Do you have what it takes to be a mermaid? Weeki Wachee is holding auditions

WUSF | By Joanna Keen

Published January 24, 2023 at 3:12 PM EST

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is famous for its underwater mermaid shows. But where do the mermaids come from?

A job posting you'll only find in this part of Florida offers a clue.

According to the park's Facebook page, auditions to become a mermaid will be held Sat., Jan. 28.

Weeki Wachee celebrated its 75th year earlier this month. On Jan. 12, the park unveiled 28 new mermaid statues as a part of the "Mermaid Tale Trail" exhibit.

The mermaid shows have been an attraction of Weeki Wachee Springs since 1947. The mermaids swim in the depths of the spring, while the audience watches from a 500-seat theater 16 feet below the water's surface.

Visitors can watch the mermaids perform every day at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the month of January.

According to the park's announcement, the mermaid auditions will include a swim endurance test and an underwater audition. The process may take up to two hours. Mermaids will receive a starting salary of $15 per hour.

Applicants must turn in a resume and a state application in advance, and must be at least 18 years old. Applications and resumes should be sent to Kelley.Parker@floridadep.gov.

A mermaid performs at Weeki Wachee in this postcard from 1969.

A mermaid performs at Weeki Wachee in this postcard from 1949.

On Jan. 12, 2023, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park will unveil 28 mermaid statues to celebrate its anniversary, in an exhibition called Destination Mermaid: The Tail Trail.

One of the mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. The state park's mermaids performed their first show back in 1947 and have been one of the more Florida roadside attractions since then.