Over the years, EPCOT has grown to become synonymous with its four festivals that take place throughout the year: Festival of the Arts, Flower and Garden Festival, Food and Wine Festival, and Festival of the Holidays.
In fact, EPCOT is almost in a perpetual festival mode these days. In 2023, the only dates when EPCOT was NOT in the middle of a festival were the following: January 1-12, February 21-28, July 6-26, November 19-23, and December 31.
So, odds are high that when you’re visiting Walt Disney World in 2024, there will be a festival going on at EPCOT… at least that’s what it was like since 2020. As you’ll see, EPCOT has modified the dates of some of its festivals this year to resemble more of a pre-2020 schedule. The festivals don’t cost anything extra to attend in that they take place throughout the park. It’s not like there’s a separate area of EPCOT behind a paywall.
The premise of the four festivals are the same. One to two dozen food booths that are scattered around EPCOT sell limited-time, small-portion food and beverage items themed to the festival. There’s always some sort of entertainment component, with daily concerts and shows available for viewing. Low-cost scavenger hunts are a fun way to get the kids involved, and they always include a fun collectable prize. Festival-exclusive merchandise is available for purchase, too. While the festivals are all similar in their basic formula, however, each one has its own unique identity.
Much of the festival does cost extra; for example, the food and beverages offered at the booths, the scavenger hunts, and merchandise will all cost you extra money. But taking in the ambiance (for example, the topiaries during Flower and Garden Festival) and catching a show at the American Gardens Theatre are available at no cost – though you may have to line up early to snag a seat for the shows.
Ready to learn more? Keep reading for a comprehensive yet easy-to-digest pocket guide to EPCOT’s four festivals.
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EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
Each year kicks off with the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. Spanning roughly five weeks, this festival is a celebration of all things visual and performing arts. The food and beverage items available during this time are often vibrant and creative in their presentation.
Famous works of art can be spotted around the park, and guests can enjoy the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series daily. Festival of the Arts is brief but beloved among Disney fans. It’s also where you’ll find the Figment Premium Popcorn Bucket — in 2024 it was modeled after the Imagination Pavilion.
Confirmed 2024 Dates: January 12 – February 19
Food booth theming: Food Studios
Entertainment:
- DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series**
- Art Defying Gravity
- Music at World Showcase Plaza
- Art in Performance
- Festival-themed Points of Light at Spaceship Earth
CLICK HERE TO READ MY FULL GUIDE TO THE 2024 EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS!
Low-cost Scavenger Hunt(s):
- Figment’s Brush with the Masters
- Look for Figment hiding inside art inspired by famous works
Strolls/Food Stamp Challenges: The Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine
- Try 5 of 7 designated colorful dishes to redeem a complimentary Artist Palette Cookie.
Unique Features/Be On the Lookout:
- Chalk Art Galleries
- Chalk Full of Characters
- Artful Photo Ops
- Expression Section: A Paint-by-Numbers Mural
- Animation Academy
**dining package reservations available
WHICH SEASON SHOULD YOU VISIT DISNEY WORLD? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT!
EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FLOWER AND GARDEN FESTIVAL
The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival is perhaps the most recognizable of the four EPCOT festivals. The park is decorated with colorful topiaries inspired by Disney characters, and EPCOT comes alive with floral displays.
The Flower and Garden Festival has gotten longer and longer each year, but the schedule is being shortened in 2024. While the festival ran through early July in recent years, the 2024 Flower and Garden Festival will conclude on May 27. This 90-day run more closely resembles the Flower and Garden Festival we knew prior to 2020.
This year, Disney will introduce some brand-new topiaries to the festival, including a Groot topiary that will be on display outside Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Other new topiaries at the 2024 festival will include Asha, Valentino and the Wishing Star from Disney’s Wish located by the park’s main entrance, and Miguel and Dante from Disney Pixar’s Coco in the Mexico Pavilion.
The food dishes at Flower and Garden Festival are often bright and vibrant with plenty of notes of citrus, honey, etc. Some food booths even feature seasonal menus since the festival lasts for so long.
Confirmed 2024 Dates: February 28 – May 27
Food booth theming: Outdoor Kitchens
Entertainment:
- Garden Rocks Concert Series**
Low-cost Scavenger Hunts:
- Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration
- Egg-Stravaganza (available around Easter)
Strolls/Food Stamp Challenges: Garden Graze
- Enjoy any five of the plant-based dishes included in the challenge, and enjoy a complimentary prize!
Unique Features/Be On the Lookout:
- Topiary Displays, Exhibits & Gardens
**dining package reservations available
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS YEAR’S EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FLOWER AND GARDEN FESTIVAL.
EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL
The flagship festival is the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival. In recent years, this festival also spanned multiple seasons, starting in mid-summer and running through most of the fall. However, like Flower and Garden, the Food and Wine Festival is shorter in 2024. This will be the first time in five years that the Food and Wine Festival will NOT start in July.
Because the festival is in the fall, you typically find richer, more savory dishes than the brighter, spring-forward dishes at Flower and Garden. Guests also love Food and Wine for its Eat to the Beat Concert Series, which draws in a lot of musical acts you may recognize. Like the other four festivals, dining packages are available that includes reserved seating for that day’s performance.
Confirmed 2024 Dates: August 29 – November 23
2023 Dates: July 27 – November 18
Food booth theming: Global Marketplaces
Entertainment:
- Eat to the Beat Concert Series**
Below is the full lineup for the 2024 Eat to the Beat Concert Series:
- Aug. 30-31 – The Fray
- Sept. 1-2 – Sugar Ray
- Sept. 6-7 – Hoobastank
- Sept. 8-9 – Yellowcard (NEW)
- Sept. 13-14 – Tiffany
- Sept. 15-16 – MercyMe
- Sept. 20-21 – Sheila E.
- Sept. 22-23 – The Wanted (NEW)
- Sept. 27 – Luis Figueroa
- Sept. 28-29 – Mau Y Ricky (NEW)
- Sept. 30 – Jesse & Joy (NEW)
- Oct. 4-5 – Aloe Blacc (NEW)
- Oct. 6-7 – Joey Fatone & Friends
- Oct. 11-12 – We The Kings
- Oct. 13-14 – Switchfoot
- Oct. 18-19 – David Archuleta (NEW)
- Oct. 20-21 – Billy Ocean
- Oct. 25-28 – Hanson
- Nov. 1-2 – Haley Reinhart featuring Emily Estefan, Casey Abrams and Janel Parrish (NEW)
- Nov. 3-4 – Boyz II Men
- Nov. 8-9 – Magic! (NEW)
- Nov. 10-11 – Parmalee (NEW)
- Nov. 15-16 – Smash Mouth
- Nov. 17-18 – 98 Degrees
Low-cost Scavenger Hunts:
- Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak
- Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit (available in the month of October)
Strolls/Food Stamp Challenges
- Emile’s Fromage Montage
**dining package reservations available
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT HOW A 2024 DISNEY WORLD VACATION WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS YEARS.
EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE HOLIDAYS
The year closes out with the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. Aptly titled, this festival takes place during the holiday season at Walt Disney World. The food booths this time of year feature dishes you’d expect to see served at holiday tables around the world. Sweets also take center stage during this festival, with the fan-favorite Cookie Stroll returning each year.
The Festival of the Holidays is joined by Candlelight Processional, a beloved EPCOT tradition that features celebrity guest narrators. If you’re big into the holiday season, this festival is not one to miss. It’s quick, often starting the day after Thanksgiving and ending right before New Year’s Eve.
Estimated 2024 Dates: November 29 – December 30
2023 Dates: November 24 – December 30
Food booth theming: Holiday Kitchens
Entertainment:
- Candlelight Processional**
- JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season
- Holiday Storytellers
- Voices of Liberty: Dickens Carolers
- Holiday-themed Points of Light at Spaceship Earth
Low-cost Scavenger Hunts: Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt
Strolls/Food Stamp Challenges: Holiday Cookie Stroll
- Purchase five cookies from any of the official cookie stroll locations and redeem a complimentary cookie at the end.
Unique Features/Be On the Lookout:
- Meet Santa Claus
- Living with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses
**dining package reservations available
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