Memorial Day weekend traditionally draws large crowds to Anna Maria Island and local public safety officials say they’re ready.
“We will have some overtime officers out,” Bradenton Beach police Lt. Lenard Diaz said in a May 14 interview with The Islander. “We don’t really know what kind of weekend it’s going to be. Since the hurricanes, it’s been really kind of hit or miss as far as crowds.”
But Diaz said he expects a busy beach weekend and he encouraged parents to keep an eye on their children.
He also encouraged motorists to pack their patience.
There likely will be traffic congestion and parking scarcity, though all public paid parking lots in the city have been repaired since the 2024 hurricanes and will be open.
Diaz encouraged early arrival due to limited parking.
In Holmes Beach, police Chief Bill Tokajer said his officers will be out in full force.
“We are going to have officers out in force making sure that everybody is doing what they are supposed to be doing,” he said. “We want to make sure everyone has a safe weekend.”
He warned of heavy traffic and advised visitors to plan accordingly.
“Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to the island,” Tokajer said. “There’s going to be a lot of traffic. A lot of people. A lot of cars.”
Motorists can find a parking map at holmesbeachfl.org under the “Find Parking” option in the “I want to…” section. Motorists should park “with all four tires off” the pavement, Tokajer advised.
In 2024, 53,170 vehicles entered the island via the Manatee Avenue Bridge over Memorial Day weekend, based on information from the city’s license plate reader system. Tokajer said he anticipates similar numbers, weather permitting, this weekend.
In Anna Maria, Sgt. Brett Getman, who heads up the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office substation, said the city was coordinating with special response teams and adding extra staff.
“Like in years past, we are going to have extra overtime, traffic deputies, special response team members and extra beach patrols,” he said.
Traffic safety will be a focus.
“Children in golf carts need to have on a seat belt,” Getman said. “Our main focus is to educate people but we will also write citations if necessary.”
“We want to have a fun family environment,” he said. “Just respect the beaches, throw your trash away and respect everyone’s personal space.”
At the beaches, there will be law enforcement patrols, including the mounted police unit at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach.
And Capt. Marshall Greene of the Manatee County Beach Patrol said all lifeguard stands — at Cortez, Coquina and Manatee beaches — will be staffed.
“We’ll also have a roving patrol — one of our lifeguards driving from Coquina, Cortez and Manatee,” Greene said.
“They’ll be patrolling up and down the beaches to make sure there’s safety across the whole island.”
A personal watercraft also will be deployed during the busiest hours to patrol swim zones and respond to emergencies.
“Come to the beach hydrated and with sun protection. Be ready to watch your children,” Greene advised. “A great way for parents to do that is to set up facing the water so their kids stay within sight.”
He suggested families take a photo at the start of the day in case someone gets lost: “That way, if someone goes missing, we know exactly what they’re wearing and what they look like. It helps us tremendously.”
Greene added that lifeguards are available for questions: “Oh yeah, we’re all very approachable and we love answering safety questions,” he said. “Anything that helps the safety of the beach — that’s what we’re here for. We want to prevent incidents before they occur.”
Ferry from the mainland
To ease road congestion, Manatee County’s Gulf Islands Ferry operates Thursday-Sunday.
The ferry has two stops — one at the Riverwalk Pier, 452 Third Ave. W., Bradenton, and at the Historic Bridge Street Pier, 200 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach.
Also, Manatee County Area Transit operates fare-free buses on Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road from the mainland, as well as an island trolley between the Anna Maria City Pier site in Anna Maria and Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach.
For more information about the ferry, go to bradentongulfislands.com.
For more about MCAT, go to mymanatee.org.