This guide covers six European furry conventions, from Eurofurence in Germany (the largest in-person con outside North America) to NordicFuzzCon in Sweden. Crowds skew far more international than at a comparable US event, because a train or a short flight crosses several countries.
Note: All six conventions in this guide have held their 2026 editions, and each section below reports what happened. For next year's dates, see Looking ahead to 2027.
Eurofurence is the largest furry convention outside North America and has been running since 1995, making it one of the longest-standing events in the global fandom. It has been held at the CCH (Congress Center Hamburg) since 2023, which gave it far more space and production capability. EF is known for staged opening and closing ceremonies with choreographed lighting, original music, and voice acting. The 2026 edition ran under the "Fantastic Furry Festival" theme with Animal Art Crimes as Guest of Honor, and collected for the Seehundstation Friedrichskoog seal rescue; the final charity total has not been published yet. Hamburg is a walkable city with good public transit, and the convention center sits beside the Planten un Blomen park, which offers green space for outdoor fursuit photos.
Eurofurence is also unusually dominant at home. Germany runs only seven conventions but twenty-one recurring local events, a balance we pull apart in Germany versus America by the numbers.
NordicFuzzCon has grown from a modest Scandinavian gathering into one of the largest furry conventions in the world. The February 2026 edition drew 5,957 attendees at the Clarion Hotel & Congress Malmö Live, up from 5,669 the year before. The "Cirque du Nord" theme brought circus-inspired performances and carnival-style decorations to the venue. The convention raised funds for Råtthjälpen, a Swedish rat rescue organization. Malmö is easy to reach from Copenhagen over the Øresund Bridge (about 30 minutes by train), so attendees can fly into Copenhagen Airport and reach the venue without a car.
ConFuzzled holds its event at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, next to the NEC (National Exhibition Centre) and a short taxi ride from Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport. The convention is built around a single hotel, so most attendees stay on-site and the lobby becomes the natural gathering spot day and night. The 2026 edition ran under "The Musical" theme and raised money for Tiny Paws MCR; its headcount has not been published yet. Programming includes creative workshops (drawing, writing, crafting), gaming rooms, and social dances. A standard ticket for the 2027 edition costs £145.
Scotiacon is Scotland's furry convention, and its "Howl at High Noon" edition in February 2026 drew 2,335 attendees, up from 1,681 in 2025. It is still small enough to feel personal next to the mega-events, which makes it a sensible first convention for anyone who might feel overwhelmed at a 5,000-person event. Glasgow's affordable accommodation, good public transport, and food and pub scene gave attendees plenty to do outside the venue. The convention featured panels, social gaming, a dealers den, and evening social events, and raised £16,000 for Sunny Harbour Cat & Kitten Rescue.
Gdakon took place in Sopot, a seaside resort town on the Baltic coast near Gdańsk. The March 2026 edition ran "The Lost City" theme at the Radisson Blu Hotel and drew 748 attendees, up from 545 in 2025. Hotel rooms, food, and local transport in Poland are significantly cheaper than in Germany, the UK, or Scandinavia, which makes Gdakon an accessible option for budget-conscious attendees. The nearest airport is Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport (GDN), which has direct budget airline connections to many European cities. Sopot has a long wooden pier and a beach promenade.
Fauntastic is held in Bron, a suburb of Lyon in southeastern France. The April 2026 edition ran with a "Space Groove" theme at the Novotel Lyon Bron Eurexpo over five days and raised funds for Le Refuge; it has not published an attendance figure. The event offers programming in both French and English, though some basic French helps outside the venue. Bron is reachable via Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) or by TGV high-speed train from Paris (about two hours).
All six have announced their 2027 dates:
Our 2027 furry convention calendar collects these alongside the rest of next year's conventions.
Budgeting for a European furry convention depends heavily on which region you are visiting. Here is a rough breakdown to help you plan.
Round-trip flights from the US East Coast to major European hubs typically range from $400 to $800 in economy, depending on how far in advance you book and whether you fly during peak summer. Carriers like Norwegian, TAP Air Portugal, and Icelandair sometimes offer fares under $400 if you are flexible with dates. Within Europe, flights on Ryanair or EasyJet can cost as little as $30-80 one-way, though baggage fees for oversized fursuit luggage can double or triple that base fare.
