Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival This Weekend!

Thousands enjoy delicious seafood
A Festival with a mission!

All proceeds to FISH Preserve — A cause endorsed by famed ocean-explorer Jean-Michelle Cousteau.

Its beginnings were humble. Music, clog dancing, smoked mullet and fish chowder were among the big draws for the first one-day Festival. Organizers were hoping a few hundred folks would show up. To their surprise, over a thousand people descended on the historic fishing village of Cortez to gorge on delicious seafood and enjoy the Sarasota Bay shoreline. Just about all the food was gone by noon.

Times have changed. Now, 20-25,000 people throng to the historic fishing village of Cortez to enjoy music, dancing, delicious seafood, arts and crafts, and much more. However, perhaps the biggest draw of all is the ambiance of this quaint fishing village settled more than 120 years ago.

Dont miss it, see you there. There will be talks on the history of the village and local fishery resources along the docks of Cortez Bait and Seafood.

For more information see flyer below or call 941-708-6120.