The California Mermaid Convention
California Mermaid Convention (various venues in Sacramento, including Old Sacramento Waterfront and Dive Bar), 6511 Hwy 175, Hopland, CA 95449
About
The California Mermaid Convention offers three days of mermaid-focused events that include swim play, costuming, shopping, entertainment, meetings, workshops, and lectures. Activities at the convention include group swims in tail, swim sessions with merfolk, water performance workshops, an underwater photoshoot, a costumed ball, and vendor shopping. The event also features panels and lectures from professional mermaids, exclusive live underwater performances, and The Promenade of Mermaids parade, which includes vendors and is completely free to attend.
• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: CMC dates for 2026 are May 15th–17th
The California Mermaid Convention is described as the best mermaid event on the West Coast and is the longest-running mermaid event on the West Coast, as well as the longest running mermaid themed convention in the world. All ages and families are welcome, and some events are completely free to the public. A Main Entry ticket gives access to vendors, open group swims, live entertainment, lectures, and panels, and the first 25 guests to enter the convention on Saturday and Sunday receive a free holographic vinyl bag from Visit Rancho Cordova.
The convention leadership and creative team includes Mermaid and Mom, founded by mother/daughter team Laurie and Rachel Smith; Pixie Tribe Entertainment, founded in 2015 by Ashley Rastad; Captain Angus, who is a Producer, Master of Ceremonies, Convention Consultant, and Head Builder; John Rastad, who assumed leadership of The Promenade of Mermaids in 2017; and Merman Jax, a past convention Producer, Consultant, and Event Sponsor. Staff experience includes Rachel Smith, who has over a decade of professional underwater experience and has been the Head Mermaid at the Dive Bar in Sacramento, California since it opened in 2011; Ashley Rastad, a Professional Children’s Entertainer with nearly 1,000 parties; and Marisa Renee/Risa Mermaid, a licensed cosmetologist since 2011. The Promenade of Mermaids has been running since its first event in 2010, and The California Mermaid Convention has been running for over a decade.
The convention works with Visit Rancho Cordova, whose sponsorship helps provide a room block at a local hotel. The organizers state that they love to give back to their local Sacramento community, and The Brotherhood of the Black Flag, associated with the event, has performed throughout the West Coast since the early 2000s. A testimonial from Visit Rancho Cordova, a local travel and tourism organization, describes The California Mermaid Convention in Rancho Cordova as “quintessentially quirky, refreshingly inclusive, and daringly bold” and notes that it draws worldwide mermaid hobbyists, seasoned performers, journalists, and visitors.
Last updated April 4, 2026.
• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: CMC dates for 2026 are May 15th–17th
The California Mermaid Convention is described as the best mermaid event on the West Coast and is the longest-running mermaid event on the West Coast, as well as the longest running mermaid themed convention in the world. All ages and families are welcome, and some events are completely free to the public. A Main Entry ticket gives access to vendors, open group swims, live entertainment, lectures, and panels, and the first 25 guests to enter the convention on Saturday and Sunday receive a free holographic vinyl bag from Visit Rancho Cordova.
The convention leadership and creative team includes Mermaid and Mom, founded by mother/daughter team Laurie and Rachel Smith; Pixie Tribe Entertainment, founded in 2015 by Ashley Rastad; Captain Angus, who is a Producer, Master of Ceremonies, Convention Consultant, and Head Builder; John Rastad, who assumed leadership of The Promenade of Mermaids in 2017; and Merman Jax, a past convention Producer, Consultant, and Event Sponsor. Staff experience includes Rachel Smith, who has over a decade of professional underwater experience and has been the Head Mermaid at the Dive Bar in Sacramento, California since it opened in 2011; Ashley Rastad, a Professional Children’s Entertainer with nearly 1,000 parties; and Marisa Renee/Risa Mermaid, a licensed cosmetologist since 2011. The Promenade of Mermaids has been running since its first event in 2010, and The California Mermaid Convention has been running for over a decade.
The convention works with Visit Rancho Cordova, whose sponsorship helps provide a room block at a local hotel. The organizers state that they love to give back to their local Sacramento community, and The Brotherhood of the Black Flag, associated with the event, has performed throughout the West Coast since the early 2000s. A testimonial from Visit Rancho Cordova, a local travel and tourism organization, describes The California Mermaid Convention in Rancho Cordova as “quintessentially quirky, refreshingly inclusive, and daringly bold” and notes that it draws worldwide mermaid hobbyists, seasoned performers, journalists, and visitors.
Last updated April 4, 2026.
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