If you're familiar with Epcot, you know that it is festival season all year!! Each have different themes, entertainment, merchandise, food and beverage offerings. There’s sure to be an Epcot event for nearly everyone!
Below you'll find a quick run down of what each has to offer.
General Dates:
Festival of the Arts: mid - January — end of February
Flower and Garden Festival: End of February — End of May
Food and Wine Festival: mid- July — mid-November
Festival of the Holidays: end of November — end of December
(Date ranges are for planning only, nothing is confirmed until Disney releases more information)
Starting with the most currant:
Food & Wine Festival (mid-July through mid-November)
This is the most popular and the place to be if you're into wine!
Merchandise: You can always find food & wine themed items, this year features Tiana from Princess and the Frog and Minnie Mouse
Scavenger Hunt: Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak. Kids love these! You get to hunt down Remy will getting to visit all of the festival booths around the World Showcase. If you complete them correctly, you get a special prize.
Special Entertainment: Eat to the Beat Concert Series featuring 80's, 90's, 00's pop, rap, rock & Christian artist such as Sugar Ray, Kenny G, Jimmie Allen & Newsboys
RunDisney Wine & Dine 5K, 10K, Half Marathon & Challenge
Festival Passport: Emile’s Fromage Montage. If you visit all of the booths and try the cheese selections in the passport you'll get a special Strawberry Cheese cake made with DOLE whip!
Festival Booths: Offers savory & sweet food with a few beverage options at more than 25 themed booths such as Greece... We LOVED the Griddled Cheese (Greek cheese with honey and pistachios).
Festival of the Holidays (end of November — end of December)
The shortest of the festivals, it's a wonderful celebrating of holidays around the world featuring a Candle Light processional.
Merchandise: Wintery themed items, previous years features Chip & Dale and Olaf & Sven!
Scavenger Hunt: Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition. You'll hunt for Olaf to find a different “tradition” in his sleigh around the World Showcase. If you complete them correctly, you get a special prize.
Special Entertainment: World Showcase Storytellers, stories about traditions told from each country in the World Showcase.
Joyful! A Celebration of the Season is a R&B Gospel Choir that preforms a Christmas musical act!
Candlelight Processional is the telling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator (such as Neil Patrick Harris) with music performed by a mass choir and 50-piece live orchestra.
Festival Passport: Holiday Cookie Stroll offers 5 Holiday Cookie Stop locations with a different decadent dessert! Once you’ve collected all 5 stamps, you can present your Festival Passport to receive a specialty cookie!
Festival Booths: Holiday Kitchens offers 14 booths featuring festive food and refreshing drinks such as Bavaria Holiday Kitchen in Germany. You can try Pork Schnitzel with Mushroom Sauce, Spätzle and Braised Red Cabbage, a Linzer Cookie & hot spiced wine.
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/11/foodie-guide-to-the-2021-epcot-international-festival-of-the-holidays-presented-by-adventhealth-opening-nov-26/
Festival of the Arts (mid - January — end of February)
Our personal favorite with the best weather!! You'll get to experience colorful global cuisine and drinks that imitate art with a very upscaled farmers market feel featuring wonderful artisans.
Merchandise: Figment is center stage for most of the merchandise but you'll be able to spy other favorite characters!
Scavenger Hunt: Figment’s Brush with the Masters will allow you to find some of the world's most famous paintings that Figment himself has taken over. If you complete them correctly, you get a special prize.
Special Entertainment: Disney on Broadway Concert Series featuring performers from Broadway productions around the world.
Meet & buy art from Disney Artist
Paint by Number Murals
Animation Academy (learn to draw characters)
Festival Passport: Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine. If you visit all of the colorful booths and try the special selections in the passport, you'll get a special offering like a Paint Pallet Cookie!
Festival Booths: More than 15 booths of food and drinks celebrating three artistic disciplines: Culinary, Visual and Performing Arts. Pop Eats has been a family favorite for the past few festivals serving Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese, Almond Frangipane Cake layered with raspberry jam and Belgian chocolate.
Flower and Garden Festival (beginning of March — Beginning of July)
The prettiest festival at Epcot with dozens of topiaries, expansive plantings and butterflies everywhere so off the colors and beauty of spring.
Merchandise: This perch is a gardener delight featuring Spike the bee, Orange Bird, Minnie Mouse and Figment.
Scavenger Hunt: Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration shows off Spike the Bee as the festivals mascot! You'll search among the flowers and plants of the festival to fill up your map for a prize! ALSO, there is an Eggstravaganza Scavenger Hunt if you vist around Easter where you'll be able to hunt for egg-shaped characters.
Special Entertainment: The Garden Rocks series will featuring premiers like Rick Springfield, The Spinners & Cece Winans.
Walk-through Butterfly House
Garden Trails
RunDisney Springtime Suprise 5K, 10K & 10 Mile
Festival Passport: Garden Graze features 5 fresh festival dishes. If you visit all of the booths and try the special selections in the passport, you'll get a special offering!
Festival Booths: More than 20 outdoor kitchens, you will discover creative cuisine featuring the season’s freshest flavors. We love the Ratatouille and the Frushi, friuit sushi made out of strawberry, pineapple and cantaloupe wrapped in sweet rice and a pink soy wrap.
Each festival is unique and special in it’s own way so whichever you choose to visit will leave a lasting impression of food and creativity!
If you're interested in booking a Disney Vacation, let us know! We would be glad to send you a quote! Just email torie@wanderingtravelcompany.com