Furclubbing: “A repeat/regular nightclub event by furries for furries.” The concept has been spreading since the late 2000’s. It’s a dance party independent from cons. It builds on their growth but takes things farther. It’s more ambitious than informal meets and events that happen once. Those can stay inner-focused, but this brings partnership with new kinds of venues, and new support for what they host. It crosses a line to public space, so a stranger can walk in and discover their new favorite thing. It encourages new blood and crossover to other scenes. It makes subculture thrive. It’s a movement!

See the list of parties at The Furclub survey.  Any party that gives a Q&A will get a featured article. Featured here is a new event in Detroit, Michigan.  Here’s what the organizer sent:

SCRITCH DETROIT (2017)

Follow: Twitter and Facebook

The party launch: Scritch Detroit’s first event starts on 11/11, and plans to be hosted on the second Saturday of every month – as long as the turnout keeps us going. Please join us to make a big impression with our first event!

Who: Founded and organized by K-NAO (that’s me!), a DJ and amateur club promoter out of Southeast Michigan, in cooperation with management at the Menjo’s Complex. DJs will be rotated monthly, so the party won’t be stale, and to give new talent an opportunity to play — there’s a lot of talent in the midwest, and we want to showcase that!

What: This is an 18+ club event — $5 at the door, with a full bar, headless lounge, and secure parking. The DJs will be varied, and we’re expecting House, Top40, Electro, Breaks, and Trance at our first event. We’re hoping to get at least 100 people in the door for our first time!

When: We’re starting on 11/11/2017, and want Scritch Detroit to keep going on the second Saturday of every month. Please keep up-to-date with us by following on Twitter and on Facebook. (Subject to the Midwest convention scene, the event may not happen on months where it overlaps the same weekend as major furry or anime events.)

Where: Scritch Detroit happens at the Olympus Theater in Detroit, Michigan, part of the Menjo’s Complex in the Palmer Park neighborhood. The event draws from furries and fandom participants across the Midwest. We even hope to attract people in from Ohio, Indiana, and even Illinois and Ontario.

How: In 2015, I organized a series of events at the now-defunct Club Inferno dubbed “Furry Friday”, of which there were three — in 2016, I worked with Menjo’s on the Fur Ball, a one-off August event that saw good attendance. Now we have a dedicated space, and my events have received some attention, so I’m pushing for a real, high-attendance club event that will bring people together.

Vibe: Popular convention DJs and hour-set formats make this a $5, 5-hour convention dance party, but without the hassle of booking a hotel for three to five nights, paying an expensive attendance fee, or having to sneak your alcohol into the dancefloor past the Dorsai.  The party is 18+, and while it takes place at a gay club, it’s all-inclusive, much like the convention dances we seek to emulate. Costuming of all kinds (fursuiting, cosplaying, anything!) is not only allowed, but encouraged. As the event is open to the general public, anyone who pays the $5 cover is allowed to attend.  Bring your non-furry friends who like a party and want to see what the community is about!

Promotion: Right now, word of mouth is the most important way for us to succeed. Sharing our presence on social media helps immensely. Please share! The bigger we get, the more promotion we can afford in the future. A portion of the proceeds will be set aside to help the event grow. Of course, the best press of all is if you have a good time and tell others!

Reactions: I’m pleased to say the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive so far, but the real test will be the first event. We need everyone we can to make this promotion a big success!

Business: The promotion is supported almost entirely by attendees, with staff (like the bartender and security) provided by Menjo’s. Base compensation for the Menjo’s staff comes out of the cover charge, with the remainder split between the talent — this means the more people attend, the more the DJs and talent get paid; the more drinks are purchased, the happier the venue is; and the more tips are given, the happier the bartender is!

Video or pics: We’ll soon be posting more on social media.

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