Weeki Wachee to Celebrate 75th Anniversary with unveiling of The Mermaid Tale Trail

The unveiling of The Mermaid Tale Trail is happening this Thursday, January 12, 2023 at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is home to the deepest freshwater cave system in the country, and the famous mermaids of Weeki Wachee.

On October 13, 1947, the first show at the Weeki Wachee Springs underwater theater opened. It was the same day that Kukla, Fran, and Ollie first aired on that newfangled invention called television, and one day before Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier.

On that day, the mermaids first performed synchronized ballet moves underwater while breathing through the air hoses hidden in the scenery.

Seventy-five years later, Weeki Wachee Springs remains a Florida treasure. The springs itself is a natural wonder, and today the mermaids still perform to sold-out crowds, amazing children and adults alike.

To celebrate the 75th Anniversary at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, a mermaid sculpture trail was created as a legacy to the history of Weeki Wachee Springs, and a celebration of people and memories that have made it one of Florida’s most iconic attractions

This week sees the 75th anniversary celebrations of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, home of the world famous Mermaids, and in honor of the Park’s anniversary, 26 mermaid statues that are to be placed throughout Florida’s Adventure Coast, Brooksville-Weeki Wachee, creating a trail of public art in the form of mermaids. will be unveiled.

Due to Hurricane Ian being an unwelcome visitor to Florida back in October, the original Weeki Wachee 75th anniversary event that was scheduled for October 13, 2022, the day Weeki Wachee opened, had to be postponed until this week.

Festivities will begin at 10 am, January 12, 2023, with remarks by Park and County officials, along with the unveiling of the mermaid statues, and a dedication plaque recognizing the Adagio statue and Park as a National Historic Landmarks. Dianne Wyatt McDonald, one of the first mermaids who performed on opening day in 1947 and co-creator of the Adagio pose, will be present for the dedication.

Afterward, there will be opportunities to meet and greet the artists and see their statues for The Mermaid Tale Trail!

Each of the six-foot tall statues is hand-painted by an artist who calls Florida home and has a unique story to tell.

Attendees at the 75th Anniversary Celebration will be the first and only people to see all of the statues at one location.

Some statues are traditional and hark back to the old school, with nautical themes and references to Weeki Wachee, while others are wild and quite literally out of this world!

Each of the artists will be at the celebration to talk to guests about their work, and the statues will remain at the park over the weekend, through Sunday, January 15.

After the celebration the statues will be relocated to their permanent locations throughout Hernando County.