What is Howloween?
Howloween is an annual event that invades the hallows of the Metro Vancouver area every Halloween time, catering to furries and friends who appreciate a great time with a spooky twist! The event started in 2002 as a Halloween party in a basement and has been hosted by multiple venues (and hosts), but with one common thread: A Frightfully Furry Party!
Howloween has matured from a party to a convention and now features 3 days and two nights of spooky furry fun, including a full Dealers Den of furry artists and vendors, two dances hosted by talented DJs, fursuit games, events, art games, game shows, lots of hangout space, and general spooky fun. Many have called Howloween their first furry event and people of all ages, interests, and backgrounds are welcome. Any kind of public-friendly costumes are encouraged, but street clothes are perfectly fine too. The only requirement is an open mind and a desire for a good time!
This year, help us celebrate 20 years of Howloween – 2002 to 2022!
Covid19 Policy
<Revised Oct 26th, 2022>
No matter what rules we put into place, the numbers show that someone will arrive to Howloween while infected with COVID19 and possibly other viruses. We cannot guarantee protection, but along with good personal practices, we have some rules we believe reduce the chances of disease spread. These rules apply to every attendee, staff member, panelist, DJ… everyone!
As an indoor gathering within the province of BC and hosted in the Executive Hotel Vancouver Airport Richmond, we are required to abide by any BC COVID-19 Orders and Notices and the Federal Health Guidelines. At the time of this writing, there are currently no requirements issued towards events of our type regarding COVID19 or other health measures.
Our policies may change at any time without notice. These policies apply regardless of any changes to the official Orders and Notices, where permitted.
TL:DR
- Wear a mask in event spaces, including under your fursuit
- It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to be fully vaccinated and RECENTLY boosted with one of the updated COVID19 vaccines
- Eating or Drinking outside food is permitted exclusively in the hangout space with all nearby occupants permission, and masks worn after finished
- Hotel rooms are private space so BE CAREFUL and set rules for others!
Masks
Attendees in the event space are required to wear a disposable mask or respirator without a vent, or re-usable dual-layer mask, that fully covers the nose and mouth. Those unable to wear a mask are asked to wear a face shield that covers the nose and mouth. Attendees are strongly encouraged to wear a mask in public hotel spaces and in room parties.
Users of fursuit heads and costume masks with direct, uncovered paths from the wearer’s nose or mouth must also wear a face mask that fully covers the nose and mouth inside the fursuit head and costume mask.
Infants and children under Kindergarten age are not required to wear masks.
Panelists hosting a panel or event may remove their mask while conducting the panel, but only if all on stage in their proximity agree to do so. Otherwise, all panelists must remain masked.
For masking guidelines, please refer to this site. The better the quality of mask or respirator you wear, the better you protect yourself and others around you from getting and spreading COVID19 and other viruses. Please consider buying and wearing higher quality masks such as KN95, CAN99, or similar masks, and avoid single layer cotton or fabric masks that absorb liquid.
Symptoms
If you show any symptoms of being sick, such as a new cough, fever, chills, vomiting, runny nose, etc, you must not attend in person events at Howloween. Refunds will be available prior to having picked up your badge.
Vaccination
All attendees are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID19 with a recent booster (within 3 months) for the most effective protection against severe disease. Vaccination or previous recovery from infection will not prevent you from becoming infected at Howloween, but a recent vaccination with an updated vaccine (e.g. bivalent) has been said to give you the best protection against severe disease and hospitalization.
Social Distancing
Attendees are not required to socially distance while masked and in event space. Social distancing is encouraged in hotel rooms, hotel common space, or outdoors when face coverings may not always be worn. Please respect if someone requests this.
Eating & Drinking
Outside food may be consumed specifically in the hangout space if all nearby occupants are comfortable with unmasked people. It is the responsibility of the people removing their mask to find a space suitable to do so, not the other way around. Fursuit lounge occupants may de-mask to eat and drink while cooling off in fursuit. In both cases, masks must be worn afterwards as soon as possible.
The hotel restaurant and bar will be open for food and drink service with masks optional.
Dealers with an approved table are permitted to eat and drink at their table but are requested to wear their mask whenever possible.
Refunds
Due to the uncertain nature of Covid-19, if for any reason you are unable to attend Howloween, such as showing symptoms of Covid-19, unexpected travel restrictions, or safety concerns, you may request a refund or credit for your pre-registration attendance. Contact [email protected] with any requests before Nov 8th, 2022.
Hotel Rooms and Public Spaces
Hotel rooms, hallways, elevators, and the hotel lobby are not part of the Howloween event space and are not controlled by event policies, but are required to follow all hotel rules. Attendees not staying in the hotel are encouraged to stay in convention space for maximum safety.
Those who rent hotel rooms are encouraged to check vaccination status and require masks to be worn by anyone entering their hotel room. The safety of those who enter your private hotel room are your responsibility and not the Hotel or the Convention. We suggest you keep track of those who enter your room (contact tracing). Should someone become ill, you can notify those people who attended that room that they should be checked for the virus, just in case.
Before entering a hotel room, for maximum safety, guests to hotel rooms should ensure that the room is checking vaccination status and requiring masks. Entering any hotel room is done at YOUR OWN RISK and is fully outside of convention control.
Volunteer
Howloween is run entirely by volunteers. We are always looking for more helping hands for the event. Whether it be for the Art Team, Badge checkers, Registration, Load-in/Load-out, etc.
If you are interested please fill out the following:
16 years of age and under? A parent/guardian is required to attend and volunteer with you (they get a free badge) and must fill out our Minor Attendance form AND our Minor Volunteer form and have the first ready when registering/picking up badges at the event, the second when signing in to volunteer.
Staffing Needs
Registration: Part of a team working to register attendees for the event and sell event merchandise.
Rangers: A team that ensures that those entering event space are officially registered guests & helps with questions and concerns.
Logistics: Our load-in and load-out team, responsible for bringing all the gear to and from the event.
IT: Tech-savvy folks who can help setup equipment and other event infrastructure.
General Volunteers: Those who aren’t sure what they want to do or are happy to help with whatever our needs are at the time.
Registration
PLEASE NOTE: Your log in to other conventions that run Convention Master will NOT work as they all have their own separate credentials. Trying to log in too many times will result in a temporary IP block. Try again later! If you have continuous issues, please contact Registration
SKELETON (Regular Pre-Reg) $35
General Entry/Badge for Event.
Guaranteed only if PAID by Oct 28th 2022 (Pre-reg closes)
WEREWOLF (Sponsor Pre-Reg) $65
General Entry/Badge for Event,
1 Tshirt Voucher, 1 Merch Voucher (Pin/Poster/Charm/Lanyard)
Guaranteed only if REGISTERED and PAID by Oct 28th, 2022
KAIJU (Patron Pre-Reg & At-Con) $100
General Entry/Badge for Event,
1 Tshirt Voucher, 1 Merch Voucher (Pin/Poster/Charm/Lanyard)
SPECIAL ITEM (TBA)
Guaranteed only if REGISTERED and PAID by Oct 28th, 2022
*Pre-reg accepts Paypal/Credit Card & Mail-in Cheque/Money Order
ZOMBIE (At-Con Regular Reg) $40
General Entry/Badge for Event.
WEREWOLF (At-Con Sponsor) $70
General Entry/Badge for Event,
1 Tshirt Voucher, 1 Merch Voucher (Pin/Poster/Charm/Lanyard)
Available while supplies lasts. Pre-register to secure this reg type!
*At-con payments accepted: Cash, Credit, Interac Flash (tap)
Cash payment strongly preferred. USD cash accepted at par.
Government photo ID required to pick up your badge at con. Vaccination status is NOT REQUIRED but recent vaccination is highly recommended.
16 years of age and under? A parent/guardian is required to attend with you (they get a free badge) and must fill out our Minor Attendance form and have it when registering/picking up badges at the event.
Register here! Pre-reg closes Oct 28th
Where is Howloween?
NEW VENUE!
Executive Hotel Vancouver Airport Richmond
7311 Westminster Hwy,
Richmond, B.C. V6X 1A3
Please do not book with outside hotel booking websites. Our contract is based on hotel rooms booked under our booking ID, and we save you money! Things like parking and room occupancy are not always included. Can’t find a room? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll try our best to help!
Recommended Room Types
Standard Courtyard Double ($169/night)
Sleeps 4 | 2 Double | 300 ft²
Courtyard Ground Floor Room with Two Double Beds. Pet-friendly room.
