From a drought perspective, all this Bay Area rain has been great. But it really puts a damper on things when you want to spend the weekend watching people walk around downtown San Jose dressed as cartoon animals.

This weekend marks the return of FurCon — officially known as Further Confusion — the convention for fans of anthropomorphic animals. Known as “furries,” these fans often create and wear their costumes to the gathering at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, as well as the Hilton and Marriott hotels. The event kicked off Thursday night and runs through Monday. (There are workshops on writing and costume-making, dances, a poker tournament and a fursuit parade; check it out at www.furtherconfusion.org.)

Most years, it wouldn’t be unusual to see crowds of attendees — from people wearing ears and a tail to others in full fursuits — walking through downtown on their way to grab a bite or a drink. And while it’s still possible that you could find yourself at the bar at Paper Plane next to a woman dressed as a giant blue rabbit, heavy rain and fursuits don’t mix well. We can only hope they packed umbrellas.

But if you do see some furries in the wild, as it were, remember that they’re a diverse group like any fan subculture. Some prefer to stay out of pictures, but many that I’ve talked to in previous years welcome questions about their costumes, especially if they’re homemade.

SPOOKY TRADITION RETURNS: On the other hand, a dark and stormy Friday the 13th night is perfect for the return of flashlight tours at the Winchester Mystery House.

To set the mood, the San Jose tourist attraction will ring its iconic tower bell 13 times at 1 p.m. (the 13th hour of the day), and ticketed tour guests will start roaming the 161-room mansion on their own starting after sunset. Of course, there’ll be guides stationed throughout the landmark to make sure guests don’t get too lost. And if you happen to miss the fun this week, flashlight tours are being offered every Friday night through the end of Februrary.

Tickets are available now at winchestermysteryhouse.com.

ANOTHER TRIP FOR 2023: My call for outings in 2023 yielded a few good suggestions on top of those I offered, including taking a trip to the Japanese American Museum in San Jose. The museum at 535 N. Fifth St. in the historic Japantown offers rotating exhibits on the history and culture of Japanese Americans and includes a recreation of a barracks like those where Japanese Americans were interned during the war. After being closed for a while because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum is open Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. You can get more details at www.jamsj.org.

MUSICAL TRAINS: Two punk bands — False Flag and Surprise Privilege — have made a lot of noise in recent days after staging a show on an eastbound BART train last Friday night. No doubt some commuters appreciated the novelty and others were annoyed by the inconvenience, but none of them will likely forget the experience anytime soon.

But what a great marketing idea for the VTA to put music on some of its routes. How about getting a nice jazz trio to play on the light-rail as it cruises its way from downtown San Jose to Cisco or put some mariachis on the 22? Classic rock on the way to Campbell, maybe?