Weekend Utah reserves the right to refuse service or membership privileges to anyone.
• If you are ejected from the convention for any reason, your money will not be refunded.
• By attending the convention, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Anthro Weekend Utah and its staff of and from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, losses, damages, lawsuits, including reasonable attorneys fees and court costs, even if such injury or damage is caused by negligence by or on the part of Anthro Weekend Utah.
• Liability is limited to the cost of attendance.