Complete Guide to the 2023 Epcot’s Festival of the Arts

Complete Guide to the 2023 Epcot’s Festival of the Arts

Complete Guide to the 2023 Epcot’s Festival of the Arts

Calling all die-hard foodies and budding artists! The Epcot Festival of the Arts 2023 is a fantastic experience that brings together art, food and entertainment from all around the world. Disney hasn’t released the 2023 Festival of the Arts dates or menus yet, but we are anticipating it to be the best year ever!

It is important to note that the 2023 EPCOT Festival of the Arts lasts for six weeks, and includes various entertainment offerings. The Festival of the Arts highlights the performing, visual, and (our favorite) the culinary arts! Guests can enjoy live artists throughout the park, tasteful food booths in World Showcase, and even create some masterpieces themselves!

And the BEST PART is, this festival is absolutely free. There is no additional ticket needed to enjoy the 2023 Epcot Festival of the Arts.

We really hope you find this post helpful, and if you are planning a trip to Disney World be sure to check out our other FREE vacation planning tools. Our goal at The Park Prodigy has always been to help you save time on your next vacation and find the cheapest Walt Disney World vacation packages!

So, if you’re planning to visit Walt Disney World and only have time for one or two parks, we hope that this guide is helpful.

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

 Disney World Crowd Calendar

Epcot Festival of the Arts 2023: Complete Guide

EPCOT International Festivals celebrate various aspects of human culture, and the Festival of the Arts celebrates, you guessed it … art! The 2023 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is the complete celebration of vibrant fine art, music and dance, and culinary arts. Walt Disney World hosts this event every year offering colorful plates at the “Food Studios Marketplace” booths, attracting guests from all over to partake in festivities. You can also be a part of the celebration by participating in seminars and workshops to learn different artful skills. Lastly, there are many live performances of all types, like live paintings, DISNEY ON BROADWAY and so much more included absolutely free with your Disney World ticket! 

What is the Festival of the Arts at EPCOT?

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!

Continue reading on for the complete guide to the 2023 EPCOT Festival of the Arts!

Related Page: How to Buy Discount Disney World Tickets

When is EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2023?

The 2023 EPCOT Festival of the Arts dates been announced! This year,  EPCOT Festival of the Arts dates are January 13, 2023 – February 20, 2023. The International Festival of the Arts is the shortest running festival, which makes it feel super special and we love visiting every year. The EPCOT Festival of the Arts also feels like the least crowded festival due to the dates being in the winter and during the school year, so keep that in mind.

The Festival of the Arts 2023 Dates are:

• January 13th, 2023 – February 20th, 2023

How long is Festival of the Arts at EPCOT 2023?

The Festival of the Arts at EPCOT is only 5 weeks long, running from early January to mid-February.  It’s important to note that date range make this one of our favorite festivals to visit at EPCOT. There simply isn’t a more enjoyable time of year to visit Florida than January and February. Plus this time of near has notoriously been one of the cheapest times to buy Disney World tickets. 

What are the park hours for Disney EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2023?

The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts 2023 will be held during normal EPCOT operating hours. You can check out all of the EPCOT operating hours on our Disney Crowd Calendar!

It’s important to note that a large majority of the EPCOT Festival of Arts is held in World Showcase. There is some over spill into other parts of the park. But for the most part, the festival remains in the World Showcase. For those who are not familiar with EPCOT, it is broken down into four neighborhoods: World Discovery, World Nature, World Celebration and World Showcase. While three of the neighborhoods open around 10AM, World Showcase usually opens up an hour later at 11:00 AM.

Related post: Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Guide

When is the Best Time to Visit Disney Festival of the Arts 2023?   

So, you are in the process of planning your Walt Disney World trip and wondering when is the best time to visit the EPCOT Festival of the Arts?

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 2023:

• Jan. 10-15, Jan 24-31
• Feb. 1-14

And as you’ll see, planning the best days to visit the 2023 EPCOT Festival of the arts can not only save you a ton of time in the theme park, but it can also save you money! How you might ask? Well just like Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World theme park tickets now fluctuate based on the time of year you visit. This means that the ticket price will change depending on the time of year you plan your trip!

