F.A.Q.
/ When is "Minne" MerCon 2025?
March 28-30,2025
/ How is "Minne" MerCon "mini"?
When we first started planning, we just wanted to offer a more affordable convention option for mermaids stuck midland. So we started working on a 1 day event; no hotel blocks or vending or anything too complicated (or expensive), just a small group of mermaids, some panels, some pools, and some fun. Something you know..."mini".
Add in that we are based in MINNEsota...and, well, it seemed like a good place to start.
Since then, "Minne" MerCon has grown and expanded at an abshelloute stunner of a pace...
For year 2, even though we are adding both a hotel block AND a vending hall... as well as several other fun new shenannigans... we are staying in MN and keeping the small community vibe going strong, and so feel "Minne" MNMerCon will continue to serve us well.
/ Where is "Minne" MerCon 2025 being held?
Glad you asked!
Minne MNMerCon is actually happening across 4 venues this year!
1] We will be BACK at Great River Water Park in the Jimmy Lee Rec Center in St.Paul MN, located at 270 Lexington Pkwy N, St Paul, MN 55104 for our MAIN MERFOLK pool.
This pool covers 25m and goes from 3.ft to a nice depth.
CLICK HERE for a google map link to G.R.W.P.
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2] OUR HOTEL WILL BE:
Comfort Inn & Suites St. Paul Northeast
Click their address below to see a map for them.
3505 Vadnais Center Drive, Vadnais Heights, MN, 55110, US
You can learn more and find booking info by
CLICKING HERE.
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3] FRIDAY EVENING VENUE: LUSH
​Queer Circus MPLS presents: March of the Mermaids! @ Lush Theater & Lounge!
Learn more HERE, or BUY TICKETS HERE .
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4] SATURDAY EVENING TALENT SHOW VENUE: CANCAN WONDERLAND
Learn more HERE.
Tickets are available at the door, and their website currently lists: $16 Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays. CLICK HERE to visit their visitors info page.
/ Will "Minne" MerCon 2025 be working with Sea Quest again?
Absolutely not.
Events over the past year have made it apparent that Sea Quest is no longer a business that aligns with our values, and we do not believe they are upholding a safe and sustainable environment for their animals, their employees, or their mermaids.
We have found new outing options for our community to enjoy this year.
/ WHO is allowed to participate in MNMerCon?
ANYONE & EVERYONE willing to adhere to the convention code of conduct and terms of attendance agreement is welcome! Part of OMPAS (our sponsor] mission statement is to "provide safe and sustainable access to arts & ecology education through engaging edutainment and events".
All facilities have family changing rooms as a locker room option for any of our guests.
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A note on AGES: While all ages are welcome to attend, our programming this year is best suited to age 13+.
Also, DUE TO AGREEMENTS WITH OUR FACILITIES, NO ONE UNDER THE AGE OF 13 CURRENTLY MAY SWIM IN A TAIL.
We will be working toward seeing if there are acceptable safety parameters we can work toward.
/ HOW does PRICING work for MNMerCon?
Our pricing structure is another place where we build accessibility into our programming; having a base ticket price with the option to add on additional classes, certifications, & events helps us keep the base badge price point lower.
That doesn't mean lower quality however; the majority of MNMC activities & events are included in the badge package.
Pricing for 2025 is as follows:
*early bird pricing deals not listed anymore
BADGES:
FULL WEEKEND BADGE: $120.00 plus tax
FRIDAY ONLY BADGE: $50.00 plus tax
SATURDAY ONLY BADGE: $80.00 plus tax
SUNDAY ONLY BADGE: $30.00 plus tax
VOLUNTEER BADGE: $100.00 plus tax, meal plan included
EVENING Off-Site SHOWS: [NOT included in badge pricing]
FRIDAY MARCH 28, 9:30pm:
Queer Circus MPLS March of the Mermaids! @ LUSH
General Admission: $15.00 [w/ $10 off MNMC promo code]
VIP Admission: $35.00 [w/ $10 off MNMC promo code]
[promo code avl to convention attendees only.
please email the team for code access if you need it]
SATURDAY MARCH 28, 9:30pm:
MNMerCon Talent Show @ CANCAN WONDERLAND
Tickets for this show are avl as part of a general admittance to CANCAN, and will be $16.00.
More info on CANCAN HERE.
More info on the TALENT SHOW avl HERE.
/ Is there a Hotel block?
OUR HOTEL WILL BE:
Comfort Inn & Suites St. Paul Northeast
Click their address below to see a map for them.
3505 Vadnais Center Drive, Vadnais Heights, MN, 55110, US
You can learn more and find booking info by
CLICKING HERE.
