This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, we may make a commission at no cost to you. Please see my full disclosure policy for more details.
Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival 2022
Stone Crab season officially kicked off on October 5th with crab pots being pulled starting October 15th. Stone Crab season brings the annual Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival located at Swordfish Grill & Tiki Bar and Cortez Kitchen happening this weekend, October 12th and 13th from 10am – 6pm both days. 2022 being the 1oth year running for the Cortez Crab & Music Festival. Come out to show your support the local fishery and people who work hard every day to bring in these delicious treats to our tables!
From the website – Join the fun for the 10th Annual Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival. This outdoor event is being held at 4628 119th Street West in Cortez Village on Saturday & Sunday, November 12 & 13, from 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM both days. Music will continue into the evening on stages at the Swordfish Grill & Tiki Bar and The Cortez Kitchen.
We will have plenty of fresh, local seafood, ice cold beverages, many talented music acts appearing on 3 different stages, and lots of stone crab. There will also be a Kid’s Zone and many local artists displaying their wares. A seating area with a large tent will be in place for protection from the sun, or in the event of rain.
Parking will be available at the FISH Preserve for $5 per car, guests are advised to enter at 116th Street.
Click here for the 2022 Music Lineup.
What does it take to bring the stone crabs to the festival?
Hours of work, maybe a little bit of blood, and whole lotta sweat.....and of course a lot of laughs!
Stone Crabbing - a "framily" affair
This year our family helped a friend get their boat restored and ready for stone crab season. For us it was a literally a boat load of new experiences from helping get the Miss Kate completely redone and back in the water for her maiden voyage to cleaning and rigging the pots. We helped with all the things: baiting and pulling the pots, gel coating the boat, and everything in between. Our family enjoyed the entire process. All the hours of work seemed to disappear when we got on the water and started pulling pots!
So much beauty surrounds Anna Maria Island. I am so happy I get to share it with you here. Cortez fishing village is loaded full of long-time fisherman and their families. Come join us at the Cortez Crab & Music Festival this weekend. Help us spread the word and show our support to the local fisheries that support so many great people and supply a great deal of the local restaurants with the freshest catches. Fish caught right here travel far and wide to their final destinations, dinner tables. When you are enjoying those tasty stone crabs just know there is a whole lotta work that goes into getting those yummy crabs to your table! For us this was a fun experience, a bit of a hobby, but for so many around here it is their lively hood, and their livelihood is a lot of work! So enjoy the crab and thank a fisherman while you enjoy the Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival.
Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival
Swordfish Grill & Tiki
4628 119th Street
Cortez, Florida 34215
October 12th and 13th, 2022 from 10am – 6pm both days
