Disney theme parks are building a reputation for hosting extravagant events and festivals, featuring food, drinks, art, floral arrangements and live entertainment.
Disney World's Epcot in Orlando has adopted a year round series of festivals staged around its themed international country areas and pavilions. The theme park just completed its International Festival of Arts on Feb. 20 that included culinary arts, performing arts, visual arts, and the popular annual Disney on Broadway Concert Series in the American Gardens Theatre. The festival is becoming a tradition as Epcot has hosted it since 2017.
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Epcot also hosts the International Holiday Festival from sometime around Thanksgiving until the end of December, and its next scheduled festival is the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival from March 1 through July 5 that includes a lineup of classic rock, pop, and rhythm and blues groups.
International Flower & Garden Festival features signature topiaries based on Disney's classic characters that are the premier attraction of the festival. It will also stage musical performances from at least 31 classic artists like Blue Oyster Cult, Berlin, The Pointer Sisters, Herman's Hermits, Kool and the Gang and The Spinners at the American Gardens Theater.
What better time of the year to hold wine tasting than the summer and fall months when Epcot will host its International Food and Wine Festival from mid-July to sometime just before Thanksgiving.
In addition to Epcot's annual festivals, Disney has also established a traditional festival at the Disneyland Resort's California Adventure in Anaheim, Calif., when it hosted its first Food & Wine Festival in 2006. The festival continued through 2010, but was halted for major reconstruction of the park in 2011, according to Disney Food Blog. The covid pandemic prevented the festival from being held in 2020 and 2021, but California Adventure brought it back in March and April of 2022.
Disney
Food & Wine Festival Here to Stay
The California Adventure Food & Wine Festival might finally be here to stay, as Disney has scheduled the festival again at the theme park March 3 through April 25, featuring culinary delights, fine wines from several California wineries including Robert Mondavi Vineyards, and craft brews from an array of California breweries.
The park's Festival Marketplaces include Nuts About Cheese, featuring Petite Burrata: Grilled ciabatta with tomato and olive jam, burrata cheese, pesto, and freeze-dried balsamic; Crackers & Cheese: House-made herb crackers with white cheddar fromage blanc, spicy salami spread, and cherry jam; Mickey Mouse-shaped Macaron made with Snickers: Chocolate Mickey macaron filled with caramel ganache and Snickers cookie bar pieces; Flowers & Bees: Gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and honey, hibiscus, and lavender syrups garnished with a purple pansy; and Purple Glow Grapes and Green Glow Grapes (Limit 10 per person.)
Plenty of Wine and Desserts Offered
Uncork California offers wines from at least seven different wineries, a California Artisan Cheese Plate, Celebration Chocolate Fudge Brownie and a variety of Mimosa Prosecco drinks, as well as mimosa, red and white wine flights.
Berry Patch features Kenny's Family cheesecake, Blueberry Buttermilk Pie, and Blueberry Pancake Cold Brew, and California Craft Brews offers beers from 13 craft breweries and beer flights.
DLish has several items on its menu, including Beer & Barley Poutine, Cubano Slider, Sake Melon '75, and Apricot Tequila Colada. Cluck-a-Doodle Doo has Smoked Honey-Habanero Chicken Wings, BBQ Beef Brisket Slider, and Smoked Cherry Mezcal-iki Cocktail. Garlic Kissed serves Grilled Top Sirloin, Carbonara Garlic Mac & Cheese, Raspberry Limoncello-Ade and Guava-Lychee Mule.
Golden Dreams offers Elote Paleta and Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Flatbread; I Heart Artichokes has Artichoke Pizzetta and Artichoke Toast with Olive Tapenade; LA Style serves Glazed BBQ Pork Belly and Impossible Gyro-Inspired Naan; Peppers Cali-Elite prepares Chile Relleno Empanada and Camarones a la Diabla or spicy shrimp and California chile and cilantro rice; and Avocado Time serves Impossible Nacho Mac & Cheese, with Impossible ground beef, tomatoes, olives, jalapenos and guacamole. You can also get Impossible Al Pastor Tacos.
