Complete Guide to Epcot’s Festival of the Arts

Complete Guide to Epcot’s Festival of the Arts

epcot-festival-of-the-arts-2021

Complete Guide to Epcot’s Festival of the Arts

The EPCOT Festival of the Arts is a fantastic experience that brings together visual art, food, and entertainment from all around the world. It’s our favorite EPCOT festival since it’s in the winter (no Florida heat, whew), colorful, and full of our friend Figment.

It is important to note that the EPCOT Festival of the Arts lasts for six weeks, and includes various entertainment offerings, such as live artist performances and even a Broadway Series! We love this free festival included in your Epcot ticket and can’t wait to share more.

SPECIAL NOTE: If you’re looking for the best time to visit Disney World check out our Disney Crowd calendar!

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EPCOT Festival of the Arts: Complete Guide

The EPCOT Festival of the Arts is a vibrant celebration that combines art, culinary delights, and entertainment, making it a must-visit event for foodies, art enthusiasts, and families. Running from January 17th to February 24th, 2025, this six-week festival is a highlight of the winter season at Walt Disney World, offering a cooler, less crowded alternative to explore EPCOT’s cultural and creative offerings.

The Festival of the Arts Dates are:

  • January 17th, 20245- February 24th, 2025

Why You Can’t-Miss the Festival of the Arts 

  • Artistic Offerings: Experience live artist performances, breathtaking galleries, and hands-on workshops.
  • Creative Food: Explore the Food Studios Marketplace food booths on your Festival Passport to sample all of the culinary creations
  • Spectacular Entertainment: Enjoy the Disney on Broadway Concert Series, showcasing the talents of Broadway stars.
  • Interactive Fun: Engage in family-friendly activities, including art creation and scavenger hunts.
  • Included with Park Admission: All festival activities are included with your standard EPCOT ticket, making it an exceptional value.

Planning Your Visit to FOTA 

  • Best Times to Visit: Aim for weekdays in late January or early February for lower crowds and cooler temperatures.
  • Park Hours: The festival takes place during regular EPCOT operating hours, with the World Showcase opening at 11:00 AM.

Related Page: How to Buy Discount Disney World Tickets

When is the Best Time to Visit the Disney Festival of the Arts?   festival-of-the-arts-groot

Luckily January and February are two of the slowest months at Walt Disney World. And it’s arguably the best time to visit weather-wise! It’s most likely one of the main reasons they host the Disney Festival of the Arts. But hey, we’re not complaining!

The Best Times to Visit the Disney Festival of the Arts 2024:

  • Jan. 10-15, Jan 24-31
  • Feb. 1-14.

Related Page: Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Guide

What to Do at Epcot Festival of the Arts

The EPCOT Festival of the Arts is a cultural extravaganza that brings the worlds of art, food, and entertainment together in an interactive celebration perfect for families, foodies, and art lovers. Here’s a comprehensive list of activities and experiences to enjoy:

  • Art Galleries and Featured Artists: Explore galleries showcasing beautiful artworks and meet the artists behind them. You can also watch live chalk artists draw during the day if you get there early enough.
  • Live Performances: Witness artists creating masterpieces right before your eyes, including live painting and chalk art.
  • Dance and Acrobat Performances: Be mesmerized by dance routines and acrobatic feats around the World Showcase.
  • Interactive Art Activities: Participate in a giant paint-by-number mural or let kids unleash their creativity with Kid’s chalk art.
  • Clever Photo Ops: Immerse yourself in life-sized versions of famous artworks and capture memorable photos.
  • Festival Merchandise: Shop for exclusive Festival of the Arts merchandise featuring Figment and more.
  • Seminars and Workshops: Learn from accomplished artists through seminars and hands-on workshops (some may require an additional fee).
  • Showcase Plaza Stage Performances: Enjoy a variety of live art performances and music from talented high school bands and jazz groups.
  • Culture Pavilion Galleries: Discover multicultural art in the World Showcase galleries, including works from Japan, Norway, Mexico, China, and the American Adventure.

This festival is a unique opportunity to explore the arts in a fun, interactive setting, all included with your EPCOT admission. Whether you’re admiring the talent of Broadway stars, exploring art galleries, or tasting your way around the world, the Festival of the Arts offers something for everyone to enjoy.

Related post: Walt Disney World Food and Wine Festival

Festival of the Arts Food

Festival of the Arts is known for the creative menu items that appear each year for guests to sample, and it is personally our favorite festival for food! The World Showcase Plaza is lined with food booths inspired by the arts with Deconstructed Dishes, rainbow cakes or other food items that spark creativity.

Last year, some of our favorite dishes are the Festival Famous Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup at Pop Eats! the Beef Short Rib at Pastoral Palate in the Germany Pavilion, and the Deconstructed Key Lime Pie at the Deconstructed Dish booth.

What is the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine?

The Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine is a unique culinary experience at EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts, where guests can sample visually stunning and artistically crafted dishes across various festival food booths. Each dish on the Walk is inspired by a different color and is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the taste buds, celebrating the creativity and vibrancy of the arts through food.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Pick Up a Festival Passport: You’ll receive a passport that features a list of the featured dishes in the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine. As you try each dish, a cast member will stamp your passport.
  2. Sample Five Colorful Dishes: The passport lists five select dishes, each representing a specific color theme, such as vibrant reds, fresh greens, or bright yellows. These dishes are carefully chosen to be both flavorful and visually exciting. You can sample any five dishes, and there’s no need to complete them all in one day—take your time and enjoy at your own pace.
  3. Receive a Sweet Reward: After collecting all five stamps, you can redeem your completed passport for a complimentary colorful dessert, usually a beautiful and exclusive treat at the Deco Delights booth.

The Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine is a fun way to explore the festival’s diverse food offerings and adds an extra layer of adventure to EPCOT’s celebration of the arts!

Related post: Complete Guide to the Best Hotels Near EPCOT Orlando

Disney Festival of the Arts Disney on Broadway Concert Series

Ah, the beloved EPCOT Festival of the Arts Concerts Series. Prepare to fall in love with some of Broadway’s finest performers singing Disney classics at the America Gardens Theater. Walt Disney World announced that the live performances will expand to seven days per week of the Festival.

Below is the schedule of Broadway Show performances in EPCOT!

Disney on Broadway Concert Series Schedule

*The 2025 Broadway Concert Series has not been announced yet, but here is last year’s schedule for those wondering who they might see!

  • Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins) and L. Steven Taylor (The Lion King)- February 1, 3, 5 and 6
  • Josh Strickland (Tarzan) and Kissy Simmons (The Lion King) – February 2, 4, 7 and 8
  • Mandy Gonzalez (Aida) and Michael James Scott (Aladdin) – February 9, 11, 12, 15, 18 and 19
  • Bradley Gibson (The Lion King) and Shoba Narayan (Aladdin) – February 10, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 19

So as you can see, the concert series typically features a handful of performers for a couple of weeks with two performing daily. Then at the end of those two weeks, those featured performers will all come together for a special performance. After this, a new group of performers does the same thing, and that repeats twice so about a dozen performers in total are featured throughout the series.

Disney on Broadway Concert Series Dining Packages

Festival goers can sit back and enjoy dinner and a show with the Broadway Dining Packages. Guests can enjoy fabulous lunch or dinner options before attending a showcase of iconic DISNEY ON BROADWAY songs later that evening. Prices range from $35-$95 per person.

The following 8 restaurants are available for booking the Festival of the Arts dining package.

  • Akershus Royal Banquet (Norway)
  • Biergarten Restaurant (Germany)
  • Coral Reef Restaurant (The Living Seas)
  • Garden Grill Restaurant (The Land Pavilion)
  • Le Cellier Steakhouse (Canada)
  • Regal Eagle Smokehouse (America)
  • Rose and Crown Dining Room
  • (United Kingdom) Spice Road Table (Morocco)

Related post: The Complete Guide to the Best EPCOT Restaurants

EPCOT Festival of the Art Merchandise

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One of our favorite things about all of the EPCOT festivals is the unique merchandise! This couldn’t be more true for the EPCOT Festival of the Arts merchandise, as they are one of a kind!

Guests can pick from their favorite Disney apparel including t-shirts, shorts, and of course Mickey ears. But one of the coolest things about the Festival of the Arts is guests can purchase pieces of work from the 100 Disney artists throughout the park. These fine art pieces include custom pieces, 3D sculptures, jewelry and so much more!

EPCOT Festival of the Arts Merchandise Locations

Throughout the Park

Shop Disney artists throughout the World Showcase.

Disney Artist Gallery

Enjoy works featuring a variety of artists styles and media created by Disney cast members!

Wonder Ground Gallery

See your favorite Disney Characters and themes brought to life by these artists!

Related post: A Complete Guide to the Festival of the Holidays at EPCOT

EPCOT Festival of the Arts FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the EPCOT Festival of the Arts?

A: Guests visiting in late winter can experience a completely free special event running at EPCOT called the Festival of the Arts. Here, you will find extras throughout the park, such as kid’s activities, free family painting activities, seminars, musical performances, and more! There are also opportunities to purchase sample-sized culinary creations from around the world. All EPCOT attractions will be operating as normal, there will just be exclusive merchandise, activities, and more!

Q: When does the EPCOT Festival of the Arts end?

A: The EPCOT Festival of the Arts begins on January 12, 2024, and ends on February 19, 2024, which makes it the shortest-running festival at Disney World!

Q: When did the EPCOT Festival of the Arts start?

A: The EPCOT Festival of the Arts is the newest, debuting in 2017 at EPCOT. This festival celebrates the three major disciplines of art: Culinary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

Q: What month does the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts typically start?

A: The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts typically starts in January and ends in February. It is one of the shortest-running festivals and is the late winter Disney festival.

When is The Best Time to Visit Disney World?

Our Disney  World Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We break down park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices, and average temperature. We also break down the best time to visit Disney World based on specific times of the year and special events.

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Michael Belmont

Michael Belmont is the owner at Theparkprodigy.com, an authorized Disney and Universal travel agent. He specializes in Disney and Universal theme park tickets and vacation packages, as well as daily park plans to help optimize vacation time. Michael and The Park Prodigy have been featured on ABC’s Florida affiliate, WTFV, as well as over 10 Disney focused blogs. As owner, Michael manages The Park Prodigy blog and social media, a Disney themed podcast, and a Disney and Universal focused YouTube channel. Prior to starting The Park Prodigy, Michael was a long time Disney and Universal enthusiast, frequent visitor of the parks, and even served as a Walt Disney World Cast Member in Orlando, Florida!