Visitors to the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival can avoid crowded Cortez streets by taking Manatee County Area Transit's park-and-ride shuttle service this weekend. The shuttle will pick up passengers from G.T. Bray Park's west entrance off 59th Street West, and from the Coquina Beach bus turn-around. Shuttles will pick up and drop off festival passengers from 10am to 7pm on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. The cash fare is $1.50 for each boarding. Discounts are available to anyone at least 60 years old and military veterans. Anyone 80 years and older ride the MCAT for free. This service is a service enhancement for MCAT Route 6 which serves Cortez Road. All other MCAT fixed route services will continue to operate on their normal Saturday or Sunday schedule.

The Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival is this weekend, February 16–17, featuring fresh seafood, live music, nautical arts and crafts, children’s activities, environmental exhibits and good-natured revelry all throughout the village. Admission is $4 for adults; children under 12 free.

Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival