Everything You Need to Know About Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Arts

The Epcot International Festival of the Arts is back, running through February 22! This incredible events celebrates the creation of art and cuisine with phenomenal artists, gourmet fare, musical performances, stage productions and other amazing acts. Here is everything you need to know about the 2021 festival!

Culinary Arts

Again this year, we were absolutely blown away by the careful and incredibly artful presentation of each and every dish.  Be sure to pick up a Festival guide when you enter the park because it outlines the offerings.  Here were our new and returning favorites. 

Deconstructed Dish

  • Deconstructed Strawberry Shortcake: Whipped New York Style Cheesecake with Fresh Florida Strawberries and Sugar Cookies
  • Deconstructed BLT: Crispy Pork Belly, Tomato Jam and Soft Poached Egg

Pop Eats!

  • Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
  • #RainbowSherbetGlitterDreamAle
  • Almond Frangipane Cake layered with Raspberry Jam and Belgian Chocolate 

El Artista Hambriento – Mexico

Diego Pomegranate Margarita: Ojo de Tigre Mezcal, Pomegranate Prickly Pear Juice, Blackcurrant Liqueur, Rose Petal Liqueur, Hibiscus Salt Rim

The Artist’s Table – America

  • Pan-Seared Scallop with Chorizo, Roasted Red Pepper Coulis and a Parmesan Crisp

Goshiki – Japan Pavilion

  • Sushi Donut: Donut-shaped Sushi featuring Salmon, Tuna, Shrimp, Cucumber and Sesame Seed over a decorated plate of Wasabi Aïoli, Sriracha and Eel Sauce

Vibrante & Vivido Food Studio (Favorite overall!)

  • Blue Corn Pupusa
  • Passion Fruit Mousse
  • Passion Fruit Daquiri

L’Art De La Cuisine Francaise – France

  • Trio de Macarons
  • Croissant a la Truffle Noir d’Hiver: Black Winter Truffle Croissant

The Masterpiece Kitchen – Canada

  • Vanilla, Rose Water and Pistachio Panna Cotta

Performing Arts

Everywhere you look, the world’s a virtual stage! Festival Guests can behold awe-inspiring acrobatics or soak up the splendid virtuosity of international acts and entertainment all around Future World and World Showcase. Shows happen seven days a week on stages around the park. My favorites are the JAMMItors (Canada) and Voices of Liberty (America).

Visual Arts

Festival Markets will spotlight artists who infuse their distinctive styles into a wide variety of creative mediums—jewelry making, photography, paper sculpting, t-shirt screenprinting and so much more! At some of the Festival Markets, you will have the opportunity to choose custom elements of your new piece of art and watch it come to life before your very eyes.

Clever Photo Ops

As your making your way around the World Showcase, cross the Delaware with George Washington, scream along with Edvard Munch and flash your best Mona Lisa smile at immersive photo stops that let you “step into” some of the most-admired artwork from around the world.

In addition to stepping inside of the masters, you will find darling wings all over the park! CeeCee loved hunting for them.

Expression Section: A Paint-By-Number Mural

In Future World, be sure to grab a paint brush and make your mark on this year’s pain by number mural. The expression section opens daily at 11AM and is free!

Chalk Full of Character

Make a game out of searching for colorful and whimsical creations starring beloved Disney Characters. From Abu to Jiminy Cricket, charming chalk drawings are waiting to be discovered in tucked away corners throughout World Showcase.

Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt

Help Figment learn about art and keep kids of all ages entertained on this delightful scavenger hunt around World Showcase. To get started, purchase your map at select merchandise locations (kiosks, Port of Entry, major shops). Then, search for Figment hiding inside famous works of art at each World Showcase pavilion—just look for the Figment-themed picture frame. Every time you find Figment, add the corresponding sticker to the pavilion on your map. Once your journey is complete, return your map to Disney Traders for an artful surprise! Cost: $7.99, plus tax.

Tips: You can pick up your artful surprise at the time you purchase the map so that you don’t have to go back. All of the art is inside or under a covered location. :-)

Animation Academy

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn how to draw some of your favorite Disney characters from a real animation artist. This is one of our favorite Disney activities ever and fun (free) souvenir. Classes happen in the America Gardens Theatre every day at 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM.

Just on the heels of the Arts Festival will come the Flower and Garden Festival and then the Food and Wine Festival. I love these extended seasons – no matter what time you visit you are likely to catch one.

Epcot in 2021

If you’re curious about how Disney is managing 2021, we were thrilled to continue to see low crowds and wait times. We have been over Martin Luther King Weekend many times. The parks were significantly less crowded, and by Monday afternoon had tapered off to almost walk on for every attraction. On Sunday, Test Track waits hovered around an hour, with Soarin at 25 minutes. On Tuesday, everything in the park was under 15 minutes with the exception of Test Track at 35.

All of the same health and safety precautions are in place that the reopened with in July. Mandatory face coverings, social distancing, hand sanitizer and hand wash stations, limited capacity in parks and restaurants, temperature screenings, etc. Have you ever seen France like this mid-afternoon?!

And, while that hasn’t changed, they continue to bring back more and more opportunities to see Disney characters and magic in carefree, magical ways!

Queen Anna in Norway

Mary Poppins in England

Princess Processional around World Showcase

Let’s Travel & My Services

I enjoyed hearing from so many of you on Instagram over the course of my trips… those ready to book a new trip, those that had decided to go on trips already booked and those that aren’t ready to travel but enjoyed having a little magic in their feed.

I missed my job so, so much over the closure and am thrilled to be back in the business of making magic! Most aspects of planning a Disney vacation look different and now, more than ever, it is crucial to have the most current, up to date information based on personal experience to plan your vacation!  I know these parks inside and out and am a small, one woman show. I hope that my love and passion for Disney shows through in every photo, video and post.

When the time is right for your family to travel, I’d be honored to be YOUR advisor. Magic is here!

As Premier Level Advisor with Glass Slipper Concierge, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, I offer concierge travel planning for Walt Disney World® Resort, Disney Cruise LineDisneyland® Resort, Disney Aulani Hawaii, Universal, Sea World and to over 40 countries on 7 continents through Adventures by Disney® and National Geographic Expeditions.

[email protected]
Learn More About My Services
Consultation Request

Disney by Destination | Everything Disney

DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *