Epcot International Festival of the Arts 2020 runs from January 17th- February 24th. Find out all there is to do, see and eat at this one of a kind festival that celebrates art, music, food and more.
I love Epcot Festivals. For me, they take the central idea behind World Showcase and bring it to the forefront. During these festivals, you get more countries, more culture, more food, more beverages, and more entertainment. In my opinion, they should just do them all year long.
Enter the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. Now in its third year, it bridges the gap between the holidays and the start of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. While it was only held on weekends in its first year, they have expanded it each year. In 2020, it will run every day during the 39 days from January 17th to February 24th. And this year, the entertainment has expanded to every day as well!
We enjoyed our visit to the International Festival of the Arts and our only complaint is that it doesn’t get to run as long as the other festivals.
What is the Epcot International Festival of the Arts?
So what does the International Festival of the Arts entail?
The “arts” that are celebrated during the festival are visual, culinary, and performing arts. Throughout the park are opportunities to feast your eyes upon amazing food, appreciate incredible artwork, and enjoy dazzling performances.
Visual Arts: Special Things to See
Every Epcot festival has its food and music, but what makes this month really stand apart is its inclusion of visual arts. Bringing an aspect of culture that is traditionally relegated to museums out into the open exposes more people to it. We literally saw art being created in front of our eyes in nearly every pavilion we visited.
And Disney found several ways to make art fun and interactive for guests. Our whole family enjoyed getting in on the fun with the “Artful Photo Ops” and completing Figment’s “Brush With the Masters” Scavenger Hunt.
- Animation Academy
- Artful Photo Ops
- Art on Demand
- Festival merchandise
- Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt
- Galleries – with the opportunity to purchase pieces from participating artists
- Expression Section: A Paint by Number Mural
- Workshops and seminars with visiting artists
Performing Arts
The performing artists of World Showcase have always been one of the hidden gems of Epcot. During the festival, you can enjoy even more performances as you roam from country to country. And trust me, you’ll want to take your time and see as many of them as you can. And like the other big festivals, there is also a “Disney on Broadway” concert series held Fridays nights through Monday nights. I like that this concert series focuses on Disney music the whole family can enjoy.
- Disney on Broadway Concert Series – now with performances 7 days a week!
- Live performance art
- International musical and variety acts – including the return of Bodh’aktan to the Canada stage and introducing Delta Q on the Germany stage
- Acrobatics and gravity-defying feats of strength
- Amazing living statues
- Visiting marching bands – top high school bands perform jazz and pop music
Disney on Broadway Concert Series
The Disney on Broadway Concert Series will have daily performance at the American Gardens Theatre. Every 2 weeks, a different pairing of Broadway performers will sing songs from your favorite Disney shows like “Frozen”, “The Lion King”, and “Beauty and the Beast”.
*denoted special performances with twice the star power
Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White
- January 17
- January 20 through 21
- January 24
Heidi Blickenstaff and Gavin Lee
- January 18 through 19
- January 22 through 23
Heidi Blickenstaff, Gavin Lee, Kissy Simmons, Alton Fitzgerald White
- January 25*
Kara Lindsay and Kevin Massey
- January 26
- January 28 through 29
- February 1 through 2
- February 5 through 6
Liana Hunt and Adam Jacobs
- January 27
- January 30 through 31
- February 3 through 4
- February 7 through 8
Liana Hunt, Adam Jacobs, Kara Lindsay and Kevin Massey
- February 9*
Ashley Brown and Josh Strickland
- February 10
- February 12 through 13
- February 18 through 19
- February 22 through 23
Michael James Scott and Syndee Winters
- February 11
- February 14 through 17
- February 20 through 21
Ashley Brown, Michael James Scott, Josh Strickland and Syndee Winters
- February 24*
Disney on Broadway Dining Package
Book a 3-course meal experience (appetizer, entrée, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage or one full buffet) and get guaranteed seating at one of 3 concerts held the same day.
Participating Restaurants
Biergarten Restaurant
Germany Pavilion
Lunch: $57 for adults; $32 for kids
Dinner: $57 for adults; $32 for kids
Coral Reef Restaurant
The Living Seas Pavilion
Lunch: $69 for adults; $22 for kids
Dinner: $69 for adults; $22 for kids
The Garden Grill Restaurant
The Land Pavilion
Breakfast: $52 for adults; $31 for kids
Lunch: $65 for adults; $39 for kids
Dinner: $65 for adults; $39 for kids
Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
United Kingdom Pavilion
Lunch: $57 for adults; $22 for kids
Dinner: $57 for adults; $22 for kids
Culinary Arts: Amazing Things to Eat!
