CORTEZ – It’s a feast for all the senses with the sweet smell of stone crab and other delicious food offerings, the sound of live music, vendors offering beautiful arts and crafts and the hands-on experience of eating one of the ocean’s finest delicacies.
The Ninth Annual Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival is a hit with the thousands of people attending the event outside the Swordfish Grill.
“I had never heard of Cortez, but some people in the condo next to us were coming over here to check it out so we shared a ride and came with them, and I’m glad we did,” said Duane Farley. “I don’t like much seafood, but there is plenty of other stuff to eat, and more than enough drink options. My wife has probably spent a hundred bucks on stone crab claws, I think she may have developed an addiction.”
The Farleys also remarked on how impressed they were with the live music, and how pleased they were that the arts and crafts vendors were selling authentic local merchandise.
“So many times you go to one of these things and it’s a bunch of junk these guys just haul from event to event and it looks like they bought it from China,” said Melissa Farley, Duane’s wife. “This is quality art and we will be picking up a few things to take back to Michigan.”
There are dozens of vendors on hand selling a little bit of everything. Food ranges from stone crab to shrimp and grits, burgers, chicken and more. There is no shortage of cold beer to help move the hips to the 11 bands taking to three stages.
The event continues until 6 p.m. tonight.
