From the very beginner basics through advanced things like silicone tail repair, come join Mermaid Meko as she guides us through what makes a tail, what to consider when looking for your own tail, and how to maintain tails once they live with you.

Have old merfolk or mertender gear just taking up valuable costume real estate at home? Bring it to the swap n' shop and "sea" if it can find a new home! And find some new stuff to take it's place!
Anything merfolk or mertender related allowed...but ONLY merfolk or mertender items allowed.
**sellers are responsible for their own items, sales, and any taxes. MNMC assumes no responsibility for items brought to the swap n shop.**

We will have a variety of games available for you to come play with your friends OR join one of the several gaming events we will have available. 

We are partnering with a small local studio to bring our guests a unique craftivity!
You will have the choice of choosing an octopus mug or a starfish ornament, be led through the painting process by an instructor, and if all goes to plan be able to take your piece home Sunday! (we will ship them otherwise)
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
Enter code: MNMCPC26 for access

Come join this gaming adventure led by the game creator! Crowd-funded last year, Elegy of the Abyss is a game about the merfolk world by a merfolk! Game should last around an hour, and we will likely host just 1 round, so be sure to stop by early to snag your seat at the table!

Our Gaming Den will roll right into a secondary hang out spot for the night with a focus on more quiet activities & atmosphere. The craft item swap bin will be out along with crafting supplies and other quiet activities. 

Our onesie/kirigumi party tradition began years ago amongst some cast out at the MN renaissance festival, including the Mermaid Cove team, and Tanja (our event director] got hooked.
Being able to be comfy, cozy, cute AND still in a COSTUME!?! YUS PLZ!
So. Come in your favorite onesie, borrow one of ours...or just show up as your glorious self; however you feel coziest & comfiest. And then join us for some getting to know one another stuff, some snacks, and chill together for some community time.

Graceful arms, a strong core, and fluid undulations are important for both belly dancers and merfolk! 
Come join us as Tanja brings her 2 decades of dance experience and leads us through some basic bellydance movements that can help you build strength, grace, and fluidity into your own merfolk practice.

This event is being cancelled for 2026, we thank you for understanding that sometimes things come up.

In this class you will learn about the basics of mermaid swimming with a PADI-certified Mermaid Instructor. This course includes a background in mermaid stories & lore, how to choose and put on a rental mermaid tail or fin, stretches, self rescue skills, the basics of safe breath hold techniques, weighting for buoyancy, surface diving, how to enter & exit the water, how to float, and then have a bit of time to take photos. After successful completion of this class you will receive a digital certification card from PADI!
CLICK HERE to Register.
**Prerequisites: - At least 6 years of age. Minors must have a parent or guardian present. - Be able to swim 25 meters (80 feet) comfortably without any aids, float at the surface for at least 3 minutes, and be in good physical health.**
No previous mermaiding or freediving experience required!
Equipment needed: - Towel - Swimsuit - Change of clothing - Mask and snorkel - Bifins - Monofin and mermaid tail

Join us as we wind down from day 1 together with some quiet mindful moments. We will be led through a simple meditation and relaxation exercise to help quiet our bodies and minds before ending our day.

Being able to come up with creative ways to react and / or respond while in tail...or just life in general honestly...can be a really helpful tool. 
Come learn the basics of Improv from one of the Twin Cities own leading improv coaches & performers!
We are currently working out the de-tails with them, so stay tuned here for updates on this exciting opportunity!

One of our favorite things about the merfolk community is how diverse the culture is. In a time and climate where diversity is under attack from many angles, we at MNMC felt it important to include a panel on this topic this year.
Come join our panel as they discuss what diversity in the mer world means & looks like for them, and add your own input during discusison time.

We are working with Ori the Siren from WI to bring this underwater wig and make-up seminar to you.
Details still pending.

Come take a break, sit back ,and sip on some delicious tea while decorating your own cookie.
This is an experiment in crowdfunding to try out options to expand programming without expanding the badge cost; we will be accepting donations to help cover the materials cost.

Curious about monofins?
Have several different monofins yourself?

Come to the monofin mixer to learn a bit more about the options available, share what you know about your own monofin, and maybe even try a few on (always ask before trying on others gear).

Come get crafty with us!
Mermaid Meko will be leading us through making our very own mer themed hair (or elsewhere) clip!
ALL MATERIALS PROVIDED, you just bring yourshellf!

Come dressed to impress in your best blacklight deep sea creature costuming! There will be a costume contest, blacklight face & body painting, a photo booth, a creature Cavern, dancing, and silly shenanigans.

New this year, we are offering DRY photoshoots! Come get some photos of your mersona!
Dry shoots will be located in a private suite space, will have access to a changing area, and include 15min shooting time. There will be a limited amount of tails available to RENT in addition to the shoot fee, which will be $75.

Come learn helpful signs for when you are in spaces and places where hearing may not be possible AND be better able to communicate with the world around you! This will be our 3rd year offering ASL, as we believe repeated exposure helps fishes and friends remember, practice, and put it into use!

After a long weekend of merfolk shenanigans, come enjoy some self care with us. Included are:

- foot soak

- face mask

- hand mask

- set of nails

- spa snacks

After a long weekend of merfolk shenanigans, come enjoy some self care with us. Included are:

- foot soak

- face mask

- hand mask

- set of nails

- spa snacks

NEW for 2026!

Take advantage of our underwater photo booth, with an a la' carte option to purchase your photos offered by our photographer team! Another component of our affordability effort, this let's us offer Underwater Photos at a fraction of the cost!

NEW for 2026!

Swimming is all about technique!!! Learn some basic dolphin kick drills, in the water, to better feel and understand where the dolphin kick actually starts from (hint; it’s not your knees! The better your basic skills are, the stronger, safer and easier your swim will become!

NEW for 2026!

Understanding the why and how of swimming like a merfolk! In this class we will explore a lesson in learning the dolphin kick by learning more about the entire butterfly stroke as a whole. Why we need to move our bodies in certain ways and where does the power of your kick really come from? This is a dry lesson that will later correlate to drills taught in the pool, and will help you create a stronger, more powerful and safe way of swimming as a merfolk.