The 44th annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival will return to Florida’s Gulf Coast on Saturday, Feb. 14, and Sunday, Feb 15, continuing a decades-long tradition of celebrating one of the state’s last true working fishing villages.
Held in the historic Cortez community, the festival highlights the cultural history of a village that has remained rooted in commercial fishing despite mounting development pressures along Sarasota Bay. The event is hosted by the village of Cortez and the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH).
“The village of Cortez and the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) welcome the public back to the shores of Sarasota Bay for the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival,” said the press release issued by FISH media contact Angela Collins.
Often described as a “party with a purpose,” proceeds from the festival support restoration and conservation efforts at the FISH Preserve, a 98-acre stretch of coastal habitat on the east end of Cortez village and the last large undeveloped parcel on Sarasota Bay. This year’s theme is “Boat to Market,” recognizing Cortez fishermen who deliver fresh seafood directly from their boats to local markets.
The weekend will feature live local music, original artwork, and nautical crafts, seafood, and educational “Dock Talks” presented by members of the University of Florida's Florida Sea Grant program.
“Working waterfronts are critical to Florida’s seafood economy and convey a sense of tradition and purpose that is hard to compare. Development, population growth, and shifting priorities have contributed to the decline and disappearance of many fishing villages, but Cortez has survived the changing tides and remains a true vestige of old Florida,” Collins wrote.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days in front of Starfish Company and A.P. Bell Fish Company. Admission is $5 and free for children under 12.