So as you’ll see, one of the easiest ways to pick the best days to visit Disney is to compare the cheapest Walt Disney World tickets. The cheaper the tickets the more likely it is that the parks won’t be as crowded during that time of year. But in 2022, that wasn’t always the case. We do anticipate crowds calming down after the holidays this year and hope to see crowd levels return to normal.

Related Page: How to Buy Discount Disney World Tickets

What’s Included With Your 2023 EPCOT Festival of the Arts Tickets?

Access to the Disney Festival of the Arts 2023 at World Showcase is included with your regular Walt Disney World ticket. And it’s important to note that the food at EPCOT Festival of the Arts is NOT included in the cost of your ticket.

With over 15 food booths and 2-3 pairings per booth this can be one of the more expensive days you spend at Disney. For the most part, tastings at each booth will run you between $5.00-$9.00 for food and $4.00-$10.00 for drinks. We are regulars at all EPCOT festivals, but specifically the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival. We love the theming of the food dishes and the drinks at the Festival of the Arts. Not only are they are so cool and imaginative, but down right creative!

With that being said there are a ton of free things to do at the EPCOT Festival of the Arts. These include unique artist meet-and-greets, interactive art zones, and a family play zone for the kids.

Related post: Epcot for Kids Guide

What’s New at the Festival of Arts Disney 2023

Many things have happened since last year’s Festival of the Arts. Since the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary will still be running concurrently, many of the new additions will highlight the festival. As always, Disney chefs curate the most amazing menus and offer new items each year. EPCOT International Festival of the Arts have some of the most inventive food items to taste while walking the World Showcase. We will make sure to update when we have more news on food.

New Experiences at Festival of the Arts 2023

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

The newest attraction guests can experience at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts 2023 is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind! This ride premiered May 27th, 2022. And can currently only be experienced using the familiar boarding group system. Or by striking luck and being able to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane. Luckily, we have a Complete guide to the 2022/23 Disney Virtual Queue System ready for you! And it doesn’t only cover Guardians! This guide covers any ride at Walt Disney World that requires a Virtual Queue.

You can also experience the brand new nighttime spectacular that also debuted with the 50th Anniversary celebration, Harmonious. There will be no perfect way to end your night at the International Festival of the Arts 2023 than watching this incredible show. With stunning technology, fireworks and a brilliant musical score, you will love watching on the Showcase Lagoon! This show has quickly become a fan favorite, but also our favorite nighttime spectacular!

Related post: Complete Guide to Epcot Attractions and Rides

What are the EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2023 Menus?

Located all around Epcot’s World Showcase, International Festival of the Arts food studios offers enhanced experiences.  As discussed this is especially true during the EPCOT Festival of the Arts. Each festival at Epcot holds their own version of this event. But none of the other festivals, perhaps maybe the Food and Wine Festival, can compete with this festival. 

The food items available around World Showcase are presented exceptionally well, and focus strongly on culture. But the Disney Festival of the Arts food items also offer a big bang for your buck with most items costing around $10. It’s important to note that food items are not included with your Walt Disney World tickets. 

While the 2023 Festival of the Arts menus have not been released yet, two new booths did debut in 2022! So that leaves us holding on to hope that we may get some new booths for 2023. Here were the new booths released in 2022:

What are the new Festival of the Arts Food Booths for 2023?

• Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey Art, Food and Little Spark of Magic
• Moderne

These booths offered us new flavors that haven’t been offered in years past! The Craftsman’s Courtyard boasted delicious seafood flavors. And the Deco Delights booth had our imaginations on overload with their brightly colored food and deconstructed desserts. Like we have mentioned, the 2023 menus have not yet been released. So while we patiently wait for the news to drop, lets review the deliciousness we were be able to taste and try in 2022.

Related Post: Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival Guide 

What are the Disney’s Festival of the Arts Food Booths 2023?

The official 2023 Festival of the Arts menus are here! We can’t wait to try out some new items and of course, have our favorite food items from the previous years.

Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey: Art, Food and Little Sparks of Magic

Food

• Fruit Pizza: Watermelon, Compressed Cantaloupe, Berries and Berry Balsamic (plant-based) (gluten/wheat-friendly)
• Pop’t Art: Sugar Cookie with Blueberry Filling (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine item)
• Rainbow Cake with freeze-dried SKITTLES® bite-sized candies
• Figment Premium Popcorn Bucket with Rainbow Popcorn

Beverages

• Grape Smoothie with freeze-dried SKITTLES bite-sized candies (nonalcoholic)
• 3 Daughters Brewing Black Cherry Hard Cider, St. Petersburg, FL
• 3 Daughters Brewing Blood Orange Hard Cider, St. Petersburg, FL
• 3 Daughters Brewing Passion Fruit Hard Cider, St. Petersburg, FL
• Rainbow Cider Flight
• 81Bay Brewing Co. Green with Envy Blonde Ale, Tampa, FL
• 81Bay Brewing Co. Blue Butterfly Lager, Tampa, FL
• Urban Artifact The Gadget Raspberry & Blackberry Midwest Fruit Tart, Cincinnati, OH
• Beer Flight

Moderne – Near Test Track Presented by Chevrolet

Food

• Compressed Watermelon Tataki with Pickled Watermelon Rind, Yuzu Pearls, Watermelon Foam and Wasabi (plant-based)
• Angry Crab: Whole Crispy Soft-Shell Crab with Green Papaya Salad, Mango-Sriracha Fluid Gel, Coconut-Lime Foam with Pomegranate and Mango Crush Pearls
• Pan-Seared Scallops with Vanilla-Butternut Squash Purée, Brown Butter Cauliflower Purée and Lime Foam (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine item)
• The Tropics: Lilikoi Mousse, Guava Cake, Coconut Crémeux, Compressed Pineapple and Mango Gel

Beverages

• Watermelon Mary featuring Boyd and Blair Potato Vodka
• J. Lohr Riesling, Monterey, CA

The Craftman’s Courtyard (Near Disney Traders)

Food Items:

• Beef Wellington: Mushroom Duxelles, Prosciutto and Puff Pastry with Red Wine Demi-Glace and Baby Vegetables
• Cast Iron-Roasted P.E.I. Mussels with Sautéed Tomatoes, Garlic and Fresh Herbs

Beverages:

• BrewDog Jet Black Heart Nitro Oatmeal Stout, Columbus, OH
• Cold Fashion Coffee Cocktail

Refreshment Port (Near Canada)

Food Items:

• Gnocchi Poutine with Red Wine-Braised Beef, Cheese Curds, Basil and Burrata
• Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie

Beverages:

• Blood Orange Cosmo: Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka with Blood Orange, Cranberry and Lime
• Boulevard Brewing Co. Quirk Blueberry Lemon and Lavender Hard Seltzer, Kansas City, MO

The Deconstructed Dish (Near Port of Entry)

Food Items: 

• Deconstructed BLT: Pork Belly, Soft-Poached Egg, Onion Bread Pudding, Watercress Espuma and Tomato Jam
• Deconstructed French Onion Soup: Beef Broth Ravioli, Gruyère Cream, Onion Bread Pudding and Onion Textures
• Deconstructed Key Lime Pie: Flexible Key Lime Curd, “Key Lime” Mousse, Graham Cracker Cake and Meringues (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine item)

Beverages:

• Deconstructed Apple Pie à la Mode: Apple-Cinnamon Gelato, Cinnamon Apple Cider, Apple Pie Filling and Streusel (nonalcoholic)
• Wicked Weed Brewing Blank Canvas Belgian Blonde Whitbeer, Asheville, NC

Gourmet Landscapes (Canada)

Food Items:

• Blood Orange-Braised Beet Tartare with Mustard Vinaigrette, Pickled Clamshell Mushrooms and Golden Beets (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine item) (plant-based) (gluten/wheat-friendly)
• Roasted Bone Marrow with Onion Marmalade, Pickled Mushrooms and Petite Lettuce
• Wild Mushroom Risotto, Aged Parmesan, Truffle Shavings and Zinfandel Reduction

Beverages:

