Experience the Magic of Creativity: A Guide to this year’s EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

Posted:  Events Parks

The first EPCOT Festival of 2024 kicked off this past weekend on January 12, 2024, and runs until February 19, 2024. The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts may be the shortest-running festival, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton to see and do.

Festival of the Arts entry sign with a rainbow, clouds, two paint can statues, a paint statue, and Figment holding a paintbrush.

 What’s an EPCOT festival without a show at the America Gardens Theatre? For the Festival of the Arts, see performers from Disney On Broadway showcase their talents while singing some of your favorite Disney songs in a live concert. You can reserve a dining package at select table service restaurants at EPCOT so you can get dinner and a show!

Menu Board for the Colorful Cuisine Food Booth.

 There are also plenty of food booths around the park to satisfy your hunger throughout the day. Favorites like the Artist Palette Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie (found at the Refreshment Port near Canada) and the Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese (found at Pop Eats near Port of Entry) have returned for the festival.

Tomato Soup in a "Pop Art" style can with a grilled cheese sandwich.

"Pop Art" tomato soup can with a blurred background.

Chocolate Chip Cookie shaped like an art pallet with blue, red, and yellow icing splatted on the cookie.

 However, there will also be a new booth this year, Cuisine Classique (near Test Track). This booth features classics like Beef Wellington and Roasted Mussels, as well as beer and a cocktail. I can’t wait to see the full menu!

Festival of the Arts sign at the entrance to the World Showcase. Statues of rainbows, paints, and figures surround the sign.

My must-stop booth has to be Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey: Art, Food, and Little Sparks of Magic. Not only does it sound like it will be great for my sweet tooth, but it also includes my all-time favorite Disney character, Figment! I absolutely cannot wait to try some of these sweet treats.

Festival Passport being held in the air with the Epcot ball out-of-focus in the background.

If you are going to be trying as many booths as possible during the festival, be sure to grab a Festival Passport. In your Passport, you can get a stamp when you purchase select dishes as part of the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine. Collect five stamps, and you will receive a complimentary Artist Palette Cookie!

Display of Festival Passports.

There is live music, performances, and art at World Showcase Plaza during the Festival of the Arts. You can hear different musical instruments from around the world daily and performances featuring acts of strength, grace, acrobatics, and agility. These schedules are limited from Sunday to Wednesday. Live art creation is available Thursday to Sunday during the festival, with Monday, January 15th & Monday, February 19, 2024, being two exceptions. It’s so cool to see someone create a piece of art right before you!

Festival of the Arts Sign hanging from a green pole.

If you’re like me and are always talking about wanting to learn to draw, now’s your chance! The Animation Academy will be running in the America Gardens Theatre at 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm daily. This is a great way to learn the fundamentals of drawing, and you get to learn how to draw some iconic Disney characters as well!

For art lovers of all skill levels, stop by the giant paint-by-numbers mural. The Expression Section will be open daily between 11 am and 5 pm. Here, you will be given a brush, paint, and number to fill in on the mural. Make sure to leave your mark on this huge piece of art.

Mary Poppins photo op with the penguin servers.

If you’re looking for more interactive elements at the Festival of the Arts, try out the Artful Photo Ops located around the park. Here, you can hop into timeless paintings and become a work of art yourself or join some of your favorite Disney characters in their stories with scenes from their tales.

Wish movie photo op designed to look like book pages.

There will also be plenty of chalk art to see and participate in during the festival (weather permitting). You can see the Chalk Art Gallery over on the World Showcase Plaza Bridge and other awe-inspiring chalk art of classic Disney characters around the World Showcase. Kids can try their hand at chalk art at the World Showcase Plaza between 11 am and 5 pm daily. There will be so many bright and lively chalk masterpieces around the park it will definitely be hard to pick a favorite.

Chalk Art sign on the World Showcase walkway.

 You can also purchase a scavenger map for Figment’s Brush with Masters at the Creations Shop, the Port of Entry, and World Traveler locations. Search for Figment, who is hidden in famous pieces of art throughout the World Showcase, and place the corresponding sticker on the map. Once you have all the stickers placed correctly, head back to Disney Traders or World Traveler and claim your prize!

 All of the above activities and performances are subject to change or be canceled at any time, so we strongly recommend checking daily activities once you enter EPCOT for the day.

Festival of the Arts Sign hanging from a green pole with out-of-focus rainbow statues in the background.

 As always, there will be an abundance of merchandise specific to the festival available for purchase, as well as visiting galleries, artists, and merchants selling artwork. This is a great way to take home a unique souvenir to remember your time at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts.

 As you can see, there is plenty to eat, see, and do at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts 2024. I can’t wait to see all the creativity bursting in the park. What are you most excited about at this year’s festival?

~Taycee

 

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