The Mermaid Festival, held at Westport Winery Garden Resort in Grays Harbor County, home of the International Mermaid Museum, is expanding.
This family-friendly event will be held every weekend in April. During the festival, museum admission is free.
In addition to the educational exhibits, attendees will enjoy meeting a school of “mermaids” from around the region, along with other mythical creatures throughout the museum, gardens and tents.
According to a news release from the museum, some of the exhibits will include:
• The mermaid Una, who will be performing underwater in her tank each weekend from 11 a.m. to noon, 1 to 2 p.m., and 3 to 4 p.m.
• Siren Circe, who will be on the mermaid throne in the museum daily from 11 a.m. to 4 pm.
• Vertical Axis performers Nick Perry and Amanda Thornton, who will perform at 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. daily. They perform with a combination of music and dance while suspended from a 20-foot tower.
• The Pacific Northwest Unicorns and their handler, Crystal, who will be available each day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The unicorns, Sky and Blue, are eager to have their photos taken with fans, according to the news release.
In addition to the Mermaid Festival dates, Sky and Blue will be at Westport Winery Garden Resort on National Unicorn Day, Wednesday, April 9, from 3 to 5 p.m. There, Blue will offer unicorn rides and Sky will remain in the petting corral for those who don't want a ride on Blue. The riding opportunity is limited to children who weigh less than 100 pounds.
During the festival, Rachel Novak will entertain guests with fire dancing at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Rachel was named Fire Entertainer of the Year 2016.
Author Rebecca Enzor will be autographing and selling her latest book on “mer-culture” fiction, “See the Depths,” as well as her first book, “Speak the Ocean,” on April 5 and 6.
Siren Cerulia and Pirate Athena will help guests find “Mystik Oysters” containing colored pearls. Additionally, they have a mermaid throne for visitors to take portraits with.
The Ono Wahine Mermaid School will detail what it takes to become a professionally certified mermaid. Members of the Mystic Menagerie, the South Sound Pod, the Emerald Sea Sirens, the Cascadia Pod, the Whidbey Island Sirens Pod, the Shadowscale Squad, the Mutiny Mermaid Pod and Portland’s Mermaid Cove will host a variety of events and entertainment during this celebration of all things mermaid.
As part of the festival, the museum will host a costume contest on April 20 at 1 p.m. All visitors are invited to don their finest costumes, with adult and children’s categories.
Every contestant will receive an enchanted Easter egg. Winners are awarded a pirate chest filled with ocean treasures.
Mixed media artists Breeyn and Travis will offer face painting and balloon animals. LaNae weaves mermaid hair as she “spreads joy one sparkle at a time,” according to the release.
For more fun, visitors can enjoy Westport Bubble Works. Lighthouse Wellness will offer massages to enhance relaxation for those in need.
The Master Gardeners will host a free plant clinic each Saturday. If guests have gardening tools that need sharpening, they can bring them.
In addition to Westport Winery’s award-winning Sea Glass Grill, festival attendees can enjoy a variety of delicacies including Smitty’s Mini Donuts, Habitat for Humanity’s Cotton Candy, Buddy Moo’s Ice Cream, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck, Ryan’s Nice Nuts, The Lemon Shack with mermaid lemonade and Smitty’s Dog Company.
Each day in the museum, kids are invited to join a Pirate’s Treasure Hunt with prizes for those who complete the puzzle and find the treasure.
The International Mermaid Museum is a registered nonprofit dedicated to teaching ocean ecology from seashore to sea floor immersed in mermaid mythology.
Located on the grounds of Westport Winery Garden Resort at 1 South Arbor Road, Aberdeen, the museum is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. all year. For more information, visit www.mermaidmuseum.org.