• Whole Hog Brewery Raspberry Chéret Double Radler, Stevens Point, WI
• Schlumberger Cuvée Klimt Brut, Austria
• The Meeker Vineyard Winemaker’s Handprint Merlot, Sonoma County, CA
• Frozen Rusty Nail Cocktail

Deco Delights (Near Port of Entry)

Food Items:

• Dulce Chocolate Mousse with Chocolate Crémeux and Dark Chocolate Truffle
• Decadent Valrhona Chocolate with Dark Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Brownie and Cassis Mousse
• Orange Mousse with Lemon Cake and Raspberry Meringues (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine item)

Beverages:

• 3 Daughters Brewing Strawberry Blonde Nitro, St. Petersburg, FL
• 81Bay Brewing Co. Vanilla Porter, Tampa, FL
• Playalinda Brewing Co. Milk Stout, Titusville, FL
• Espresso Martini featuring Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka
• Neapolitan Beer Flight

Pop Eats (Showcase Plaza)

Food Items:

• Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
• Tomato Soup with Pimento Cheese, Bacon and Fried Green Tomato Grilled Cheese
• Almond Frangipane Cake layered with Raspberry Jam and Belgian Chocolate (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine item)

Beverages:

• Brooklyn Brewery Pulp Art Hazy IPA, Brooklyn, NY
• Bleu Spectrum: Blanc de Bleu Cuveé Mousseux with Boba Pearls

Refreshment Outpost

Food Items:

• Plant-Based Bratwurst with Spicy Turmeric Aïoli, Coffee Barbecue Jackfruit and Slaw (plant-based)
• Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie

Beverages:

• Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. Berries & Cream Sour Berliner, Orlando, FL
• Left Hand Brewing Co. Wook Bait IPA, Longmont, CO
• Central 28 Beer Company Wall Art Brown Ale, DeBary, FL

The Artist’s Table

Food Items:

• Three-Meat Meatloaf with “Peas and Carrots”: Green Pea Pudding, Carrot Ketchup, Shaved Carrot Salad and Snap Peas
• Duck and Dumplings: Smoked Duck Breast, Ricotta Dumplings, Petite Vegetables and Duck Jus
• Hummingbird Cake: Banana Cake with Pineapple, Coconut, Pecans and Cream Cheese Frosting with Banana Sorbet

Beverages:

• Sipping Chocolate Flight: White, Milk and Dark Chocolate (nonalcoholic)
• Boulevard Brewing Co. Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale, Kansas City, MO
• Parish Brewing Co. South Coast Session Amber Ale, Broussard, LA
• Brewery Ommegang Three Philosophers Belgian Quad, Cooperstown, NY
• Lange Estate Winery Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR
• Symphony in Chocolate Flight: Mozart Chocolate Liqueurs paired with Sipping Chocolates
• Beer Flight

Tangerine Café: Flavors of the Medina (Morocco)

Food Items:

• Grilled Kebabs with Carrot-Chickpea Salad and Garlic Aïoli
  – Chermoula Chicken (gluten/wheat-friendly)
  – Moroccan-spiced Lamb (gluten/wheat-friendly)
• Stone-Baked Moroccan Bread with Hummus, Chermoula and Zhoug Dips
• Carrots Three Ways: Chermoula-Spiced Grilled Carrots, Pickled Carrots and Carrot Ginger Purée (plant-based) (gluten/wheat-friendly)
• House-Made Crispy Almond Phyllo Pockets with White Chocolate Pomegranate and Milk Chocolate Orange

Beverages:

• Chai Tea Mint Sparkler: Twinings® Chai Tea with Sprite® (nonalcoholic)
• Stem Ciders Flockstar Hard Cider, Denver, CO
• Blake’s Hard Cider Co. Mule de Pomme: Pomegranate, Ginger and Lime Hard Cider, Armada, MI
• 3 Daughters Brewing Chai Hard Cider, St. Petersburg, FL
• Chai Tea Mint Mimosa: Twinings Chai Tea with Key Lime Sparkling Wine and Mint
• Cider Flight

Vibrante & Vívido: NEW Encanto Cocina (Between Morocco & France)

We love that this year we can visit the Encanto Festival of the Arts booth 2022 for some delicious eats!

