TFcon
TFcon is a Transformers fan convention held annually since 2002. TFcon will be held for the 21st consecutive year in 2023 with events occurring in Baltimore, Maryland in October and Toronto, Ontario, Canada in December to celebrate the 39th anniversary of the Transformers.
TFcon | |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Genre | Transformers |
Venue | Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale, Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport |
Location(s) | Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Orlando |
Country | Canada, USA |
Inaugurated | November 10, 2002 |
Most recent | October 21–23, 2022 |
Attendance | 3000+ |
Organized by | Colin Douglas |
Website | http://www.tfcon.com |
TFcon is the world's largest fan-run Transformers collectors convention. The event features a specialised dealer room for Transformers merchandise, guest question and answer panels and autograph sessions, a third-party product presentation, Transformers trivia, and a Transformers costume contest.
History
The first TFcon was held in Hamilton, Ontario in 2002, with 190 attendees. In 2003, Joe Ng and the Dreamwave Productions team were the first special guests at the conference. In its first two years the convention was moved around Ontario, before finding a regular location in Toronto. As of 2008, this convention changed its name from TransformersCon to TFcon at the request of Hasbro. In 2009 TFcon expanded to a 2-day convention. Starting in 2012, TFcon has been hosting a charity auction for the Make-A-Wish Foundation each summer, raising over $50,000 for the charity.[1]
In 2014 TFcon expanded to two shows a year, one in Canada and one in the United States. In Spring of 2019, TFcon hosted a Transformers Generation 1 cast reunion in Los Angeles, featuring 50 cast members from various Transformers media. In 2020 TFcon was held online for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ran as a virtual event.
In 2023, following the signing of a bill which restricted drag shows in venues where children might be present, crossdressing was restricted at the convention, with refunds available for individuals who felt it was unsafe to attend the event.[2] Following the response from the fan community, the rules were altered to permit cross-dressing, with the organizers arguing that cross-dressing does not break any Florida state law.[3]
References
- "Transformers Collectors Convention to Hold Charity Auction for Make-A-Wish Foundation". Village Gamer. 24 July 2012.
- Baggs, Michael (9 June 2023). "Florida Transformers convention bans 'cross-dressing cosplay' under state's anti-drag law". PinkNews. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- @TFconTweets (8 June 2023). "Thanks to the fans that reached out to us to help us shape the following update to our website" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 June 2023 – via Twitter.
- "TFcon Toronto featured in ToyFare #141 - Cybertron.CA - Canadian Transformers News and Discussion".
- City TV Breakfast Television Guest Spot, "Show Notes | Show Notes".
- 680 News article about TFcon, "CityNews". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16.
- Dorkshelf.com article, "TFcon Toronto is this Weekend". 14 July 2010.
- Mississauga.com Article, "Mississauga Latest News Stories". 30 June 2023. Archived from the original on 15 November 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- TFcon Article in the Toronto Star, "Robot love". The Toronto Star. 23 April 2009.
- Breakfast Today Toronto interview Phil Gervais about TFcon 2011, "Breakfast Television – Weekdays 6:00am".
- 680News reports on TFcon 2011, "Autobot and Decepticon fans head to Mississauga this weekend for TFCon 2011 - 680News". November 17, 2012. Archived from the original on November 17, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
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: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - Clay, Chris (26 July 2012). "Transformers convention hits Meadowvale". Mississauga News. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2023.