Junior Double Suite ($169/night)
Sleeps 3 – 5 | 2 Double, 1 Sofa OR 1 Queen, 1 Sofa | 350 ft²
Courtyard Junior Suite with Two Double beds and sofa bed in sitting area, mini fridge, microwave & wetbar. Wheelchair accessible rooms on request.
Available Further from Event Space
One Bedroom Luxury Suite ($219/night)
Sleeps 4 | 1 Queen, 1 Sofa | 550 to 620 ft²
One Bedroom Luxury Suite with One Queen Bed and Sofa Bed. Full Kitchen and Washer Dryer.
Family Two Bedroom Suite ($279/night)
Sleeps 5 | 1 Queen, 1 Single, 1 Sofa | 650 ft²
Queen bed with ensuite, one single bed in den and sofa bed in living room. Full kitchen, washer & dryer. 2 full bath.
Two Bedroom Luxury Suites ($279/night)
Sleeps 6 | 1 Queen, 1 Double, 1 Sofa | 700 ft²
One Queen Bed, One Double Bed and Sofa Bed. Full Kitchen with Washer Dryer. 2 Full Bath.
Reservation Information
(Venue map moved to Events)
Room block will be open until 11:59 PM PST Oct 4th!
(Con rate not guaranteed after Oct 4th!)
Details
- While condo suites are available, they are FAR AWAY from the event space. Please keep this in mind when booking them.
- All rooms at least quad (4) occupancy
- Valid Nov 1st – 9th. Booking outside those days may affect your price.
- Hotel guests get free parking for 1 car. $16.75/day for extra or non-hotel guests.
- All rooms comes with a mini fridge, flat screen TV and WiFi.
- You can cancel up to 48 hours before your reservation without penalty.
- Free Airport Transfer during 5am – 11 pm
- Parties are NOT PERMITTED in the apartment/condo suites
How to Book:
You can book now by using the following link:
https://be.synxis.com/?Hotel=16957&Chain=6278&group=HOWLOWEEN2022
You can also call them at (604) 278-5555 to place a reservation. Just be sure to mention our group when you call to get our convention rate!
The main hotel is now full. Please see the overflow info below.
Overflow Hotel
Overflow Hotel – Quality Hotel Airport South
7228 Westminster Hwy
RICHMOND BC V6X 1A1
(across the street from main event space)
$149.00 + tax, double occupancy
- Free shuttle
- Free Hot Breakfast (6:30am – 9:30am)
- Free Parking
- Free cancellation before 4pm on Nov 2nd, 2022
To reserve, call 604-244-3051 or 1-877-244-3051, and book under “Howloween”, confirmation number 4498658. Rooms available only until Oct 31st!
Want to share a room? Try Conroomies, our Discord in #room-and-ride-shares.
Party Rooms
Note: parties are NOT PERMITTED in the Apartment/Condo Suites.
Want to host a party? Apply here!
Having issues reserving? Please email [email protected]
Event Amenities
Hotel Parking
For people without a room at the main hotel, please follow the link below for complimentary parking registration for the event:
https://www.offstreet.io/location/R6HFNNTS
We will have some extra physical passes available at the Front Desk but you will need to walk back to your car and display the pass on the dashboard.
This link is for drive-in attendees only; for in-house guests, you will be asked to provide your license plate number upon checking in, and that will cover the entire duration of your stay. There are plenty of parking stalls with 2 outdoor parking lots and one 7-level indoor parkade. To access the parkade, please press the button on the intercom beside the gate and our front desk will open the gate.