Food Items:

• Chorizo and Potato Empanada with Turmeric Aïoli and Annatto Aïoli (Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine item)
• Spicy Ajiaco Soup with Guajillo and Árbol Chili-Spiced Chicken, Potato, Avocado, Corn and Crème Fraîche (gluten/wheat-friendly)
• Passion Fruit Mousse with Dragon Fruit Jam (gluten/wheat-friendly)

Beverages:

• Coconut and Passion Fruit Smoothie (nonalcoholic)
• Frozen Piña Colada
• Passion Fruit Daiquiri

L’Art de la Cuisine Française (France)

Food Items:

• Crème de Brie en Petit Pain: Warm Creamy Brie in a House-Made Bread Bowl
• Croissant à la Truffle Noir d’Hiver: Black Winter Truffle Croissant
• Mille-Feuille de Betteraves aux Herbes et Noix de Cajoux: Plant-Based Napoleon with Beets, Cashew-Herb Filling, Pepper-Pine Nut Sauce and Balsamic Vinegar Caviar (plant-based)
• Moelleux aux Noisettes et Chocolats Valrhona: Molten Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake with Pure Origin Valrhona Chocolates and Passion Fruit-Mango Sauce

Beverages:

• Frozen French Martini: Grey Goose Vodka, Vodka, Chambord Liqueur, Pineapple, Orange and Grape Juices with Lemon-Lime Foam
• Charles Lafitte, Brut Rosé Prestige, Méthode Traditionnelle Champenoise, French Rosé Sparkling Wine
• Domaine Raphael Sallet, Macon-Uchizy Les Maranches 2020, Chardonnay from Maconnais, Burgundy
• Cîroc Sunset Citrus Vodka Spritz

El Artista Hambriento (Mexico)

Food Items:

• Carne Asada: Chipotle-Marinated Beef Sirloin, Sweet Potato Purée and Crispy-Fried Onions
• Huarache de Champiñones: Guajillo Chile and Corn Masa Huarache with Pinto Beans, Oyster Mushrooms, Nopales, Queso Fresco and Pea Tendrils
• Flan de Coco: Coconut Flan, Guava Sauce and Whipped Cream (gluten/wheat-friendly)

Beverages:

• Mexican Craft Beer: Cielito Lindo Artisanal Mexican Craft Beer
• Bombon Margarita “Marshmallow”: Ilegal Mezcal Reposado, Marshmallow Cordial, Lime Juice, Agave Nectar and a hint of Coffee and Elderflower served with a Toasted Marshmallow
• Las Californias: Tromba Blanco Tequila, Strawberry-Lime Purée and Las Californias Citrus Mexican Gin

Goshiki (Japan)

Food Items:

• Rainbow Katsu Sando: Pork Cutlet Sandwich with Tangy Tonkatsu Sauce and Cabbage in Rainbow Sweet Bread
• Sushi Donut: Donut-Shaped Sushi featuring Salmon, Tuna, Shrimp, Cucumber and Sesame Seed over a decorated plate of Wasabi Aïoli, Sriracha Aïoli and Eel Sauce
• Ichigo Daifuku: Mixed Berry Mochi, Sweet Azuki Bean Paste and Mascarpone

Beverages:

• Sui Sui Watercolor Lager
• Masu Sake in a Traditional Personalized Wooden Cup
• Purple Yuzu Sake Lemonade: Sake Cocktail infused with Butterfly Pea Flower and Yuzu Lemonade

The Painted Panda (China)

Food Items:

• General Tso’s Chicken Shumai
• Char Siu Pork Bun

Beverages:

• “Panda” Bubble Milk Tea with Black Tea, Milk, Chocolate and Tapioca Boba Pearls (nonalcoholic)
• Lucky Foo Pale Ale
• Silk Road Hard Lemonade with Smirnoff Vodka, Lavender-Coconut Syrup and Lemonade
• Sea Butterfly: Butterfly Pea Flower-Infused Cocktail with Smirnoff Vodka, Light Rum, Lychee Syrup and Magic Boba Pearls

