Santa joins in family fun in Cortez

Lily Palmer, 10, and sister Willow, 6, of Bradenton, tell Santa their Christmas wishes at the Dec. 10 Florida Maritime Museum Christmas in Cortez.

Christmas Stockings bearing the surnames of early Cortez family settlers adorn an exhibit at the Florida Maritime Museum Dec. 10 during Christmas in Cortez. Islander Photos: Robert Anderson

Barb Swenson of the Sarasota County Library booth helps Isabella Groff of Bradenton Dec. 10 to build-her-own bookmark at the FMM Christmas in Cortez event. “Don’t forget that if you have a Manatee County library card it can be used in Sarasota County libraries and vice versa,” Swenson said.

Manatee Library’s build-your-own ornament table was staffed by youth services librarians Stephanie Katz, Camara Bragdon and puppet Floyd. Children could choose and decorate their own ornament, with some encouragement from Floyd.

Sisters Monroe, 5, and brother Milo Miles, 4, of Cortez, have their faces painted Dec. 10 by face-painting artists Grace Lei and Emily Zheng at the Christmas in Cortez event at the Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez.

The Anna Maria Bake House, located within the Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, hosted a table Dec. 10 at the Christmas in Cortez event. Sharon Ramirez and Matt Vinski of the Bake House offered an assortment of cookies and European stollen bread for sale to event-goers.

Volunteers Grace Joy, left, and Margo Bellaga staff an art table Dec. 10 as KK Wilfird, 3, and sister Kim work on watercolors at Christmas in Cortez at the Florida Maritime Museum. The event included games, a bounce house and maze, a Santa visits and other holiday festivities.