Visiting old Cortez icon made festival

My favorite stop Sunday at the 28th annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival wasn't the food vendors, though the smoked mullet was delicious as always.

Nor was it the funky art dealers, because, well, we still haven't hung up the cool poolside stuff we bought last year. Or was it the year before?

No, my favorite stop was going to see Alcee Taylor, a longtime Cortez icon, an old salt who is the proud keeper of the village's commercial fishing history. The first-floor of their dockside house is a veritable museum, packed with nautical gear and maps and implements of all kinds.

Alcee is 86 now and, Lord willing, turns 87 in May.

He and wife Plum will be married 58 years in April.

"Unless she runs me off before then," Alcee joked.

Their home was alive Sunday with the sounds of their children, grand children and great grandchildren gathered around the long dinner table in the Taylor's cozily cramped dining room.

Through the big picture window overlooking the village boat docks and Sarasota Bay with Longboat Pass in the distance, one could see festival-goers enjoying themselves.

Alcee doesn't get out much anymore, but it didn't matter Sunday.

Family was there to see him. Friends, too.

There was a lot of love around the 86-year-old Cortezian.

Yes, visiting with Alcee Taylor was my favorite part of the festival, all right.