CORTEZ – Mindful of residents’ concerns following damage from hurricanes, FISH board members asked the Cortez community for input before scheduling the February 2025 Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival.
At a Nov. 11 meeting at Star Fish Co. with Cortez residents, the consensus of residents and Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage members was that the annual festival should be held. The two-day festival features music, arts and crafts, fresh seafood and educational activities.
Discussions centered around the impact on the community versus the uplifting effect a festival would have on a community that’s been rebuilding from damage since Hurricane Helene in September.
“There were concerns that the neighborhood might be too overwhelmed, or that it’s too close and there might not be time,” FISH member Karen Bell said. “The thoughts against so far were there’s too much going on right now.”
Some suggested possibly scaling back the festival or changing its configuration to lessen the impact on neighbors.
The two-day festival was rained out for one day in 2024 and was canceled altogether in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival is a fundraiser for maintenance of the FISH Preserve, as well as for multiple community projects.
Details about the size and configuration of the festival will be announced at the FISH board meeting scheduled on Monday, Dec. 2.