Hotel Restaurant
Our hotel has a great restaurant in the lobby, Free Bird Table & Bar, that includes a pub that serves mixed drinks and beer, as well as a connected liquor store
Open Daily: 7am-11am Breakfast, 11am-2pm Brunch (Sat, Sun Only), 11am-10pm Lunch/Dinner
Happy Hour: 3pm to 6pm
Menu & more: http://thefreebird.ca/
Dealers Den
Vendor List
| Table 1 | Jenessa//Reika | Table 2 | DrFoxxButt |
| Table 3 | Draconic 3D | Table 4 | SaberMOWtain .Inc |
| Table 5 | KingKitsune | Table 6 | Gobiton Studios |
| Table 7 | Levviathan | Table 8 | Asagurble |
| Table 9 | Critter Cove Art | Table 10 | huoolong |
| Table 11 | Roecapelin | Table 12 | The Wagons Den |
| Table 13 | (Drop-in Table) | Table 14 | BONETANK and Meow Wares |
| Table 15 | ZeNami Design | Table 16 | Temrin @ WildElement Studios |
| Table 17 | Ravelights | Table 18 | SpecterStudio |
| Table 19 | Apoxon Industries | Table 20 | Stickysquidpaws |
| Table 21 | ALLOSAUREX |
Hours of Operation
- Friday – 5pm – 11pm
- Saturday – 10am – 6pm
- Sunday – 10am – 5pm
- Vendor setup time is one hour before the scheduled opening time
Please note: Vendors from outside of Canada should also make sure that they are in compliance with the requirements to sell their wares in Canada. (There are no temporary business license requirements to sell in BC.)
Table Costs
Advance Booking
- Friday – $25
- Saturday – $35 full day – $20 half day
- Sunday – $35 full day – $20 half day
- Weekend Booking – $85
At Event (Subject to availability, very few will be reserved for at-event requests)
- Friday – $25 full day
- Saturday – $40 full day, $25 half day
- Sunday – $40, $25 half day
General Information
- Table Size: 6’ x 24”. 1 table max, per vendor due to limited space.
- The event does not guarantee Wi-Fi Service, but will make best efforts to provide. Please come prepared with a backup option if necessary.
- Electricity is not guaranteed but we will attempt to provide. Please contact us about this.
- Tables are booked on a first come first served basis, pre-reg quickly to ensure you get a spot.
- Dealers Den is in a secured room, and will only be open to badge holders. Outside of dealers den hours and setup time you will not be able to access the room. If you forget something important in the room you can contact the dealers den lead, however there is no guarantee you will be able to access it before the next day.
- While Dealers Den is open, please do not leave your wares unattended. We will not be held responsible if things go missing.
- If you are booked for multiple days, you may leave your setup in the dealers den room. If you have booked for only one day you will be required to take down your setup no later than 30 minutes after closing time.
- Please inform the dealers den lead if you are leaving or if you need to step away for a moment. If you leave your table for more than 30 mins without informing the lead, we will assume you have left, and will let a waitlisted person know a table is open.
- Be sure to read our Code of Conduct
What Can I Sell?
- Please only sell content you are legally allowed to sell in BC, Canada.
- Pirated, copyright infringing works, etc. may be requested by staff to be taken down. If this is not adhered to, if we find repeat offenders, or if the offense is severe, you may be asked to leave without refund.
- Any material (pre-made or in the works) containing violent, gorey and/or sexually explicit depictions must not be accessible to minors, including literature. Common practice is to keep them in a binder and check government issued photo ID of anyone wishing to look through it. Convention badges are not proof of age in any way! Adult content inside binders should still have explicit portions censored in some fashion.
- Food and drink are not permitted to be sold at Howl
How to reserve a table slot:
Step 1 – Register yourself for the event.You will NOT receive notification of approval before pre-reg closes. You may choose Mail-in “Cheque” payment to delay paying, but pre-reg pricing is only available while pre-reg is open. At-con prices are slightly higher.
Step 2 – Fill out the Dealers Den Application Form. Please fill out any special requests.Step 3 – Wait for our email to confirm whether you have received a spot. If you do not receive a spot, you will be placed on a waitlist.Step 4 – Reply to the email to confirm your interest in taking your spot.Step 5 – At con, please pick up your registration badge.If you have not yet paid for your registration, you will pay at-con reg prices at reg.
Step 6 – Please pay cash for your table to the Dealers Den lead.
Pre-con table applications are now closed. Thanks to all those who have applied.
How to get a table at the event:
- Step 1 – Register yourself for the event.
- Step 2 – Speak to the Dealers Den lead to see if/when space is available.
- Step 3 – Pay cash to the Dealers Den Lead
FAQ
Artist Alley applications are… changing?!
You read that correctly, there are some big changes coming to the vendor market at Howloween 2022!
First off, we are welcoming new leadership to the team. Renashu has taken over as the new vendor lead for this year, with Shadow’s years of experience and strong recommendations to help get things going.
The second change is that we will be offering tables on Sunday for the full day, so you vendors will get an entire extra day to sell your wares.
The last and biggest change for this year is that Artist Alley is changing formats to be a full on Dealers Den!
Why the big change from Artist Alley to Dealers Den?
Traditionally, the artist alley has been in a public space with open access to badge holders and the public alike. Because of this, vendors were required to take down their setups at the end of each day, then set up again the following morning.
This year, our vendor space will be in a room that can, and will, be locked outside of vendor hours. This makes it more of a dealers den, and will allow our vendors to leave their setups in the room overnight.
How will this affect booking a table?
Tables will still be available by the day, and the half day, however we will be offering a weekend rate to those who wish to book a space for the entire event. Table bookings are still going to be first-come, first-served, so be sure to book your space right away!
Do weekend bookings get priority?
Yes and no. Some tables will be set aside for weekend bookings, but some will be by the day only.
Can I still get a table at the event?
Yes, but space will be very limited. Depending on the number of pre-bookings only one table will be set aside for at event slots, and any waitlisted vendors will get first priority for this space.
When can I apply?
Wednesday October 5th applications will be open! Dealers Den applications are officially open! Be sure to read the rules below for information on hours, pricing, and most importantly how to apply for a table!
How many tables will there be?
We don’t have an exact number just yet, but it will be more than in previous years. Once we have finalized a number we will be able to start confirming bookings, so don’t be alarmed if you don’t get a confirmation right away.
Events and Schedule
Schedule
My Schedule
Map
Dance Competition
Our dance competition is a fun event for costumers to show us their dance moves! You must be costumed (full halloween costume, full fursuit or partial fursuit) to participate.
DJ Schedule
| Friday | Saturday | |
|---|---|---|
| 8PM | Shep Dance/House/Rap/Original |
DJ Cassidy Civet Canadian Top 40 Dance |
| 9PM | Momaru Chiptune/Future Funk/General Dance |
Lapse Warmup House/Disco |
| 10PM | DJ Sparks Tech House/EDM |
Digipig 90s Eurodance/House/Club Hits/Underground |
| 11PM | Hexagon Jack Hardstyle/Dubstep/House |
DJ Kade House/EDM |
| 12AM | Black Metal Rat Heavy Metal |
AVANNI Hyperpop |
Code of Conduct
Subject to change
All attendees must adhere to these rules! The Howloween Event is a private function being held in a public hotel and all guests are expected to uphold a certain level of respect and courtesy in order to maintain their access to the event space. Event space access is a privilege, not a right. We ask that you do only things that others would find acceptable in any public setting. Use your common sense!
At the event holders’ discretion, guests may be denied entry to the event space with no chance of refund of event contributions for any failure to abide by the following requirements, as well as any additional requirements determined at the event holders’ discretion:
- You must agree to and follow all requirements for Coronavirus safety, as laid out in our Covid19 Policy and the BC COVID-19 Orders and Notices.
- Are you wearing makeup/body paint/etc? Please be careful when interacting with your surroundings, including other costumers and fursuiters! Makeup and paint can stain other costumes, walls, tables/tablecloths, etc!
- Unless you have purchased a table in our Artist Alley, There is NO exchanging of money or selling of -any- products in event space whatsoever!
- No illegal substances of any kind are permitted in the event space or hotel proximity.
- Costumes and clothing must be acceptable for public viewing and should not be overly revealing or suggestive in nature, at the event holders’ discretion.
- Be considerate! Inappropriate conduct towards attendees, hotel guests or staff will result in immediate expulsion and possible ban from future events.
- Any rude, obscene, discriminatory, or sexual behaviour in the event space or public hotel areas will not be tolerated.
- No outside alcohol is permitted in the event space.
- Alcohol is only to be consumed by those guests 19 years of age or older. Providing alcohol to underage guests is not permitted and is grounds for immediate expulsion from the event with NO exceptions.
- All hotel conduct requirements must be followed by all guests, including any in conflict with the requirements listed here. Any actions taken by the hotel in response to a breach of hotel conduct will be supported by event staff and reflected by the event.
- Room parties are not permitted unless coordinated with the event holders and/or hotel staff.
- USE YOUR COMMON SENSE!
