‘8th Annual Parade of Mermaids’ at Bert’s Bar on Pine Island Friday
“Bert’s 8th Annual Parade of Mermaids” will be held this Friday, at 7 p.m., at Bert’s Bar on Matalcha.
The Mermaid Parade will leave the Pine Bay Gallery at 7 p.m. The mermaids will walk west to the crest of the bridge where they will throw an offering into the water, with an incantation spoken to the ladies of the deep. The parade will then proceed back east, cross Pine Island Road, wind its way through Bert’s Bar to the outside deck, where costume judging will take place. Prizes will be awarded for Fairest Mermaid and Most Creative Mermaid. There will also be a prize for Best Child Mermaid.
Although the parade has occurred three years previous, The Celebration of Mermaids is actually in its 8th year. The first Celebration of Mermaids in 2007 featured visiting mermaid Kate Dale, the Coney Island Mermaid Parade “Best Mermaid.” The following year, the event featured a former “Wiki Wachee” mermaid, Jo DeShay, of St. James City. DeShay brought photos from her years of swimming, including movie shots with Esther Williams in the springs of Wiki Wachee.
With the beginnings of the Island Pirate Fest, the event took on a new purpose – raising funds for “From Our Hearts” (www.fromourheart.org), a local nonprofit organization of generous Pine Islanders, who strive to help in the battle against breast cancer. The Celebration of Mermaids became a Parade of Mermaids, and grew into a new dimension of joyful giving. This year, the celebration will begin with 2014 Fairest Mermaid Eileen Wood arriving via water.
There will be seafood chowder from Island Seafood Company, chocolate mermaids from C.W. Fudge, as well as hors d’oeuvres and wine from Bert’s Bar and Grill. Wine and food is a $3 donation each.
There will also be a photographer, $10 per pose. All money collected will be donations to “From Our Hearts.”
Registration begins at 6 p.m., at Bert’s Pine Bay Gallery, at the northeast corner of the Matlacha Bridge.
Contact Deborah Cole, manager of Bert’s Pine Bay Gallery, 4332 Pine Island Road, Matlacha, at pinebay@berts-bar.com, www.bertsgallery.com or call 239-283-1335.