CORTEZ – Nearly 10,000 people attended the 43rd Annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival on Feb. 15-16.
Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) Treasurer Jane von Hahmann said on Feb. 26 that final financial numbers are still being tallied. Attendance figures for this year’s festival were only slightly less than 2023.
“Attendance was down a little, but earnings are looking good,” she said. “Not as good as 2023, and remember, in 2024, Sunday was a washout, but really quite good.”
This year’s celebration of local commercial fishing heritage was the festival that almost wasn’t, due to the back-to-back hurricanes that impacted Cortez in 2024.
In November, the FISH board reached out to Cortez residents to see how the community felt about holding the street festival in 2025. It was agreed by most that the festival would have a much-needed uplifting effect.
The two-day festival, themed “Swamped but Never Sunk,” was centered around Star Fish Co. and featured live music, arts and craft vendors, educational activities and local seafood.
Festival proceeds go toward maintenance of the 98-acre FISH Preserve, as well as community projects.
Related coverage: Fishing Festival proves ‘Swamped, but never sunk’
