Get crabby in Cortez

We don't usually recommend that you stray too far from Anna Maria Island but this weekend we will make an exception.
That's because this weekend is the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival and a crowd of 30,000 people is expected to visit the historic waterfront community on the shore of Sarasota Bay.
There are many reasons to go along and join in the fun, not least the promise of live entertainment, some yummy food and drink, and displays of traditional arts and crafts.
This year it's time to get crabby - stone crabby that is which are harvested along Florida’s west coast from the Florida Keys north and Cortez is a major port of call for the claws. You'll be able to enjoy crab cooked in all the ways you can imagine - so don't have a big breakfast whatever you do.
Admission is $2, and children under 12 are free. The fun starts at 10am and runs to 6pm on both Saturday and Sunday. If you want to park up and walk along, off site parking is available at Sugg Middle School, 3801 59th St. W, Bradenton, or Coquina Beach Bayside, Bradenton Beach, with a shuttle bus service to Cortez for a $2 round-trip fee. You could also park east of the village off Cortez Road and enjoy a 10-minute walk.
The Anna Maria Islander newspaper reports that proceeds from the 27th annual festival will support expansion of the FISH Preserve and restoration of vitally important wetland habitat. The preserve is 100 bayfront acres just east of the village, dedicated as a nature preserve.
The blessing of the fleet and an awards ceremony is scheduled for noon Saturday. Winners of The Islander newspaper-sponsored Cortez Crab Cookoff will receive their awards on stage at noon. And the winning restaurant in the crab cake category, Banana Cabana of Bradenton Beach, will have a booth at the event with a menu including owner Michael Rapport’s “Mango Island Crab Cakes". Yum yum!
Entertainment features the Richard Culbreath Group, Sunshine Express Cloggers, Gumbo Boogie Band, The Alternators, Gulf Drive Band and the Manatee River Bluegrass Band.
It promises to be a great weekend, so get along there and enjoy yourself.