For centuries, beneath the waves, we’ve lived in mystery.
 A lucky few have caught a glimpse. But now, all eyes will see.
 In our city of legends, the downtown streets, now will set the stage.
 Watch out for us with summer here, we’ve surfaced to amaze.

Summer has returned to shine, and from the ocean blue,
Our school of mermaids takes the stage and rise for all to view.
The children of Easter Seals will smile and artists brushes glow,
the downtown streets are where we'll meet before we have to go.
 

These were the rhymes that became familiar through the summer of 2006 as part of the Mermaids in the City advertising campaign.

Sadly, the mermaids no longer adorn our downtown streets, but you can still visit them here at any time.

Mermaid Gala and Auction a Great Success

The Mermaid Gala and Auction was enjoyed by all - fantastic food, wonderful entertainment, and what a spectacle to see the mermaids all together one final time.

Approximately $75,000 was raised through Mermaids in the City to fund Easter Seals programs for children with physical disabilities. Easter Seals is grateful to everyone who was involved in this amazing project.

Out of the sea and into the streets ...
Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador was proud to bring Mermaids in the City to St. John's!

Bishop Field School students tour the mermaids on September 14, 2006.

"Harbour Guardian" and "Mermaid Princess Oz" were the first
two mermaids to surface on July 14, 2006.  Visit the mermaid gallery
for photos and information about each mermaid.

The Mermaids' Tale

St. John's - the oldest city in North America. The City of Legends. The city of sailors and seafaring adventures. The city where tales of pirates, hidden treasures and creatures beneath the waves still whisper among the buildings and alleyways of old St. John's. In 2006, one of the most magical and mythical nautical legends of all time surfaced in this city once again. To some, she was known as the Siren, to others the Water Nymph, but to most, it is the name Mermaid that brings her legend to mind.

Out of the Sea and Into the Streets

Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador was proud to bring Mermaids in the City to St. John's. Mermaids in the City captured the imaginations of young and old alike, and inspired visitors and locals with the magical mermaids legend.  Here's how it worked:

• Easter Seals manufactured larger-than-life blank fiberglass mermaids.
   
• The best of Newfoundland's renowned visual arts community applied their talents to these mermaid canvasses and brought them to life. They created mermaids that stopped people in their tracks.
   
• The mermaids adorned the downtown sidewalks of St. John's all summer and were viewed and enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people. A walking guide was available so that locals and tourists alike could walk the mermaid trail and visit each mermaid in her new surroundings. 
   
• At the end of September, the mermaids disappeared from the streets forever. They took center stage at the Fairmont Newfoundland Hotel where they were auctioned to the highest bidders at the elegant Mermaid Ball. The mermaids have become part of private collections decorating properties, board rooms and foyers for many years to come - a reminder of the year that mermaids surfaced again in St. John's.

Mermaids in the City was big in every way - the mermaids didn't just blend into the St. John's cityscape. At eight feet tall, they stood above the crowd. You could gaze down Water, Duckworth or New Gower Streets and see these beautiful sculptures, arms outstretched, reaching for the sky! Mermaids in the City was impossible to miss - even our larger-than-life mayor looked up to the mermaids!

Real Life Magic

One of the most rewarding benefits of Mermaids in the City is the smiles on the faces of children with physical disabilities. There are more than 1,500 such children in Newfoundland and Labrador. Proceeds from Mermaids in the City will enable Easter Seals to expand its programs and services for these deserving kids and their families. Through your support of Mermaids in the City, you gave these children the opportunity to grow, develop and just be kids.

For more information on Easter Seals programs and services please visit our web site http://www.easterseals.nf.ca.

For information about Mermaids in the City or Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador, please contact us:

Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador
Attn:  Yvonne Snow, Development Manager
712 – 100 Forest Road, St. John’s, NL  A1A 1E5
Telephone 709.754.1399  Facsimile 709.754.1398  info@easterseals.nf.ca