Furries Q&A: Event draws many in animal costumes

People walk on the street outside of the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Rosemont, Ill., on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014, in Rosemont, Ill. Thousands of people were evacuated after an chlorine gas leak at the Hyatt hotel hosting the 2014 Midwest FurFest convention, where attendees dress as animals to celebrate art, literature and performance, in suburban Rosemont early Sunday morning. Investigators believe the leak at the hotel in Rosemont was caused intentionally and are treating it as a criminal matter. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) People walk on the street outside of the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Rosemont, Ill., on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014, in Rosemont, Ill. Thousands of people were evacuated after an chlorine gas leak at the Hyatt hotel hosting the 2014 Midwest FurFest convention, where attendees dress as animals to celebrate art, literature and performance, in suburban Rosemont early Sunday morning. Investigators believe the leak at the hotel in Rosemont was caused intentionally and are treating it as a criminal matter. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

By Associated Press December 8, 2014 2 min read

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) – A chlorine gas evacuation turned a suburban Chicago hotel into what looked like a cartoon come to life, as people dressed in brightly colored rabbit, fox and dragon costumes were moved across the street to a convention center.

The attendees of the Midwest FurFest were celebrating anthropomorphic animal characters – meaning they’ve been given human characteristics – through art, literature and performance.

But many others who were part of the evacuation but not dressed as animals wondered: Who are these characters?

Some questions about FurFest:

WHAT IS THE FURFEST?