Event Information
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
2024 Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival Canceled
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival due to the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. After assessing the damage and prioritizing the safety and recovery of our community, we realized this was the best course of action.
KidZone!
We are excited to announce a new and improved Kid Zone at the 12th Annual Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival! Admission to the festival is free for children ages 12 and under. Children must be accompanied by parents.
Shop from over 50 Local Art & More Vendors at the 2024 Stone Crab & Music Festival
And SO MUCH MORE!
Fresh stone crab and seafood available all weekend long! Enjoy LOCAL house specials like smoked fish spread, peel & eat gulf shrimp, clam chowder, shrimp & grits and more!
All spaces for the 2023 Cortez Stone Crab Festival have been filled, as well as our wait list. Please come back Summer 2024 to apply for the 2024 festival.
Ocala Country Ventures
Cajan Casey
Open Water Crafts
Mama Brookes Hot Sauce
Frumples & Sculptures
Amy’s Creations
Breezy Bakery
Barbara’s Kitchen
Flood Glass Studios
Cortez Curse Rum Nuts
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Cortez Stone Crabbing
The onset of winter in Florida not only brings wonderfully mild sunny weather but also the eagerly anticipated annual harvest of stone crab claws. Florida stone crabs are a local delicacy. Our crabs are as sweet as lobster and made up of firm yet flakey juicy meat. Stone crab season is October 15th – May 1st. Our crabs are harvested commercially by baited traps dropped and pulled by our very own crab boat, the Boss Lady. The captain of the Boss Lady is John’s oldest son, Cole Banyas. The Boss Lady’s crew harvests more than a TON of stone crab claws for the annual festival! Twelve years ago the Stone Crab Festival came to be to celebrate and honor the hard working stone crabbers of Cortez. This year’s festival theme is, “Welcome to the Stone Age”, to celebrate the arrival of the peak of stone crab season. Join the fun for the 12th Annual Cortez Stone Crab & Music Festival. This outdoor event is being held at 4628 119th Street West in Cortez Village on Saturday & Sunday, November 9th & 10th, from 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM both days. Music will continue into the evening at the Swordfish Grill & Tiki Bar & The Cortez Kitchen. We will have plenty of fresh, local seafood, ice cold beverages, many talented music acts appearing 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.
Meet the Owner
John Banyas is a fourth generation fisherman from Cortez, Florida. Boats, water, wind & fish have permeated his life. He grew up fishing and surfing and listening to his grandfather’s fishing stories and from high school on, he has never stopped fishing. After his grandfather, whom N.E. Taylor Boatworks Company is named after, passed away, John set out to catch bait, mullet and stone crab in earnest under the name Cortez Bait & Seafood. John has been fishing and working ever since. Later opening Swordfish Grill & Tiki to provide sustainable seafood in the oldest active fishing village in the state of Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cover charge will be: $5 Adults and 12 & Under Free
Saturday & Sunday November 11th & 12th Festival Hours: 10am-6pm
Yes, the restaurant, including both bars will be open but will not be accepting reservations. Seating will be on a first come, first serve basis. Come check out the new tiki roof and the new custom fans!