Festivals on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide

Updated: September 2026

Anna Maria Island keeps a busy festival calendar. I have been coming here since the late 1970s, and the events still feel like neighborhood gatherings: seafood festivals in Cortez, a golf cart parade, art shows under the pines, and a Fourth of July parade led by pirates. This guide lists the main events in the order they happen so you can plan around them. I update dates as they are published.

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Tips for Attending Festivals

• Arrive early. Most events are outdoors, and parking near Pine Avenue and Bridge Street fills up fast in season.
• Skip the car if you can. The free Anna Maria Island Trolley, a bike, or a golf cart makes getting around easier.
• Bring cash. Some vendors, especially at smaller events, do not take cards.
• Dress for the sun. Wear comfortable shoes, use sunscreen, and carry water. You will be on your feet for a while.
• Slow down. Nothing here runs on a tight schedule, and the best moments are usually unplanned.

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Festivals

Anna Maria Community Market

• October – April · 2026 through 2027
• Every Tuesday · 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• 512 Pine Avenue · Anna Maria

This outdoor market is an easy way to start a Tuesday in season. It is presented by The Center of Anna Maria Island, Roser Church, and DBTB Juice Bar & Bakery, and it sets up on the church grounds. Vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods, coffee, fresh juice, microgreens, honey, and locally made specialty foods. After you shop, explore more of the street in my Pine Avenue on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide.

Coquina Beach Market

• October – June · 2026
• Sundays, Wednesdays & Fridays 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• 2650 Gulf Drive South · Bradenton Beach · south of the trolley turnaround

The Coquina Beach Market sits under tall Australian pines a few steps from the sand. Vendors sell handmade jewelry, island-inspired art, home décor, apparel, and gifts, along with baked goods and cold drinks. Combine it with a beach day, since the picnic areas and trails are close by. The market closes on some holidays and event weekends, and weather can cancel a market day, so check its Facebook page for daily updates before you go.

Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival

• February 14th & 15th · 2026
• 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• 46th Ave at the end of 123rd Street · Cortez Fishing Village
• admission · $5 · children under 12 free
• facebook

This two-day festival honors the commercial fishing families of Cortez, one of the last working fishing villages in Florida. The food is the main draw, with grouper sandwiches, shrimp, and smoked fish prepared by the local fishing families. You will also find live music, artisan vendors, nautical crafts, and exhibits on the area’s maritime history. Cortez is just across the bridge from the island.

Springfest Festival of Fine Arts and Fine Crafts

• February 28th & March 1st · 2026
• 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• City Hall Field · Holmes Beach
• admission · free
• facebook

Springfest is a juried outdoor show featuring painting, photography, jewelry, ceramics, sculpture, and glasswork, with live music in the background. It is a good chance to talk with the artists about their process and take home something inspired by the coast.

Cortez Nautical Flea Market

• March 14th · 2026
• 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
• Florida Maritime Museum · 4415 119th Street West · Cortez
• admission · free
• website

Boaters and fishermen come for the gear, including marine electronics, tools, anchors, and rope. There is also coastal décor, crafts, clothing, and food, so it is worth a stop even if you do not own a boat.

Wearin’ O’ the Green Parade

• March 15th · 2026
• 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
• Starts at Holmes Beach City Hall (5801 Marina Drive), then Palm Drive, Gulf Drive, Pine Avenue, and Tarpon Street to Magnolia Avenue, ending at The Center of Anna Maria Island
• website

Golf carts, floats, local businesses, and community groups take part in this St. Patrick’s Day parade, and plenty of riders and spectators wear green. Neighbors line the route, so get there early for a good spot.

Anna Maria Island Heritage Day

• March 18th · 2026
• 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• 402 Pine Avenue · Anna Maria
• admission · free

The Anna Maria Island Historical Society grounds fill with local vendors, live music, classic cars, and displays of vintage photographs. Take time to tour the museum, which covers the island’s days as a quiet fishing village, and talk with longtime residents. Food vendors are on site. If the history sparks your curiosity, read more in my The History of Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide.

Coquina Beach Spring Art & Craft Show

• April 4th & 5th · 2026
• 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Coquina Beach South Event Space · 1300 Gulf Drive South
• admission · free
• website

This juried show sets up under the Australian pines and features handcrafted jewelry, coastal artwork, pottery, home décor, and photography. Many of the makers are local, so the pieces make good souvenirs. The Gulf is steps away, which makes it easy to turn the visit into a beach day.

Memorial Day Ceremony

• Memorial Day · 2026
• 407 Magnolia Ave · The Center of Anna Maria Island
• 10:00 AM
• admission · free

The city hosts a ceremony each year honoring U.S. service members who died in service. It typically includes a presentation of colors by the Manatee High School ROTC, the national anthem, a military prayer, and patriotic music. Hundreds of residents and visitors attend.

4th of July Activities

Anna Maria Island Privateers Parade, 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. The parade starts at Coquina Beach and runs the length of the island to Bayfront Park in Anna Maria. Pirates on the floats toss beads and candy, and some spray spectators with water.

Picnic Celebration, noon to 1:30 PM. The parade ends at City Pier Park, where the picnic offers food, live entertainment, and kids’ activities.

Hot dog eating contests, 1:00 PM. Swordfish Grill and Tiki Bar opens registration at noon. In 2026, the winner received a $250 gift card and the title of Wiener Winner. Daiquiri Deck in Bradenton Beach holds its own contest at 1:00 PM, and the 2026 winner received free daiquiris for a year. Daiquiri Deck also runs a Happy Hour Cookout from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. Register early if you plan to compete.

Fireworks. Bradenton Red, White and Boom takes place on the Bradenton Riverwalk, a short drive over the bridge, with fireworks over the water.

Bayfest

• October 17th · 2026
• 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
• 402 Pine Avenue · Anna Maria
• classic car show · 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
• live music · 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM
• admission · free

Bayfest is the island’s big fall street festival. Pine Avenue closes to traffic, so you can walk the length of it past local vendors, artists, and food booths selling seafood and festival favorites. Bands, from local groups to regional acts, play throughout the day. For more places to hear music on the island, see my Live Music on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide. It is free and family friendly.

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Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival

• November 9th and 10th · 2026
• 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• 4628 119th Street West · Cortez Fishing Village
• admission · $5 · children under 12 free

Fresh stone crab claws are the star, at the Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival. If you want to know where else to find them, see my Best Stone Crab on Anna Maria Island: My Insider Guide. Local bands play while you eat on the waterfront overlooking Sarasota Bay. It is also a good chance to meet local fishermen and see a working waterfront up close. To learn more about the village itself, read my The Historic Cortez Fishing Village: My Insider Guide.

Symphony on the Sand

• November · 2025 · cancelled
• 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM
• Coquina Beach Gulfside Park · 2650 Gulf Drive South

The Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus & Orchestra performs classical and popular pieces on the beach with the Gulf as the backdrop. The event was cancelled in 2025, so check the website before planning around it.

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Coastal Close

Festival days go more smoothly with a plan for getting around. See my guides to getting around Anna Maria Island, renting a golf cart, and biking the island so you can spend less time looking for parking and more time enjoying the event.

— izzy