华文：兽曜日首次进驻饭店 125位同好齐聚台南参与《越元盛宴-兽曜府城》2026

Taiwan’s first furry gathering of 2026 opened in Tainan, as the Furryday team hosted “New Year’s Feast – Furryday Fucheng” on 3 January at the Silks Place Tainan Hotel.

The event attracted 125 attendees.

Furryday incorporated group games, random dance sessions and other interactive programmes throughout the day. Following the closing ceremony, organisers held an evening banquet, allowing participants to continue socialising while experiencing Tainan’s local dining culture.

This marked the first time Furryday selected a hotel venue for one of its events. Lead organiser Iceheart (冰心) said the team wanted to experiment with a venue format commonly associated with larger-scale furry conventions, while retaining Furryday’s distinctive event style.

Organisers chose the five-star hotel after considering accommodation options, venue functionality, accessibility and location. Iceheart said the venue met both organisational and attendee needs.

The event name “New Year’s Feast – Furryday Fucheng” builds upon the “full moon feast” idea from their 2024 mid-autumn event.

Due to scheduling considerations, organisers postponed the original concept and adapted it to reflect the New Year period. The revised title symbolises “crossing into the New Year”, aligning with the transition between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

“Fucheng” (府城) is a historical name for Tainan, often used to refer to the city’s status as Taiwan’s former capital and its strong cultural heritage.

During the event, Furryday unveiled its second official character, “Sword Lion – Zheng Anlan (transliteration)”. The character design draws inspiration from Tainan’s traditional sword lion imagery and local cultural elements.

With it, organisers want to link the event more closely with Tainan’s heritage, cuisine and lifestyle, reinforcing the “Fucheng” theme.

Fursuit photo booth featuring the event’s mascots. / Lianfeng (恋风)

This also marked Furryday’s first hotel-hosted event in collaboration with furry merch maker Red Scale Rangers, which assisted in planning selected programme segments.

Iceheart acknowledged that differences in working styles initially caused friction. However, both teams adjusted and aligned their approaches over time, allowing the event to proceed smoothly.

Teams can resolve differences through calm and rational discussion in order to reach shared goals, he added.

Prize items from the event raffle. / CT the Cat

The evening banquet featured traditional Tainan “banquet-style” cuisine. Organisers invited well-known furry performers Paroto, Seasnow, Kannuk and Taku to take the stage.

Furryday said it aimed to provide a relaxed closing atmosphere where attendees could enjoy local food alongside live performances.

Many attendees said they appreciated Tainan’s distinct pace of life, found the event environment comfortable, and felt they experienced what organisers described as “Tainan-style hospitality”.

Iceheart thanked participants for their feedback and said the team would review suggestions for improvement in future planning.

Looking ahead, Furryday plans to focus on smaller, single-day gatherings. The team has not confirmed whether it will continue using hotel venues, stating that it will explore diverse formats to ensure Furryday remains both anticipated and relaxing for participants.