L’Arte di Mangiare (Italy)

Food Items:

• Mozzarella Fritta: Flash-Fried Breaded Fresh Mozzarella with Artist Palette Condiments
• Ravioli ai Funghi, Perle Tartufate: Wild Mushroom-Stuffed Pasta with Truffle Butter and Truffle Pearls
• Budino al Cioccolato: Chocolate Pudding with Colorful Chocolate Décor

Beverages:

• Peroni Pilsner
• Chianti
• Prosecco
• Italian Sangria Red or White
• Italian Margarita with Tequila and Limoncello
• Amaretto Bellini: DISARONNO Originale Liqueur, White Peach Purée and Prosecco

Pastoral Palate (Germany)

Food Items:

• Red Wine-Braised Beef Short Rib with Parsnip Purée, Broccolini, Baby Tomatoes and Aged Balsamic
• Wild Boar Cassoulet with Duck Confit, Ham Hock and Wild Boar Sausage
• Black Forest Cake: Chocolate Mousse with Morello Cherries and Chantilly Cream

Beverages:

• 3 Daughters Brewing Rosé Hard Cider, St. Petersburg, FL
• 81Bay Brewing Co. Rosé Blonde Ale, Tampa, FL
• Frozen Rosé
• A Play on Rosé Flight
• Marietta Old Vine Rosé, CA

Funnel Cake

• Mocha Funnel Cake: Mini Funnel Cake with Cappuccino Ice Cream topped with Chocolate Whipped Cream and M&M’s® chocolate candies

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company

• World Discovery Location – Near Mission: SPACE
  • Amber Frost: An artistic blend of Frozen Lemon Ice, a splash of Minute Maid® Premium Lemonade, Blood Orange and Orange Popping Boba Pearls
  • Spirited version available with Grey Goose Vodka

• Location Near Canada Pavilion
  • Magenta Frost: An artistic blend of Frozen Lemon Ice, a splash of Minute Maid Premium Lemonade, Dragon Fruit, and Dragon Fruit Popping Boba Pearls
  • Spirited version available with Grey Goose Vodka

• Location in Showcase Plaza – Near Disney Traders
  • Jade Frost: An artistic blend of Frozen Lemon Ice, a splash of Minute Maid Premium Lemonade, Green Apple and Green Apple Popping Boba Pearls
  • Spirited version available with Grey Goose Vodka

• The American Adventure
  • Cerulean Frost: An artistic blend of Frozen Lemon Ice, a splash of Minute Maid Premium Lemonade, Blue Raspberry, and Blueberry Popping Boba Pearls
  • Spirited version available with Grey Goose Vodka

EPCOT Festival of the Arts Foodie Must Try’s:

• Beef Wellington with Mushroom Bordelaise, Fennel Cream, and Roasted Baby Vegetables at The Artist’s Table. 
• Cast Iron-seared Steelhead Trout with parsley salad, grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers, and lemon aïoli at the Craftman’s Courtyard. 
• Deconstructed Key Lime Pie: Flexible Key lime curd, “Key lime” mousse, graham cracker cake, and meringues at the Deconstructed Dish
• Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie  
• Moelleux aux Noisettes et Chocolats Valrhona: Molten chocolate and hazelnut cake with pure origin Valrhona chocolates

Related post: Guide to Genie Plus Vs Lightning Lane

 What to Do at EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2023

The Festival of the Arts at EPCOT is a lively celebration with so much for the whole family to do. Between live performances around the World Showcase to free painting and coloring activities. We think that the 2023 EPCOT Festival of the Arts is the most interactive festival with guests and you can truly spend two days exploring everything.

Activities at the EPCOT Festival of the Arts:

• Disney on Broadway Series – Live Concert Performances
• Art Galleries and Featured Artists
• Live Painting performances
• Dance and Acrobat performances
• Paint by Numbers Canvas for free
• Kids chalk art
• Culinary Kitchens

The paint by numbers canvas is one of our favorite activities at Festival of the Arts to do and to keep checking back on. Each guests will get a paint brush, a number and a cup of paint to fill in about 5 squares on a giant mural. They will change the mural out when it is all completed and start with a fresh one for all guests attending the festival to be apart of!

