Megaplex 2021
| Pawpet Megaplex 1 (2002) |
| Pawpet Megaplex 2 (2003) |
| Megaplex 3 (2004) |
| Megaplex 4 (2005) |
| Megaplex 5 (2006) |
| Megaplex 6 (2007) |
| Megaplex 7 (2008) |
| Megaplex 8 (2009) |
| Megaplex 9 (2010) |
| Megaplex 10 (2011) |
| Megaplex XI (2012) |
| Megaplex XII (2013) |
| Megaplex XIII (2014) |
| Megaplex XIV (2015) |
| Megaplex XV (2016) |
| Megaplex XVI (2017) |
| Megaplex XVII (2018) |
| Megaplex XVIII (2019) |
| Megaplex 2021 (19) |
| Megaplex 2022 (20) |
| Megaplex 2023 (21) |
| Megaplex 2024 (22) |
| Megaplex staff |
| Megaplex guests of honor |
Megaplex 2021 was the nineteenth iteration of Megaplex. It took place at the Caribe Royal in Orlando Florida on August 5-8, 2021. Its guests of honor were Hyena Agenda and Kyell Gold.
Megaplex 2021 saw a total of 3185 registered attendees (2889 onsite and 296 virtual) and 669 fursuiters in the Saturday parade. Over $50,000 was raised in donations for the CARE Foundation.[1]
Megaplex Online[edit]
Megaplex held a hybrid event combining both physical and online interactive components[2], the first known furry convention since the pandemic to do so. The online aspects were hosted on Hopin, previously used by Megaplex for their fully online convention in 2020. Cameras in the panel rooms streamed events to Hopin. Virtual panels were broadcast into Panels Room 2 onsite for physical attendees to participate.[3] Games and chat rooms were also available online.
Controversy[edit]
After the convention, multiple attendees reported having been assaulted by Robert Bruhle, alias LuckySparkPup, during Megaplex 2021.[4][5] Megaplex staff had been made aware of Bruhle and his conviction[6] prior to the convention but did not take steps to prevent him from attending.[7]
Megaplex released an announcement on August 11, in which they stated they were "saddened and sorry to hear" that attendees "felt harassed" and that attendees must "report misconduct by lodging an official complaint with convention staff while in convention space (...) and/or filing a police report."[8] The statement's non-apology verbiage[9] and lack of action[10] was met with a social media backlash. Megaplex responded with a second apology statement on August 12, in which they clarified their update to policy so that registered sex offenders would no longer be permitted to attend Megaplex and their intent to bring on a Survivor Advocate to handle reports of sexual harassment[11].
References[edit]
- ↑ "2021 MP Stats," posted August 11, 2021.
- ↑ Megaplex Twitter, posted March 1, 2021.
- ↑ Megaplex Twitter, posted August 8, 2021.
- ↑ "I reported an assault...," posted August 11, 2021.
- ↑ "USER BEWARE: TW: assault..." posted August 10, 2021.
- ↑ Florida Prison Arrest Records, retrieved August 27, 2021/
- ↑ "Update: I was just informed...," posted August 11, 2021.
- ↑ "An announcement from our board," posted August 11, 2021.
- ↑ Twitter post, posted August 11, 2021.
- ↑ Twitter post, posted August 11, 2021.
- ↑ Megaplex Twitter, posted August 12, 2021.