Beach Market scheduled to open in October

A year after the beach market was closed, county officials select a new leader.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

COQUINA BEACH – Nearly a year after the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau took over the management of the Coquina Beach Market from the previous market director, a new manager and opening date for the market have been announced.

Manatee County commissioners unanimously approved Dottie Deerwester from Ready Set Go Tour and Travel as the new market manager on July 25.

“Right now, I am collecting names of possible vendors and will be sending out information by the end of August,” Deerwester said on Aug. 5. “Any interested vendors should text me and I will be in contact with them.”

Deerwester said there will be a maximum of 80 vendors at the market.

The market is expected to open on Oct. 4 at South Coquina Beach and will have year-round operations, according to Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Bill Logan.

Market hours will be Sundays, beginning around 4 to 6 hours before sunset and ending just before sunset, and Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Vendors wishing to be considered for space at the market may text Deerwester at 707-972-5055 with their name, company name, email and type of product to be sold. Alternatively, an email can be sent to dottie@rdysetgo.com

The county received three proposals - from Deerwester, Florida Marketplace Group, LLC and Your Tampa Markets LLC, according to the county license agreement.

“To enhance and promote Manatee County as a unique community, and provide for the comfort in and enjoyment of the use of the park by its patrons, the county hereby grants unto licensee the right and privilege to provide the county with market vendor coordinator services in accordance with the terms, conditions and limitations of this agreement,” according to the franchise license agreement between the county and Deerwester.

The agreement may be terminated at any time with 30 days written notice, according to the license agreement.

The discussion about the market began on Aug. 2, 2022, the county announced in a press release that it would take over the beach market from Nancy Ambrose, its director for the past decade. The release stated in part: “Artisans and other vendors will be back along the Coquina Beach South promenade, once again, when the 2022-23 seasons opens in November as oversight for the market shifts to Manatee County.”

That opening was delayed following Hurricane Ian in September, 2022.

“As crews have been deployed around the county to clean up and repair other parks properties, the site prep and rehab work to get the new site (further south on Coquina Beach) ready have been put on hold temporarily,” according to a Manatee County press release. “The official opening date has been delayed from the originally planned Nov. 1.”

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Letters To The Editor

Holmes Beach has ample beach access

Despite the many hours of "discussion" devoted to the Manatee Beach parking garage, even today we continue to hear false information swirling about.

As part of the legislation for House Bill 947 (garage bill), Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, submitted a required financial statement to the state which referenced a supporting document, "2021 Manatee County Beach Use Study." After many inquiries, we believe this study to be a 64-page report titled "Manatee County Anna Maria Island Beach Parking and Access Assessment."

Following Holmes Beach action in April 2020 regarding parking on city-owned streets, Manatee County commissioned an updated parking and access assessment based on existing conditions. Spaces NOT included in the inventory were:

• spaces where landscaping or vegetation encroached into the rights of way and blocked parking spaces;

• golf cart parking spaces;

• locations with “Permit Parking Only” signs.

Very significant conclusions were stated in the study:

"The beach is entirely accessible to the public along Anna Maria Island based on signed beach access points."

"The City of Holmes Beach presently meets the minimum

Drop us a line

federal and state requirements for public access to maintain the maximum level of funding eligibility.”

"The updated 2020 parking inventory presented in this report verifies that the parking and beach access for the three cities within Anna Maria Island presently meet the requirements set by the federal and state governments to maintain maximum funding eligibility for shore protection projects."

This should put any arguments for eligibility for beach renourishment to rest.

Got an opinion, a complaint or a compliment? Is there something you need to get off your chest? Send us a letter to the editor and have your say. There are a couple of ways to do it. The easiest and most direct is to email The Sun at news@amisun.com. Remember to put Letter to the Editor in the subject field. Or you can snail-mail a letter to us at The Anna Maria Island Sun, P.O. Box 1189, Anna Maria, FL 34216. Letters should be kept to 300 words or less and must contain your name and the city in which you reside. Personal attacks and obscene language will not be printed. The Sun reserves the right to edit letters for length or content.

On The Agenda

Anna Maria

10005 GULF DRIVE

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-6130

Please visit www.cityofannamaria.com or contact city hall for more information.

Aug. 10, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting

Aug. 24 5 p.m. – Budget meeting with City Commission meeting following

BRADENTON BEACH

107 GULF DRIVE N.

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-778-1005

Please visit www.cityofbradentonbeach.com or contact city hall for more information.

Aug. 15, 9:30 a.m. – Community Redevelopment Agency work meeting

Aug. 16, 9 a.m. – Pension Board meeting

Aug. 16, 1 p.m. – Scenic WAVES meeting

Aug. 17, noon – City Commission meeting

HOLMES BEACH

5801 MARINA DRIVE

FOR INFORMATION, CALL 941-708-5800

Please visit www.holmesbeachfl.org or contact city hall for more information.

Aug. 15, 2 p.m. – City Commission meeting with work session to follow

Aug. 18, 11:30 a.m. – Police officer’s pension board meeting

Aug. 23, 5 p.m. – Planning Commission meeting

ISLAND-WIDE

Aug. 15, 6 p.m. – West Manatee Fire Rescue board meeting, administration building, 701 63rd St. W., Bradenton

Aug. 21, 9 a.m. – Manatee County Tourist Development Council meeting, The Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria

Events

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 9

One-on-one tech help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2-4 p.m. Island Time Book Club: “The Golden Couple,” Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, AUG. 10

AMI Chamber luncheon, The Feast, 5406 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m., $22 for members or $30 for prospective members.

Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m. Thursdays in Paradise Stroll featuring local art, music and food, Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 5-8 p.m.

FRIDAY, AUG. 11

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m. Adult Fingerpainting, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, AUG. 12

Robinson Runners, Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th St. N.W., Bradenton, 7 a.m.

Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon Origami Club, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

MONDAY, AUG. 14

Sunset Tai Chi, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 6:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, AUG. 15

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16

Mah-jongg for beginners, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m. One-on-one tech help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach 2-4 p.m.

THURSDAY, AUG. 17

Sunshine Stitchers Knit and Crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

FRIDAY, AUG. 18

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

SATURDAY, AUG. 19

Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon

TUESDAY, AUG. 22

Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, 11:30 a.m.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.