Hotel costs vary significantly by country. In Germany (Hamburg for Eurofurence), expect $120-180 per night for a mid-range hotel near the venue. In Sweden (Malmö for NFC), rates are similar at $110-170 per night. The UK (Birmingham for ConFuzzled) runs $100-160 per night. Poland (Sopot for Gdakon) is considerably cheaper at $50-90 per night. France (Lyon area for Fauntastic) falls in the $90-140 range. Sharing rooms with other attendees is common practice and can cut your accommodation costs in half.
A sit-down meal in Germany or Sweden costs roughly $15-25 per person. In Poland, the same meal might be $8-15. Grocery stores and bakeries throughout Europe offer cheap breakfast and snack options. Budget $40-60 per day for food and incidentals in Western Europe, and $25-40 per day in Eastern Europe.
Ticket prices are set in local currency and vary a lot. Eurofurence's 2026 Standard ticket was €180. ConFuzzled's 2027 Standard ticket is £145, with day tickets from £55. Scotiacon sells a non-residential 2027 ticket for £100, or residential packages that bundle the hotel room from £360. Check each convention page for the current ladder. For a step-by-step approach to planning your spending, check out our con budgeting guide.
Four of the conventions in this guide (Eurofurence, NordicFuzzCon, Gdakon, Fauntastic) are held within the Schengen Area, which allows free movement between 29 European countries without passport checks at internal borders. US, Canadian, Australian, and many other non-EU citizens can enter the Schengen Area visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period for tourism purposes. The EU's planned ETIAS travel authorization for visa-exempt travelers is not in operation yet: the official ETIAS site says no applications are being collected and that the EU will announce a start date several months in advance. Until then, ignore any website offering to file an ETIAS for you.
ConFuzzled and Scotiacon are in the United Kingdom, which is no longer part of the EU or Schengen Area. US and Canadian citizens can visit the UK without a visa for up to six months, but most visa-free visitors, EU citizens included, now need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they travel. If you are traveling between the UK and continental Europe, you will go through passport control in both directions, so allow extra time at airports and train stations (particularly the Eurostar at St Pancras).
When crossing borders with a fursuit, customs officers may ask about the large, unusual luggage. Carry a photo of yourself wearing the suit on your phone so you can quickly explain what it is. Whether any duty applies is the officer's decision under that country's rules, so declare truthfully, keep anything that shows the suit is for personal use rather than resale, and check the official customs guidance for each country on your route.
Several European conventions fall within a few weeks of each other, and Europe's train and budget flight networks make combining them practical.
In 2026, Scotiacon ran February 6-9 and NordicFuzzCon ran February 18-22. The pairing works again in 2027, with Scotiacon on February 5-8 and NordicFuzzCon on February 24-28, which leaves more than two weeks to explore Edinburgh, Copenhagen, or both in between. Glasgow to Copenhagen is a short budget flight.
Gdakon ended March 22, 2026 and Fauntastic started April 3. In 2027 the gap shrinks: Gdakon runs March 17-21 and Fauntastic March 26-30, leaving four days to get from the Baltic to Lyon. Budget flights between Gdańsk and Lyon are available with one connection.
If you can swing a longer trip (or two separate trips), ConFuzzled at the end of May and Eurofurence in August are two of the largest events in this guide. In 2027 they fall on May 28 to June 1 and August 18-22.
Most European conventions open registration 6-12 months before the event. Registering soon after it opens is the safest approach, especially for the single-hotel conventions like ConFuzzled and Scotiacon, where rooms are limited. Set calendar reminders for registration opening dates.
No. You will need local currency or a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. Germany, France, and most continental European countries use the Euro. Sweden uses the Swedish Krona, Poland the Złoty, and the UK the British Pound. Contactless card payments are widely accepted at venues and in cities, but carry some cash for smaller vendors in the dealers den.
Generally, yes. European conventions tend to have positive relationships with the public, and fursuiting in city centers or parks is common during convention weekends. Use common sense: stay with a group, have a handler, and be aware of your surroundings. Hamburg, Malmö, Birmingham, and Glasgow are all considered safe cities for convention-goers.
European furry conventions skew slightly older than their North American counterparts, with a median age typically in the mid-20s. Age policies differ from con to con, so check each convention's own rules before you register.
Yes. English is widely spoken at all major European furry conventions, and most programming is delivered in English (or with English translation available). Eurofurence, NordicFuzzCon, and ConFuzzled all operate primarily in English. Gdakon and Fauntastic have more local-language content but still offer English programming tracks.
Browse our complete calendar with dates, locations, and details for every upcoming furry convention.
View Full CalendarSources
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