Want to be a Mermaid? This Legendary Montana Bar Wants You

If you've never been to the legendary Sip 'N Dip bar in Great Falls, you've got to do it, at least once. 100 miles south of the Canadian border is one of the last places you'd expect to find a full-blown tiki bar, let alone such a place with mermaids swimming behind the bar. It's cheesy, it's unusual, and its a lot of fun.

The Sip 'N Dip gets national attention... and is looking for mermaids.

The downtown Great Falls bar, hotel, and restaurant continue to receive national attention. In 2003 GQ said it was the #1 bar worth flying to, and in 2021 Artful Living put the Sip 'N Dip on their exclusive looking list titled, 5 of The Worlds Most Extraordinary Bars. Good old Great Falls, on a list that includes incredible bars in Hong Kong, Jamaica, and Switzerland! Calling the bar a "bizarre slice of Americana", they wrote,

Start with an old-school motor lodge, combine it with a tiki bar, add in a swimming pool and some mermaids, and you get one of the most unusual bars in the world. This crazy combination is best described as Polynesia on the Great Plains.

Yeah, that kind of sums it up. Of course, you probably heard the sad news that the Sip 'N Dips longtime piano player, "Piano Pat" passed away in the spring of 2021 after singing and playing the piano for 50 years at the popular bar.

Do you have what it takes to be a mermaid?

In a late February post on their Facebook page, the Sip 'N Dip announced they are looking for mermaids to join the team. Per the post,

We are adding to our merpod! Must be able to swim 2-3 nights per week. 6pm-10pm or 7pm-11pm. Minimum of 2 nights per week is required. MUST BE A GREAT SWIMMER! We furnish costumes. Starts at $11 per hour plus tips. If you have questions, please email omi@mcn.net.

The pay doesn't sound great, but it does seem like a lot of fun. Last year we interviewed a mermaid originally from Laurel named Jamie Rivera. She's now a professional mermaid entertainer in Las Vegas.

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You can listen to our interview from May 2021 below or read our story about her journey as a professional mermaid HERE.