Ever see food that looks so amazing you don’t want to ruin it by eating it or even touching it? At the “Food Studios” around World Showcase, you’ll find both food and beverage creations that will please your sense of sight as well as your taste buds! Some of the treats are also interactive, allowing you to become the artist and then gobble up your own creation (after taking a picture of it, of course!).
A stand out treat is the Artist Palate Chocolate Chip Cookie. Check out our at home twist for this festival fan favorite.
Here are some of the Food Studios you can find during the Festival:
- The Deconstructed Dish – Embark on an edible adventure with delicious dishes that dazzle!
- Cuisine Classique – Prepare to be amazed with these hearty braised bites and traditional Old World delights!
- The Artist’s Table – Satisfy hunger with these savory plates—all prepared using oven and stove-top techniques!
- The Painter’s Palate – Sample this palatable palette of delicacies that looks as good as it tastes… mangiare!
- Pop Eats! – Unearth the tasty treasures and tantalizing textures of modern art-inspired eats!
- Decadent Delights – Indulge in a gallery of divine delectables that transform dessert into a fine art!
- The Masterpiece Kitchen – Raise your glass and celebrate this fabulous fusion of food and wine—cheers!
Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine
New this year is the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine. Purchase any 5 menu items from the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine locations and collect a stamp! Bring your Festival Passport—featuring your 5 new stamps—to Decadent Delights for a colorful culinary prize offered exclusively at the Festival.
Seminars and Workshops
Last, but not least, are the complimentary and paid seminars/workshops. Space is limited, so you want to book your paid/premium workshop experiences as soon as you can. For the free seminars, get there early to get a seat!
Free Seminars
- One Little Spark: Finding the Figment Inside of YOU!
- Travels with Walt Disney: A Photographic Voyage Around the World
- The Art of Disney Merchandise
- Photography 101: Shooting Spectacular Fireworks
- The Art of Pixelating
- Fundamentals of the Art of Audio-Animatronics Animation
- The Art of Cosmetology Presented by Guerlain
- Eat Like Walt
- The Music of John Williams and Hans Zimmer
- Watermelon Carving
- Hobby Rockers
- The Art of Cosmetology
- What Does It Take to Get the Right Shot?
- Disney Character Art from Film and Theme Parks
- It’s All in the Details: The Art of the Prop and Its Role in the Story
- Upcycling for Theater
- Disney Store Design
- It’s All in the Details: The Art of the Prop and Its Role in the Story
- The Artistry of June Kim
- Journey into Dance
- What Does It Take to Get the Right Shot?
- Fold, Cut, Repeat: The Art and Engineering of a Pop-Up Book
- Upcycling for Everyday Use
- Stories from a National Parks Painter
- Geisha: Artists of the Floating World
- Remember Who You Are
- The Music of Danny Elfman and Michael Giacchino
- So You Want to be a Disney Artist
- 3D Storytelling at Walt Disney World
- The Art of the Disney Topiary
- Fundamentals of the Art of Audio-Animatronics Animation
- The Art of Figment: Discovering Sparks of Inspiration
- Watch Disney Characters Come to Life with Animator John Pomeroy
- Seeing Sound and Painting Music
- The Art of Disney Fonts, Lettering & Signage
- Floral Crowns
Paid Workshops ($39)
- Upcycling: Disney Park Map Bouquets
- Ink & Paint Animation
- An Afternoon with Heather Theurer, a Disney Fine Artist
- Floral Arranging
- Animation 101: Flip Book Fundamentals
- Handcrafted Calligraphy
- Gesture Drawing Basics: “Storytelling Drawings”
- Doodling with Viz
- Disney 3D Paper Crafting
- Topiary Art
- A Journey of Abstract Expressionism
- The Art of Floral Arranging
Final Thoughts
So, this overview just scratches the surface of what the Epcot International Festival of the Arts has to offer. We really enjoyed catching the tail end of it on our trip in 2017. It looks like it is even better this year with more time to enjoy everything there is to see and do. You’ll want to dive into those menus and workshop schedules in more detail to see how everything lines up with your visit and come up with a plan for seeing and tasting everything on your “must do” list.