Cortez Fishing Festival 2025

Are you familiar with 'old' Florida? 

Are you someone who can appreciate a different perspective on what’s important in life? Are you willing to spend a day amongst fishing boats, gear, fish houses and commercial fishermen? If any of this sounds intriguing, it might be a good idea for you to join in at the annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival. This two-day event is held in February every year.

And what a festival it is!

In 1981 the first event drew 500 people to this small fishing village on Florida’s central west coast. They gathered to celebrate Florida’s commercial seafood industry - its past, its present and its future.

Since then the festival has grown from a one day event to two days with an average attendance of 20,000. Considering that the entire village is less than 10 blocks, that’s a lot of visitors for the community.

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