/ How much will the event cost?
We will be offering several ticketing options, including daily passes or a weekend pass.
Full Weekend Badge: $120.00*
Friday Only Badge: $50.00*
Saturday Only Badge: $80.00*
Sunday Only Badge: $30.00*
*does not include tax
In order to keep ticket costs low, Minne MerCon offers a base badge w/ included programming and the option to add on elective activity options. There may be additional fees and registration required for some of these events & ativitie.
You can view a full list of programming info HERE.
Please CLICK HERE to see ticket and pricing info.
/ What all is included with my badge purchase?
Your badge will allow you access to the convention; MerCon badges are required to access all MNMerCon programming. Badge fees pay for the insurance and pool rental space to make these events possible; your support helps bring these events to the community. However, as always, please reach out if you have concerns and we can address them together. Also, fyi: As we will be at multiple sites, it will be important to keep your wristband on you at all times as this is how our host sites will be able to identify us in their guest population.
MOST sessions, panels, and activities are included in your badge. Programming notes will clearly state what is included and what will be an additional (optional) fee.
/ What all is included with my badge purchase?
Your badge will allow you access to the convention; MerCon badges are required to access all MNMerCon programming. (As we will be at multiple sites, it will be important to keep your badge with you at all times as this is how our host sites will be able to identify us in their guest population. )
MOST sessions, panels, and activities are included in your badge. Programming notes will clearly state what is included and what will be an additional (optional) fee.
/ Will there be any food at the event?
Actually, yes!
We will be offering coffee, tea, water, as well as a light snack Friday evening (think fun, not filling food).
The Birthday Party will have a cupcake station & treats.
Saturday we will again offer coffee, tea, & water as well as a morning snack option, and party style food & snacks for the evening event.
Sunday morning, we hope to offer coffee, tea, & water as well as a very basic, and pool hall safe, morning snack option. We are still working with our venue to see if this will be possible with logistics.
We will be including allergen warning and signage on all serving tables, but can not guarantee foods will be 100% in compliance with dietary needs so please note that you partake AT YOUR OWN RISK.
We will NOT be having lunch and dinner breaks in our schedule this year; you may take this time to head offsite to eat OR feel free to pack a meal(s) and join the pod picnics as works for you!
/ It isn't food, but I have personal items I need kept cool/cold and accessible during the CON.
We got you, no problem. Please reach out to us, and we will make a plan together.
/ How do you plan to track ticketing across multiple venues?
We will be utilizing wristbands for our guests.
YOU MUST wear your wristband at all times while attending MerCon venues & sessions.
/ Ok...so what if I lose my wristband?
If you lose your wristband, please bring an I.D. to the registration table and we will work with you to replace it.
Wristbands will be replaced a maximum of 1x; after that you will need to purchase a new band.
/ Where should I park?
The hotel, GRWP, and CANCAN Wonderland have FREE, ample parking on site. Lush parking is side street, etc, so rideshare fishies!
/ I'm just here with my child; do I still need a ticket?
YES. ALL participants will need to purchase a ticket. Due to being a limited ticket event, we are only opting to sell day or weekend badges. Every person in the room counts toward our capacity, even parents and mertenders, so we will not be offering specialized pricing.
In future years, as we expand event capacity, we look forward to offering an expanded variety of ticket options.
/ What is the return/refund policy?
ALL TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE
/ Are tickets transferable?
Yes! Tickets are transferable to other attendees, but not toward future events/years.
Any transfers MUST occur before the convention begins; 12pm Friday is the cut off to contact us about transferring a ticket.
Please contact us so we may assist you if you do end up needing to transfer, and include: your original purchase confirmation email, your name, and the full name and address of the new attendee.
/ Who do I contact if I am interested in volunteering or getting involved?
Get in touch with us via email!
MNMerCon@gmail.com
/ Will there be vendors at the event?
Yes! We have multiple vendors from several states!
Please shoot us an email at: vendorsmnmercon@gmail.com​
or CLICK HERE if you are interested in learning more about vending.
/ What are the pools like?
GRWP's pool hall is 25 yards for it's 6 lanes, with depths ranging from 4ft all the way down to 25ft.
The pool has a smooth white and black tile finish, and is mer-mazing for big tails, big fluke, big flips, and big fun!
We are also super excited to be working with a hotel that is a tail friendly space too! Their pool IS smaller than GRWP, however for a hotel pool it is lovely. Plus they have a waterslide, hot tub, and plenty of space to play.
/ Is there an attendee policy?
Code of Conduct?
Yes! It's actually listed just below! Please look it over!