Related post: Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Guide

Art Festival EPCOT 2023 Live Art

Feast your eyes! When it comes to Epcot’s Festival of the Arts, Walt Disney World does a fantastic job at featuring artists who combine culture, creativity and color into their work. And with artist stands in abundance throughout the park, there’s plenty of artwork for guests to admire and purchase. You can spot local artists, Disney animators, and even Disney celebrities who have art stands! Most notably, Paige O’Hara (the voice of Belle from animated film Beauty and the Beast) hosts a stand every year.

On top of unforgettable exhibitions at the WDW Festival of the Art, you’ll also find artists hand painting beautiful landscapes throughout the World Showcase. And other times, you’ll see chalk artists creating gorgeous art pieces on the sidewalks of Epcot. We feel the tons of live artists around World Showcase is one of the coolest aspects of this event. It was amazing to interact and meet so many famous Disney artists. As we’ll cover later in this post you also have the chance to purchase some amazing art from your favorite booths and artists! Beyond those amazing experiences, Epcot Living Statues create roaming art.

Showcase Plaza Stage Performances

The Broadway Concert Series are back! DISNEY ON BROADWAY will bring us back to our favorite Disney songs right in the middle of the festival. Our favorite part of this series is that it rotates to different music every 2 weeks. Perfect for repeat Festival of the Arts guests!

Be sure to check out the live art performances at the Showcase Plaza Stage. Guests can experience a variety of artists throughout the day create some amazing and unique Disney art. When artists aren’t performing guests can enjoy live music from some of the top High School bands and jazz groups in the area. We will also see acrobat performances from time to time. In years past, performances take place once every hour starting from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Be sure to download the My Disney Experience app for exact showtimes.

Culture Pavilion Galleries at WDW Festival of the Arts

Guests can check out amazing multicultural art in the different World Showcase galleries. The following Festival of the Arts artists galleries have historically included:

• Japan – Bijutsu-kan Gallery
• Norway – Stave Church Gallery 
• Mexico – Mexico Folk Art Gallery 
• China – House of the Whispering Willows
• American Adventure – American Heritage Gallery 

Definitely refer to your Festival of the Arts Passport at Epcot during your visit for specific information regarding what 2023 will bring!

Complimentary Seminars and Extra-Ticketed Interactive Workshops

We are still waiting to learn more about the EPCOT Festival of the Arts 2023 Schedule for seminars and workshops. It’s very possible with everything going on many of the hands on events will be postponed until next year.

We will be sure to keep this page up to date but based on last years events here is what we know.

Pal out with accomplished artists and learn the tricks of the trade with complimentary seminars and hands-on workshops!

At an additional cost of $39, these creative sessions are available to purchase in advance, and we highly recommend doing so. At an additional $259, Festival of the Arts premium workshops allow guests to paint their own canvas alongside a Disney Artist.

Again, if this is worth the splurge for you, we highly recommend making reservations in advance! 

Some of the International Festival of the Arts Seminars and events held last year are:

• Disney 3D Paper Crafting
• Ink & Painting Animation (Your favorite Disney characters)
• Flip Book Fundamentals – Animation 101
• Story Telling Drawings

Included with the cost of your Epcot admission ticket are complimentary seminars. These events only happen twice a day, so be sure to check your Times Guide (available when you enter the park!) for specific information. 

“The Joy of Art” at 2023 EPCOT Festival of the Arts

A few of the additional unique opportunities to come to the 2023 Festival of the arts this year are as follows:

Clever Photo Ops:

Festival of the Arts guests will have the opportunity to step into life-sized versions of some of the most famous artwork of all time!:

• An homage to Frida Kahlo
  Mexico Pavilion
• Birth of Venus – Sandro Botticelli
  Italy Pavilion Courtyard
• Café Terrace at Night and Sunflowers – Vincent van Gogh
  Bridge to World Showcase
• Luncheon of the Boating Party – Pierre-Auguste Renoir
  International Gateway
• Mona Lisa – Leonardo da Vinci
  Between Italy Pavilion and Germany Pavilion
• Peter Pan Storybook
  Bridge to World Showcase
• The Scream – Edvard Munch
  Between Italy Pavilion and Germany Pavilion
• Washington Crossing the Delaware – Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze
  The American Adventure Pavilion

Shop for Art and Festival merchandise:

You will find specially themed merchandise and fun artwork the whole family will love! You can expect to see a lot of Figment on the merchandise as he is typically the icon for Festival of the Arts. Merchandise will be located around the world showcase at various stands as well as in the Creations Shop.

