The North Webster Lions Club invites everyone to slip, swim and splash to the 68th annual North Webster Mermaid Festival.

This year’s theme is Land of Dixie, which will be reflected most prominently in the two parades that mark the festival.

Activities kick off with the opening of the Mermaid Midway at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, on the festival grounds. Featured will be rides, games, merchants and food vendors.

Performing on Merlin’s stage will be the Vocal Power Academy from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Entertainment will pause for the Cutie Parade, which takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Main Street downtown. Little ones, many of them Cutie King and Queen hopefuls, will don colorful costumes and walk or ride in decorative handmade floats showing off the festival theme.

Following the Cutie Parade, Big Daddy Dupree and the Broke and Hungry Blues Band will take the Merlin stage from 8 p.m. to festival closing at 10 p.m.

Activities for Thursday, June 27, include dollar day on the midway from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Minute to Win It competition and Firemen’s Competition begin at 6 p.m. in the east building and demo derby track, respectively. The Lake City Bank coin hunt starts at 7:30.

Performing on Merlin’s Stage will be The Charles Dalton Band, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The North Webster Community Center will be the site for the annual Cutie Pageant, which begins at 7 p.m. Friday, June 28.

At 7:45 p.m., the North Webster Lions Club will hold its annual bicycle giveaway. Capping off the evening’s activities will be the sixth annual Mermaid Festival Idol Contest, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Merlin’s Stage.

The 68th annual Mermaid Festival Parade will make its way downtown along Main Street beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 29. Entries will include local businesses and organizations, marching bands, encore appearances by Cutie parade entrants, Queen of Lakes contestants and a list of other categories.

Performing on Merlin’s Stage will be the Inclognito Cloggers at 7 p.m. and the Lions Karate  Skills and Kicks Demonstration 8 p.m.

The Mermaid Festival Demolition Derby will roar onto the festival grounds at 7 p.m.

The festival’s crowning event — literally — will be the Queen of Lakes Pageant, 7 p.m., at the North Webster Community Center.

For complete Mermaid Festival details, see the Mermaid Festival website.