Epcot’s annual Food & Wine Festival is one of the highlights of the year and draws big crowds, especially at the weekend. Located throughout the World Showcase, there are over 30 Global Marketplaces serving specialty Drink and Food. There are also appearances by celebrity chefs, seminars, culinary demonstrations, and nightly concerts featuring household names. The reopening of Walt Disney World has meant changes for 2020, and a new festival called “A Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival!” will be held.
2020 was meant to be the 25th Annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, and this year’s festival is going to be slightly different than usual. The need to maintain social distancing and reduced crowds means the regular festivities are not possible this year. However, this year the festival will be Epcot’s longest ever festival running from July 15th to fall. It will also feature aspects of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which was canceled midway through its run this year.
The Disney Parks Blog has given us a few hints of what we can expect during A Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival!
This new take on the foodie festival will debut July 15 and continue through the fall, offering over 20 signature global marketplaces like Hawaii, Hops & Barley, and Islands of the Caribbean, spaced out around the park. And, if you’ve ever imagined a world where the floral fun of Flower & Garden is sprinkled in with the global goodies of Food & Wine, here’s your chance – guests will be able to see our newest topiary, Remy, in the France pavilion and find Flower & Garden merchandise. For scavenger hunt fans, Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak scavenger hunt returns. And stay tuned as Food & Wine merchandise joins the fun later on after the festival begins.
We know the popular musical acts during the “Eat to the Beat Concert Series” often pack the house and, in an effort to accommodate proper physical distancing, we will not be able to host these concerts this year. There will be plenty of music to enjoy at America Gardens Theatre with local EPCOT entertainment such as Mariachi Cobre, the JAMMitors and more. These fan favorites will spread out their performances throughout the day, giving audiences more options to enjoy them.
Disney Parks Blog
Our opinion
This isn’t the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, but it isn’t a bad replacement. Yes, there is no Eat to the Beat Concerts, but the extension of the Flower and Garden Festival is welcome. The number of kitchens this year is disappointing but is understandable, and we assume there will be no demonstrations this year.
The reopening of Walt Disney World has numerous disappointments but this isn’t one of them. It should allow a rather unique and different experience during the reopening period.
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