Theme parks across the country update attractions often to keep their parks fresh and new to help attract guests when they are not rolling out the latest ride.
Each of Six Flags Entertainment's (SIX) 15 amusement parks, not including the company's waterparks, celebrate Spring Break, July 4th, the Halloween season's event Fright Night, Oktoberfest and Holiday in the Park from late November to Jan. 1. Many Six Flags parks have Grad Nite for high school seniors, and events for Cinco De Mayo and St. Patrick's Day.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Calif., introduced its first Mardi Gras Festival Feb. 11-26, featuring music, flavors and culture of New Orleans, while Comcast's (CMCSA) Universal Studios in Orlando celebrated its Mardi Gras event, beginning Feb. 4 and concluding April 16.
Even Dollywood Has a Special Seasonal Event
Dollywood Parks and Resorts in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., also gets into the spring of things with its own seasonal event, the Flower & Food Festival, which runs April 21 through June 11.
Walt Disney World’s Epcot in Orlando each year treats its guests to four International Festivals that draw huge crowds seeking to sample various special foods and drinks and participate in a number of activities.
Epcot’s always popular International Holiday Festival usually runs from around Thanksgiving until the end of December. The International Festival of the Arts runs from mid-January until late February each year. Disney (DIS) has not yet revealed the specific dates for the return of these two events.
The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is currently running at the theme park through July 5 featuring signature topiaries based on Disney’s classic characters that are the premier attraction of the Flower & Garden Festival, as well as a lineup of classic rock, pop and rhythm and blues groups offering concerts with no extra charge.
International Food & Wine Festival Returning
Disney World has big news for culinary and music fans as it brings back its Epcot International Food & Wine Festival from July 27 through Nov. 18, sponsored by Corkcicle, which will feature more than 25 Global Marketplaces for guests to sip and savor unique foods and drinks. Among the returning Marketplaces are The Fry Basket and Flavors from Fire, Canada, India and Spain. Epcot will debut some new Global Marketplaces later in the festival when summer turns to fall.
The International Festival is combining its culinary delights with some fun activities as it serves up Emile’s Fromage Montage, inviting guests to try cheese dishes from around the world and collect a reward afterward. Guests purchase any five cheese dishes listed on the back of the Festival Passport and collect a stamp. Once five stamps are collected, guests may redeem the stamps for a sweet treat at Shimmering Sips, hosted by Corkcicle.
Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak, a “Ratatouille”-inspired adventure invites guests of all ages to search for Remy throughout Epcot’s World Showcase and the Global Marketplace.
As the festival moves to the fall months, guests can enjoy the Halloween season participating in Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit, a special pumpkin scavenger hunt that runs at Epcot Sept. 29 through Oct. 31.
The International Food & Wine Festival also brings back the popular Eat to the Beat Concert Series at the American Gardens Theatre that each year has featured classic rock, pop, country and Latin performers. Epcot has not yet released the concert lineup and suggests fans check back later on the Epcot site for details.