Must see galleries:

Guests can browse carefully curated collections of some amazing Disney and also non Disney paintings from up and coming as well as established artists.

Related post: Complete Guide to Disney World Payment Plans

Disney Festival of the Arts 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, opposed to just five days per week as was in 2021. The Festival of the Arts Disney World 2023 concert series artists have not been announced yet.  The Disney Festival of the Arts Broadway series will be returning in 2023. Below is the schedule of performances in EPCOT!

Disney on Broadway Concert Series Schedule 2023

• Jan. 13, 15, 16, 19, 20 – Kara Lindsay (“Newsies”) & Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”)
• Jan. 14, 17, 18, 21, 22 – Arielle Jacobs (“Aladdin”) & Adam Jacobs (“Aladdin”)
• Jan. 23, 25, 26, 29, 30, Feb. 2, 3 – Patti Murin (“Frozen”) & Robert Creighton (“Frozen”)
• Jan. 24, 27, 28, 31, Feb. 1, 4, 5– Mandy Gonzalez (“AIDA”) & L. Steven Taylor (“The Lion King”)
• Feb. 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19 – Kissy Simmons (“The Lion King”) & Josh Strickland (“Tarzan”)
• Feb. 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 17 – Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”) & Michael James Scott (“Aladdin”)
• Feb. 20 – Special, extended finale performance featuring Brown, Scott, Simmons & Strickland

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 that 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. With surprising new live performance experiences to come, EPCOT will be full of acts to pay homage to the Performing Arts. Definitely refer to your handy dandy Event Guide at EPCOT during your day at the park, as showtimes and performances will vary! 

Disney on Broadway Concert Series Dining Packages

Festival goers can sit back enjoy dinner and a show with the EPCOT Festival of the Arts Dining Package. 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 for 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: Disney World Pictures and Disney PhotoPass Guide

2023 EPCOT Festival of the Art Merchandise

One of our favorite thing about all of the EPCOT festivals is the unique merchandise! This is couldn’t be more true for the EPCOT Festival of the Arts merchandise, as they are really 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 of Disney artists throughout the park. These find art pieces include custom pieces, 3D sculptures, jewelry and so much more!

2023 EPCOT Festival of the Arts Merchandise Locations

Throughout the Park

Shop from 100 of Disney artists throughout 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: Complete Guide to Disney Character Dining Experiences

The Best Disney Resorts for the EPCOT Festival of Arts 2023

With the addition of the Disney Skyliner, there have never been more Disney hotel options. So for guests visiting Festival of Arts EPCOT, you have even MORE options to enjoy the festival. Below are just some of our recommendations when visiting the 2023 EPCOT Festival of the Arts:

Walking Distance to Festival of Arts EPCOT:

• Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
• The Disney Yacht Club Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club
• Swan & Dolphin (friendly neighbor resorts)

Disney Skyliner Access to the Art Festival EPCOT:

• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• Art of Animation Resort

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

EPCOT Festival of the Arts FAQ

Q: What is 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 EPCOT Festival of the Arts end?

A: The EPCOT Festival of the Arts begins on January 13, 2023 and ends on February 20, 2023, which makes it the shortest running festival at Disney World!

Q: When did EPCOT Festival of the Arts start?

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

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

A: 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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Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Be sure to speak with a Disney World Travel Agent for the most recent deals and promotions. The Park Prodigy will provide a Free Quote for all Disney World Vacation Packages. The Park Prodigy can also help you save up to $20 per ticket when purchasing your Walt Disney World Tickets, and we offer promotional discounts for special events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tickets and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets.

Don’t forget to check out our wonderful friends over at Theme Park Today, as well