Our 2025 Convention is May 16th - 18th
About the Organizers
Mermaid and Mom and Pixie Tribe
Mermaid and Mom was founded by mother/daughter team Laurie and Rachel Smith. They strive to bring the finest children's mermaid entertainment to pools in the Northern California area, and create and sell an entirely swim-able line of fabric mermaid tails, tops and accessories.
Pixie Tribe Entertainment was founded in 2015 by Ashley Rastad, a Professional Children's Entertainer with nearly 1,000 parties under her belt! Pixie Tribe strives to make magic and whimsy accessible to all. Their moments spent at your celebration will be cherished and cared for, because it matters to them. They love to give back to their local Sacramento community!
Mermaid Rachel
Rachel Smith has been the Head Mermaid at the Dive Bar in Sacramento, California since it opened its doors in 2011. She has traveled the world performing and educating as a mermaid on portfolio workshops, during mermaid conventions, photo shoots and has over a decade of professional underwater experience. She helps operate and run Mermaid and Mom, a costume and party company with her real-life mother, Laurie.
Mermaid Ashley/Pixie Blossom
Mermaid Ashley/Pixie Blossom
Mermaid Ashley has been walking in the Promenade of Mermaids since day 1. She has helped grow the promenade into a full weekend of mermaid events and eventually, this annual convention. She began her swimming career in 2015 by winning the Mersearch at Dive Bar, where she still swims today. Owner of Pixie Tribe and momma to two sweet merlings, 3 mercats and a doggo.
Mermom Laurie
Mermaid Krista
Mermaid Ashley/Pixie Blossom
You can catch Mermom Laurie at the Mermaid and Mom vendor table, and generally running the show behind the scenes. She makes up the 'Mom' portion of Mermaid and Mom. Without her support and hard work, the California Mermaid Convention would cease to be!
Mermom Laurie started her mermaid journey at the age of 60, when she attended an underwater portfolio workshop in the Bahamas with her daughter, Rachel. She inspires us every day by breaking barriers about what is expected out of our Silver Sirens.
Be sure to say hello to Mermom Laurie at con! She loves meeting all the beautiful fishes.
Mermaid Krista
Mermaid Krista
Mermaid Krista
Mermaid Krista dipped her fins into the mer-world in 2012 but officially dove into the community in 2014 when she joined the Dive Bar Mermaids. Since then, a whole new world has become accessible to her, granting opportunities to perform at faires, aquariums, parties, and community events!
Over the years, Mermaid Krista has volunteered with the California Mermaid Convention in various capacities, and she is now excited to join as full-time staff.
Risa Mermaid
Mermaid Krista
Mermaid Krista
Marisa Renee/ Risa Mermaid is a wife, a mom, a hairstylist, a crafter and a Disney obsessed mermaid.
She hs been a licensed Cosmetologist since 2011, working out of The HairPort in Fair Oaks, California. She specializes in color (solid to Rainbow) and hand-tied extensions. She also loves doing makeup!
Marisa is a crafting, Disney loving (obsessed) mermaid! She loves Disney so much that she named her Daughter Ariel Zora Kairi!
Marisa has performed at our local mermaid bar, The Dive Bar and it was the best experience ever!! Every year you’re bound to see me at the California Mermaid Convention, wrangling our amazing team of volunteers.
Captain Angus
We are thrilled to have the charming Captain Angus on the Convention team as as Producer, a Master of Ceremonies, Convention Consultant, and Head Builder. You can catch him on the Main Stage all day Saturday!
Captain Angus is the leader of the Brotherhood of the Black Flag. The Brotherhood has performed throughout the west coast since the early 2000s. Be it sword fighting, music, meet and greet/crowd interaction or all around scalawag type fun, Captain Angus and his crew are always sure to bring the fun...and the rum!
John Rastad
John Rastad has been a part of the Promenade of Mermaids since its very first run in 2010! He assumed leadership of the event in 2017, and has been making waves in the mermaid community for years. We are so thankful to have this handsome sailor as part of the core team of the California Mermaid Convention. Helping the event grow into a full weekend of mermaid themed activities has been an honor and he is excited to participate in the main convention as a Panel Moderator.
Merman Jax - Dark Tide Productions
Merman Jax - Dark Tide Productions
Merman Jax is a past convention Producer, Consultant, and Event Sponsor.
He has been integral in organizing and advertising events for Mermaid Weekend in Sacramento, Gay Days Anaheim and the Labyrinth Ball in downtown Los Angles. His company, Dark Tide Productions runs out of LA and specializing in bringing the very best of MerMAN entertainment to the city. We are so grateful to have Merman Jax on our team!