By purchasing a ticket and attending, you certify you have read thru our FAQ, read our Code of Conduct, and agree to abide by them and their policies.
/ Where will I keep my tails & gear?
We will have "pod parking" space available in the main convention hall AND on the pool deck. What's that? Consider it your tail check/gear drop spot at the Con.
When you arrive, you can check in with our team and they will help you get a space to store your things in the main hall. Once you hit the pool deck, there is also a space set aside for us to leave gear...especially wet gear you don't wanna haul around multiple times.
We will have a staff member monitoring both "pod parking" zones the ENTIRE TIME, so you can enjoy other aspects of the con without having to worry about gear left out.
Code of Conduct & Terms of Participation
Code of Conduct - Minne MerCon 2024
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Harassment and Disruptive Behavior Policy:
MNMerCon is dedicated to providing safe and sustainable spaces for events, education, and ecology. We operate under a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY against any form of harassment or disruptive behavior, whether physical or verbal, towards attendees, participants, patrons, or bystanders. This includes, but is not limited to, physical or verbal intimidation, offensive comments, assault, non-consensual photography, sustained disruption of events, bathroom policing, inappropriate physical contact, stalking, and unwelcome attention.
Overly sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for our venue(s), including talks, workshops, parties, Instagram, Facebook and other online media.
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Anti-Discrimination Policy:
This policy applies to everyone and is not limited to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender presentation, sexual orientation, age, body size, disability, appearance, religion, or citizenship.
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Conduct at the Convention:
By purchasing a ticket, you are agreeing that “Minne” MerCon 2024, its personnel, and its affiliates are not responsible for any damage, theft, injury, or loss experienced at the event. Attendees of the events are responsible for their own actions and belongings as well as for any resulting repercussions. Staff and security is on hand to assist in any situation; however, any civil or medical emergencies that may occur must be handled directly by the appropriate authorities. “Minne” MerCon 2024 has a zero tolerance policy on misconduct of any kind; misconduct is judged at the discretion of “Minne” MerCon 2024 Staff and based off of the above behavior policy. Participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund. If a person engages in harassing or disruptive behavior, MNMerCon Staff reserves the right to take immediate action to ensure the safety of all, up to and including expulsion from the event and notification of the venue's Security Team.
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Reporting Harassment:
Anyone can report harassment. If someone's behavior has made you uncomfortable or if you witness such behavior, contact MNMerCon Staff, a volunteer, or a member of the venue's Security Team. Support is available at the "Minne" MerCon 2024 Registration desk or the venue's front desk.
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Legal Actions and Support:
If necessary, we will contact law enforcement, provide escort, offer a safe place, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to ensure their safety throughout the event.
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Respect and Conduct Guidelines:
Remember, Cosplay and Costumes are not consent. Attendees should be respectful, nice, and kind to each other. "Minne" MerCon 2024 reserves the right to remove any attendee from the event grounds for any reason deemed unsafe or harmful to others or for repeated failure to follow the rules.
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Costume Guidelines:
Indecent exposure (public exposure of genitalia, buttocks, or female breasts) is not permitted. Costumes should adhere to both the YMCA's and local laws and customs concerning public decency, be sturdy and fitted, and not cause disruption to others. You are responsible for your own costuming.
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Photography and Media Consent:
By purchasing a ticket and attending the event, attendees agree to be photographed by official photographers and press. Photographs and videos may be used on social media platforms and advertising. Participants are advised to seek permission before photographing others. No recording or live streaming of the event, classes, participants, etc... is allowed without permission of MNMerCon and the individuals involved.
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Refund Policy:
Except in the case of event cancellation, tickets are non-refundable. "Minne" MerCon 2024 is not responsible for any damage, theft, injury, or loss. Attendees are responsible for their actions and belongings.
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Resale of Tickets:
Unlawful resale of tickets is grounds for seizure and cancellation without compensation. Tickets should not be used for advertising, promotions, contests, or sweepstakes without written authorization.
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COVID-19 Safety Measures:
We follow CDC recommendations for large gatherings. At this time, tests or vaccinations are not required. Masks are allowed everywhere but the water. Anyone appearing ill or contagious will be asked to leave, and we reserve the right to adjust safety measures based on current conditions.
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Digital Media Policy :
None of our events may be recorded or live-streamed without written prior consent.
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Right to Refuse Entry:
We reserve the right to refuse tickets or entry to any person who does not abide by our code of conduct or the moral and ethical agreements of the Minne MerCon 2024 team.
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Thank you for helping us create safe spaces for everyone to come enjoy the magic of mermaiding!