About Us
Welcome to the Festival of Friendship! We are a team of passionate MLP fans who have come together to create a magical experience for all attendees. Our team consists of dedicated staff members who work tirelessly to ensure that every aspect of the event is unforgettable.
Our beloved mascot, Regina, is a beautiful unicorn who embodies the spirit of friendship and kindness that is central to the My Little Pony franchise. Regina is the perfect symbol of the Festival of Friendship, and we are thrilled to have her as our official mascot.
Our event has a rich history that dates back to 2019. What began as a small gathering of MLP enthusiasts has grown into a full-fledged convention, complete with panels, workshops, vendors, and of course, plenty of opportunities to meet and interact with fellow fans. Each year, we strive to create an even better experience than the last, and we are constantly looking for new ways to make the Festival of Friendship a truly magical event.
We are honoured to be a part of such a vibrant and welcoming community, and we look forward to continuing to bring the magic of My Little Pony to fans from all over the world. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and we can’t wait to see you at the Festival of Friendship!
FoF 2025 Staff
Committee
Chairwoman
Fishie has been a devoted member of the MLP fandom for many years, having been a fan of the show since childhood and continuing to collect merch as she grew older. In addition to her love for MLP, she has also gained valuable event planning experience over the past twenty years by organizing furry events and other non-fandom related events.
Event Hosting/Theming Lead
Always ready to lend a hand, this bubbly pony is full of infectious laughter and positivity. No matter what challenges come our way, they always find a way to make things fun and enjoyable for everyone. Though they love being behind a camera, they are often too busy living in the moment and spreading joy by throwing confetti and making memories.
Tech Lead
Our resident tech guy, Thunder Melody is the guy in charge of knowing what plugs into what and which wire goes where. His expertise in music and performance makes him our performers best friend!
Web Development/Scheduling/Volunteers
Milo ensures that our website runs smoothly as well as handling scheduling for the convention and organising volunteers.
Staff
Annukacat
Charity Liaison/Theming
Annukacat is a fun-loving and caring member of our team who is also an excellent baker! She always makes sure that we are doing our best and encourages us to do so with her positive attitude.
Con-Ops/Welfare
Stonemane, our trusted resident medic pony, is always ready to provide assistance whenever needed. With years of experience as an event medic, Stone has the knowledge and skills to handle any medical situation that may arise during the event. From minor scrapes and bruises to more serious injuries, Stone will be on hand to provide quick and effective care to ensure the health and safety of all attendees. You can rest assured that you’re in good hands with Stone on duty.
Ops
Coastie is an exceptionally organized pony who ensures that we stay on track and carry out our tasks efficiently. Over the past few years, Coastie has been an integral part of our team, attending meets and helping to run events with utmost dedication and commitment.
Communications/Social Media
Silverwind was the mastermind behind the first Festival of Friendship and was delighted to lend a hoof to make it a bigger and better event! With years of experience as a meet organizer in Southampton, Silverwind has successfully orchestrated several larger events for the SotonFurs community over the years.
Regina’s Rainbow Rosettes
Nekky is a long time fan of the show and loves to spread the Magic of Friendship! You can find them with the Rainbow Rosettes, helping shyer congoers to relax and have a good time!
Vendors Lead
StormBlaze has experience in vending at a variety of conventions and we are delighted to have them on board as our Vendor Hall lead!
Ace
Tech Deputy
Ace is second in command at the tech desk, working hard to make sure everything runs smoothly on the main stage!
Art Team
Coco Kirkland
Meet Coco, a talented member of our art team! Coco’s art style is unique and inspired by graffiti, and they have even created their own clothing line featuring their original designs. Their creativity and passion for art add a unique touch to our event, and we are excited to have them on our team.
Beatlinked
Beatlinked is an exceptionally talented artist who has contributed greatly to our event by creating much of the stunning artwork featuring our beloved mascot, Regina! He is highly skilled at drawing in the MLP movie style, and his works never fail to amaze us with their beauty and attention to detail. His art is truly a sight to behold, and we are honoured to have him as one of our resident artists.
Chazmazda
Chaz is a self taught artist and has been a part of the MLP community for years! They are excited to finally take part in amazing events to bring the community together!
Volunteers
Would you be interested in volunteering for Festival of Friendship 2025? The applications will be opening soon, so keep an eye out for the announcement!
Our Mascot
Meet Regina Rose!
Regina Rose is a fun-loving, organised unicorn who loves letting her hair down and having a blast at The Festival of Friendship!
Fun Fact: Regina’s design is based on the flag of Hampshire which features red and yellow colouring with a Tudor Rose and crown motif!
Regina was designed by Fishie Wishes
The artwork of Regina featured on this page is by Beatlinked
FoF: A History of Fun and Friendship
The Beginning: 2019
The first Festival of Friendship event occurred in March 2019 in Southampton, Hampshire. It included a small charity auction, pub quiz, fun games and karaoke! After discussion it was decided that a second Festival of Friendship event would be organised, however due to certain events in the world the decision was made to postpone for a few years before launching a brand new event.
Moving from a meet-up to a convention!
2021 – 2022
In mid 2021, the world began to open up a bit more and several friends found themselves able to attend conventions again – and they were thrilled! Conversation started and memories of the 2019 event resurfaced.
“It would be nice to do another one”
“Yeah.. it would!”
So another meet-up started to be planned.. until one person had a crazy idea.
“You know…. there aren’t any pony cons down our way any more.. what if we stepped up to the plate?”
Several months of planning happened and suddenly it was time for FoF 2022 – the first official Festival of Friendship Convention!!
2022 Convention
On March 19th 2022, Tadley, Hampshire was transformed into a colorful wonderland as the first convention attendees, decked out in rainbow garb, arrived! With no one quite sure what to expect (even us staff members!), the day was filled with love, friendship, and fun. Guests enjoyed a variety of activities, such as karaoke, a dedicated café, and an unforgettable after-party.
The convention was made even more memorable by special moments, such as a Zoom video call with the amazing Elley Ray, the voice of Mistmane from the series. Attendees were delighted by her fun stories and infectious personality. Additionally, a charity auction was held to benefit Rainbow Trust, which featured fantastic donations and raised an impressive £2180.50 for the charity. And to top it all off, a screening of the 2019 Special – Rainbow Roadtrip – was a big hit with attendees!
2023 and beyond!
On March 18th 2023, we returned to Tadley for the second year of our convention! Having learned valuable lessons from the previous year, we focused on making improvements, such as expanding our late-night party to feature live performances by Blackened Blue and Prince Whateverer. However, this would mark our last year in Tadley, as we moved the convention to Southampton and extended it to a two day event!