Via Aquarium hosting after-hours, adults-only Mer-Mixer

PHOTOGRAPHER: Photo Provided

Mermaid Shannon is a professional mermaid who performs in aquariums and pools around the country.

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ROTTERDAM — Via Aquarium is giving the Capital Region a reason to mingle and maybe meet a mermaid or two.

From 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, the aquarium will host a Mer-Mixer, an event that’s been making waves since it was first announced.

“There’s a lot of hype around the area [for this],” said Alan Fanitzi, an organizer of the mixer.

Throughout the evening, attendees will have a chance to explore the aquarium and mingle with mermaids.

“We have Mermaid Shannon coming and two others,” Fanitzi said.

Mermaid Shannon — for those not familiar with aquatic celebrities — is a professional mermaid who performs in aquariums and pools from Denver to St. Maarten and has a dedicated social media following. According to Fanitzi, she’ll be available to pose with for photos.

There will also be hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails that fit with the aquatic theme.

Pianist Lecco Morris will be playing jazz and rock piano from 7 p.m. until the end of the evening.

Tickets are $40 for aquarium members and $50 for non-members. Each ticket includes unlimited hors-d’oeuvres and a complimentary drink. According to Fantizi, the dress code is smart casual, which is business casuals’ off-duty twin.

Ever since the aquarium opened earlier this year, they’ve received multiple requests to hold after-hours, adult-only mixers. The Mer-Mixer is the first they’ve organized and while the planning has mostly been smooth sailing, the aquarium did receive negative feedback about ticket prices. Many users on social media said the prices were too high. In response, the aquarium is considering restructuring the ticket prices for future events.

“We’re treating this as a learning [experience],” Fantizi said. So the Mer-mixer won’t be the last, at least not in Fantizi’s view.

“These events are in high demand. We’re in the early stages of planning a monthly mixer,” Fantizi said.

The event is ideal for anything from a date to a girls night out to a networking event. Future mixers will most likely have different themes, however, it might be difficult to top the eccentric theme of Friday’s event.

“It’s unique in the fact that only a full-scale aquarium can provide the atmosphere for something like this,” Fantizi said.

For more information, visit viaaquarium.com.