2027 Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival: A Guide to This Old Florida Tradition

Just across the bridge from Bradenton Beach, the historic fishing village of Cortez celebrates its maritime roots each February with one of the area's most beloved annual events—the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival.

Fresh local seafood, live music, nautical arts and crafts, family activities and a genuine working-waterfront atmosphere make this much more than another Florida festival. It's a celebration of a community whose connection to the water continues today.

If you're visiting Anna Maria Island over Presidents' Day weekend, this is one local tradition worth experiencing.

2027 Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival

Dates: Saturday, February 13 & Sunday, February 14, 2027
Location: Cortez Village, Cortez, Florida

The festival is organized by the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Cortez's commercial fishing heritage, traditional maritime culture and the coastal environment that supports it. The annual festival takes place over Presidents' Day weekend, and proceeds support the FISH mission and FISH Preserve.

Festival hours, admission and 2027 parking information will be added as those details are officially announced.

For the latest event information, visitors can also check the official FISH website before heading to the festival.

A Celebration of Cortez's Fishing Heritage

Cortez isn't simply a waterfront backdrop created for visitors. It remains one of Florida's historic fishing communities, and that heritage is at the heart of the festival.

The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage was established in 1991 as community members worked to protect the character of Cortez and its traditional waterfront culture. Its mission encompasses not only commercial fishing and maritime traditions but also the natural environment on which these communities depend.

During festival weekend, the village comes alive as visitors get a closer look at the people, food, history and traditions that have helped shape Cortez.

Come Hungry for Fresh Seafood

It wouldn't be the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival without seafood.

Festival visitors can expect plenty of opportunities to sample the flavors associated with Florida's Gulf Coast and the Cortez fishing community. FISH highlights fresh fish, shrimp, stone crab, clams and oysters among the seafood traditionally found at the event. Specific menus and vendors can vary from year to year.

This is one festival where arriving hungry is part of the plan.

Live Music and a Laid-Back Waterfront Atmosphere

Live entertainment is another longstanding part of the celebration. Music fills the village throughout festival weekend, adding to the casual Old Florida atmosphere as visitors eat, browse and explore.

The entertainment lineup changes annually, so we'll update this guide with the 2027 performers and schedule once they're officially announced.

Browse Nautical Art, Crafts and Local Vendors

Take some time between seafood stops to wander through the festival's arts and crafts vendors.

Nautical artwork and locally inspired creations fit naturally into an event celebrating life along the water. The festival also gives visitors an opportunity to learn more about Cortez through community and environmental exhibits.

Rather than rushing through, give yourself time to explore. Much of the fun comes from simply wandering through the village and seeing what you discover.

Bring the Kids

The Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival is also designed with families in mind.

Children's activities and educational exhibits are traditionally part of the weekend, making this an easy event to include in an Anna Maria Island family vacation.

It's also an opportunity for kids to see a side of coastal Florida that's very different from a typical beach day—the boats, seafood, working waterfront and history behind a community built around the water.

A Festival With a Bigger Purpose

One of the most important things to know about the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival is where the money goes.

Festival proceeds benefit the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage and its preservation efforts, including the FISH Preserve. FISH says the preserve encompasses more than 100 acres adjacent to Cortez Village and represents one of the remaining undeveloped areas along Sarasota Bay.

The community's preservation story is especially meaningful. Funds from annual fishing festivals and community donations helped FISH pay off the original mortgage on the preserve property in 2005. Restoration efforts have since included wetland creation, invasive plant removal and native habitat restoration.

So while you're enjoying seafood and live music, you're also supporting an organization working to preserve the maritime culture and coastal environment that make Cortez special.

Explore More of Historic Cortez

Festival weekend is a wonderful introduction to Cortez, but there's more history here than can fit into one event.

While you're in the village, keep an eye out for the Cortez Cultural Center and Florida Maritime Museum, both of which help tell the story of the area's fishing and maritime heritage. FISH also encourages festival visitors to experience the history of Cortez and its working waterfront while attending the event.

It's part of what makes this festival different: you're celebrating maritime history in a community where that history is still visible around you.

Tips for Attending the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival

Festival weekend can draw a crowd, so a little planning can make the day easier.

Wear comfortable shoes, bring sun protection and expect to spend plenty of time walking outdoors. Because parking and traffic arrangements can change from one festival to the next, check the official festival information shortly before your visit rather than relying on parking instructions from a previous year.

And come hungry. We can't emphasize that one enough. 🦐

We'll update this guide when official 2027 hours, admission, parking and transportation details are released.

Stay Near the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival

Turn festival weekend into an Anna Maria Island getaway by staying just across the water in Bradenton Beach.

Bradenton Beach is the closest Anna Maria Island community to Cortez, making it a convenient home base for festival visitors. Spend the day discovering Cortez's seafood, music and maritime heritage, then return to the island for a sunset walk along the Gulf.

Island Real Estate Vacations offers a variety of Bradenton Beach vacation rentals, from Gulf-front condos to comfortable vacation homes where you can settle in for a February escape.

Whether the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival is the reason for your trip or one special day during a longer Anna Maria Island vacation, it's a wonderful opportunity to experience a piece of Old Florida that's still very much alive.