Honoring the tradition of nickel movie nights at the Cortez Schoolhouse, the Florida Maritime Museum (FMM) invites you to Movies at the Maritime, a free outdoor movie series on the grounds of the old schoolhouse. The first event in this two-part series will take place on Friday, February 24th, featuring a screening of METV’s “Through the Tunnel.” Plan to arrive at 7pm so you have plenty of time to stake out your spot in the field. This is a BYOB event—bring your own blankets and bug spray! Join us as we celebrate Black History Month with this award-winning documentary about Manatee County’s local Integration story. Hear first person accounts from students whose lives were forever altered by this moment in history. “Through the Tunnel” is a tale of triumph about how local kids overcame racial divides to become teammates and how their sportsmanship and love of the game of football brought our community together. A labor of love, the documentary was produced by Manatee County Judges Charles Williams and Durand Adams in 2010. Don’t miss this chance to hear Judge Williams and Judge Adams introduce the film and their motives behind creating it. Both Judges and METV Station Manager Charles Clapsaddle will be on-hand after the screening to facilitate a Q & A session about the film. Before the feature film will be a short flick to get you in the Maritime mood from the Sereia film series “Eating Out: The Hunt for Sustainable Seafood.” This less-than-15 minute episode gives an inside peek on clam farming in our own backyard. And mark your calendars now for our next movie night on Friday, March 10th. Families are invited to “just keep swimming” to the Florida Maritime Museum to kick off Manatee County’s spring break by watching an animated favorite about the “big blue.” Movies @ the Maritime is made possible because of sponsorships through the Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum. Thanks to event sponsors Chiles Hospitality, the Bradenton Herald, the AMI Islander and the Bradenton-Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Florida Maritime Museum, located at 4415 119th Street West in the historic fishing village of Cortez, offers a snapshot of old Florida through a collection of informative exhibits, educational programs, community events, and research materials. Visit FloridaMaritimeMuseum.org for more information, or call (941) 708-6120.