The Mermaids of Weeki Wachee Set for Command Performances at Ripley’s Aquariums

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 24, 2010) – Following standing-room only performances at both Ripley’s Aquariums in 2009, the world famous mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Florida, known for their grace and beauty for the past 63 years, will be returning to both aquariums this summer.

The Mermaids will appear at Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, July 23, 24 & 25 and at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tenn., August 6, 7 & 8.

The mermaids will perform four shows daily (12 shows total) at each aquarium and will be available to meet and greet guests following each show. These appearances mark the rare occasion that the mermaids have performed outside of their historic home attraction in its 63-year history.

Please click on photo to download a high resolution image.

The watery stage at Ripley’s aquariums will be Stingray Bay, a 15 foot deep, 85,000 gallon saltwater tank, populated with five species of sharks and four species of stingrays.

Special photo opportunities and several interactive programs will be offered in conjunction with the mermaid’s visit, including a Mermaid Splash, where guests can join a mermaid in the water and splash, pet and frolic with the friendly stingrays.

The mermaid shows are free with paid admission to the aquarium but the interactive programs, available for an additional fee, require a reservation.

A Brief History of the Weeki Wachee Mermaids

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, also called The City of Live Mermaids is truly an original piece of Florida’s rich heritage and one of the state’s earliest roadside attractions.

The Weeki Wachee Springs underwater theater opened on Oct. 13, 1947. The mermaids performed synchronized ballet moves 20 feet underwater while breathing through special air hoses hidden in the scenery.

In the 1950s, Weeki Wachee State Park, located north of Tampa on Florida’s west coast, was one of the nation’s most popular tourist stops. The attraction received worldwide acclaim and several movies were filmed at the spring.

Weeki Wachee’s heyday began in 1959, when the spring was purchased by the American Broadcasting Co. (ABC) and was heavily promoted. The ABC creative team developed themes for the underwater shows, with elaborate props, lifts, music, and story lines.

In the 1960s, the glamorous mermaids performed eight shows a day to sold out crowds – as many as half a million people a year came to see them. The mermaids were treated like royalty wherever they appeared in Florida and stars of those days, including Elvis, Don Knotts, Esther Williams, and Arthur Godfrey, stopped by to see them perform live.

Today, tiny Weeki Wachee State Park is one of the nation’s smallest cities, with a population of nine, including its mayor, Robyn Anderson, herself a former mermaid. It is also a Florida State Park.

About Ripley Aquariums

The two Ripley’s aquariums are part of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. extensive family of worldwide family entertainment facilities. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tenn., (www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com), the second most attended attraction in Tennessee, was voted the Number One Aquarium in America by TripAdvisor.com and Forbes Traveler has named it one of America’s best aquariums. Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, S.C., (www.ripleysaquarium.com) is the state’s most visited attraction. Combined, the two aquariums have entertained more than 20 million visitors since 1997. The aquariums are known for their shark exhibits that feature 11-foot sharks and two of the longest underwater tunnels in the world. More than 13 million people visit Ripley’s 80-plus attractions in 11 countries each year.  Ripley Entertainment Inc. is a division of the Jim Pattison Group, the third largest privately held company in Canada.

Media Contacts:

Mary Phillips
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Gatlinburg, Tenn.
(865) 430-8808, ext. 2152
Phillips@ripleys.com

Jessica Mula
Ripley’s Aquarium, Myrtle Beach
(800) 734-8888  
jessmula@ripleysaquarium.com

Tim O’Brien
VP Communications
Ripley Entertainment Inc.
(615) 646-7465 – office
(615) 496-5949 – cell
Obrien@ripleys.com

Fast Facts About Ripley Aquariums

Both of the world-class aquariums owned and operated by Ripley Entertainment Inc. combine conservation, education and entertainment to provide an experience for the entire family.

Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach

• Established June, 1997. (10 million visitors during first 10 years)
• Located at Broadway at the Beach.
• 89,000 square feet, multi-level facility.
• Lethal Weapons, a special year-long, highly interactive exhibit, portrays the seas as a battleground for survival among all species who share it.
• Unique 340-foot long glide path through an acrylic tunnel deep below a 700,000 gallon habitat full of VERY large sand tiger sharks and dozens of other species.
• Open 365-days
• Online at www.ripleysaquarium.com 

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Gatlinburg, Tenn.

• Established fall, 2000.
• Ripley’s Penguin Playhouse, a permanent multi-million dollar indoor/outdoor habitat will open in April 2010 to house nearly two dozen African Black Footed penguins.
• Located in the heart of Gatlinburg, a tourist town in the Smoky Mountains.
• 115,000 square feet, multi-level facility.
• Unique 340-foot long glide path through an acrylic tunnel deep below a 700,000 gallon habitat full of VERY large sand tiger sharks and dozens of other species.
• Open 365-days.
• Online at www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com

Common to Both Aquariums

• Both are accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Assoc. (AZA), a distinction of which the company is quite proud. The well-trained and professional marine staff is dedicated to the highest standards of aquatic husbandry.
• Opportunities to pet stingrays and horseshoe crabs.
• Many unique photo opportunities with props throughout the aquarium.
• Scheduled daily marine programs, dive shows, summer camps and year-round sleepovers.
• Beautiful, open architecture.
• Restaurant, snack bar, and world class gift shops.