EPCOT Festivals

If there are two things that people know about EPCOT it's that:

1) It's the park with the countries and the "big ball".

2) There's always a festival!

Enjoying EPCOT typically means that you'll also be enjoying various festivals and festival experiences depending on the time you visit. Let's dive into the four different festivals that EPCOT hosts to see which festival may be perfect for YOU!

Festival of the Arts: January-February

Do you enjoy looking at the creative spoils of amazing artists? Do you love roaming around art galleries studying each brush stroke of talent? Do you love seeing your favorite characters in a different light? Well, the EPCOT Festival of the Arts may be for you!

At this festival you'll be able to view (and purchase) creative Disney-themed works from Disney artists that you won't be able to get anywhere else. If you're looking for the ultimate souvenirs- you can find framed prints, postcards, original oil on canvas, handmade dolls (dressed like Disney characters of course), and so much incredibly more at this festival. Looking for ambiance? How about live chalk artists creating works of art on the pavement before your eyes?! Speaking of live artists, what about meeting your favorite artists and being able to see them at work!

Obviously the live art demos, shopping, and installations are incredible but let's get to the real question- what about the FOOD?! EPCOT festivals are known for the food offerings and this festival is no different. Food offering at this festival are usually more creative and artistically themed than other festivals, but there are still "normal" offerings for those picky eaters too. For example, one of my favorites from this past year's festival was a grilled cheese sandwich with warm tomato soup! It was from the Pop Eats booth and even featured a pop art tomato soup souvenir can. These unique dining options absolutely can't be missed if you're planning to visit during the Festival of the Arts (affectionately known as EPCOT FArts).

Flower and Garden Festival: March-July

If you're taken aback by nature's beauty, have a green thumb (or at least pretend to), and love all things fresh and vibrant, then the Flower and Garden Festival may be for you! This festival is full of fresh ingredients, fresh takes, and of course plenty of lush gardens to offer those that visit.

At this festival, you'll find several topiaries- but these aren't your average shrubs. During the Flower and Garden Festival, you'll find amazing topiaries in the shape of your favorite Disney characters! In festival history, there's been Winnie the Pooh and gang, Kermit and Miss Piggy, Elsa and Anna, Snow White, Dopey, Remy, Belle and Beast, Cinderella, several Lion King characters, and so many more! There are too many to name, to be honest. If you're like me and love the vast majority of ever Disney character there's ever been- you won't be disappointed.

Aside from the amazing topiaries, you'll also find that there are special flowers, plants, and spices that come naturally to each country represented within the World Showcase. Not enough? Well add a butterfly room to the party! What's a butterfly room? It's a giant tent that houses (literally) thousands of butterflies that you're able to walk through. You can get up close and personal with these colorful winged beauties as you're able to spend time in as you please throughout the festival.

The food booths at the Flower and Garden Festival showcase all the freshest and down-to-earth flavors that you could hope for. Emphasis on home-grown and local ingredients is what separates this festival's flavors from the rest (still dreaming of the Crawfish Étouffée with andouille sausage and dirty rice and the lavender honey mustard-marinated chicken flatbread). Though not necessarily known for the food, the Flower and Garden Festival still provides great options for anyone visiting.

Food and Wine Festival: July-November

If you know of any EPCOT festivals, it's probably this one. This is the longest-running festival of EPCOT (running for the longest period of time this year in it's 25 year history) and provides a WEALTH of options for foodies and those that appreciate a good alcoholic beverage.

The Food and Wine Festival celebrates just that- excellence in food and wine. The souvenir offerings during this time are great and usually food themed (shocker) with Remy somewhere in the mix. I mean- he's a Disney chef so it makes sense! This is a great place to pick up a new charcuterie board, unique spices, serveware, and so much more. You'll find no shortage of souvenirs for your kitchen!

Okay, so let's talk about the obvious part of this festival- the FOOD! During the Food and Wine Festival, you'll find everything from vegan/vegetarian dishes to complete booths dedicated to wings! New booths this year include Mac and Eats, Brew-Wing, Lobster Landing, The Noodle Exchange, Rotunda Bistro, Swanky Saucy Swine, and the Tangerine Cafe- PLUS the booths from last year. At this festival you can expect crazy eats for the adventurous diners like the pig ear salad, sriracha donut (with or without chicken), and schinkennudeln- a potato dish from Germany. Don't worry though; if you're not an adventurous eater then there's still amazing dishes to try! Go for an order of mac and cheese from Mac & Eats, a bao bun from China, or an old-fashioned Belgian waffle from Belgium. Either way you slice it, there's food for everyone!

Lastly, we can't forget the other huge component of this festival- Wine! Or in this case, beverages! The beer, wine, and cocktails offered during this festival are typically harder to find and local to the Florida/Orlando area or the respective country of the booth it's offered in. You may have heard of some of the brands before, but there may be a special flavor offering just for the festival. If there's something you're particularly interested in trying during the festival, make sure to look them up ahead of time so you know whether or not the flavor profile is for you! Though the vast majority of beverages are centered around alcohol, non-alcoholic beverages are still available. There are plenty of options for non-drinkers like the mango bubble tea from China, the chai from Earth Eats, or the fresh blood orange juice from the Tangerine Cafe.

Festival of the Holidays: November-December

This is my personal favorite festival to attend. There's something about the holiday season that makes people a bit happier. The lights, the decorations, the merchandise- all of it screams "merry and bright". Let's dive into this festival.

Imagine holiday decorations everywhere you look. Light posts are adorned with reds, greens, and golds in the casual shape of a Mickey Mouse head. You can smell pine, warm cider or hot cocoa, and hear festive holiday bells and music as you walk by. In addition to that, you'll find traditional holiday decorations for each country as well. The entire World Showcase is decked out in all of the holly-jollyness you could ever ask for. It's quite the sight!

Decorations aside, each country has something to learn from as well. You'll be able to see and hear what the holiday season is like for them: do they have Santa Claus, do they share some of the same traditions the US does, do they make the same type of snacks? There's so much to learn about the holidays in each country during this festival.

The food is obviously great as with any EPCOT festival, but this festival showcases holiday treat from around the world! There's even a COOKIE CRAWL! You'll order cookies from around the world and if you complete it, you'll get a prize at the end. There's so much love and care that goes into the holidays at each country in the World Showcase that it's hard to not fall in love with this festival. You can feel the joy that goes into every piece of holiday merchandise, food and beverage offering, and decoration. It's a festival to not miss... but wait! There's more!

One of the coolest parts of the Festival of the Holidays is the Candlelight Processional. This event is the traditional Christmas story told by various celebrities and personalities. Former narrators include Whoopi Goldberg and Neil Patrick Harris (my personal favorite). A large choir, orchestra, and visuals come together in an event that you won't want to skip. And better yet- it's free! Better seating can be obtained through special dining packages, though.

All in all, the EPCOT festivals are each unique experiences that are designed to delight each guest in one way or another. No matter when you visit EPCOT there's something for everyone to enjoy, but attending an EPCOT festival only adds to the magic you'll be able to add to your Disney vacation.

*festival time frames and offerings are subject to change