Looking Towards the 2021 Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Arts
As 2020 has come to an end, I cannot help but be so excited for what 2021 will bring to Disney! Since 2017, Epcot International Festival of the Arts has been the first exciting festival of the year Walt Disney World offers, and this tradition will continue in 2021 with the Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Arts!
Starting January 8th, 2021, and continuing through February 22nd, 2021, visitors to Walt Disney World will be able to experience all of the art-centered activities throughout Epcot. I cannot wait to see what the festival will hold, so I thought it would be fun to showcase all that Disney has announced in regards to the festival!
*Since the festival doesn’t begin for a few more days, the photos in this blog are from previous years.
Beginning with the Culinary Arts, festival-exclusive kitchens will be returning around the World Showcase to show off their delicious dishes that not only taste great but satisfy the eyes as well.
Similar to the kitchens featured in the Food and Wine Festival, each booth will represent a different country and showcase the beautiful and delicious cuisine that the country has to offer. While many favorite booths are returning, including the L’Arte di Mangiare and the Mosaic Canteen, Disney has also confirmed there will be a new booth (Vibrante & Vívido) that brings bright and fresh flavors to both savory and sweet dishes. This festival-exclusive food is a great way to eat around the world, as there will be something for every palate!
Another highlight of the festival is the Performing Arts. All throughout Future World and the World Showcase, Epcot will be offering awe-inspiring shows for guests to enjoy! Disney has confirmed that the Voices of Liberty will be updating their show to feature the Disney Songbook, putting their twist on some of our favorite Disney songs! Another can’t miss show is Art Defying Gravity, a display of exciting acts of strength that defy both gravity and imagination!
You can see this show at the World Showplace, where you will also be able to enjoy music from the Epcot Pianist. If you are looking for more of a visual art show, the Visual Art in Performance should definitely be added to your list! This show introduces a guest artist who will engage the audience in a high-energy performance where they will paint beloved Disney characters in front of your eyes in minutes! Performance times and days vary, so I would suggest double-checking times when you enter the park.
Along with the shows, art displays can be found around the World Showcase that present country-inspired exhibitions. In the France pavilion, guests can take in “Tale as Old as Time: French Storytelling on Stage and Screen,” which displays cases of costumes, music, and artwork that brought French literature to life. Another can’t miss display is “Creating Tradition: Innovation and Change in American Indian Art,” a new display featuring Indigenous art.
Are you hoping to be the model, rather than viewing the art? Throughout the World Showcase, picture-perfect backdrops can be found, making the perfect photo op! Pose next to da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, scream alongside Edvard Munch’s famous painting, and even Cross the Delaware with Washington. You can snap photos of your family or have one of the designated Disney PhotoPass Photographers capture the picture for you, as there will be a photographer at each stop!
Are you looking for more hands-on fun? Throughout Future World, chalks drawing from artists will be on display for guests to take in, as well as an area to assist in creating a chalk masterpiece!
Along with assisting with the chalk masterpiece, there will be a huge Paint by Numbers canvas on display in Future World that invites all guests to assist in finishing the painting!
As well, in the American Garden Theatre, Animation Academy will be open to guests who want to learn how to draw classic Disney characters. Guests will receive an artist board, paper, and a pencil to follow along in a step-by-step tutorial!
Figment’s Brush with the Masters is back this year, inviting guests to track down Figment in this fun scavenger hunt! You start off by buying a map at select merchandise locations. You then begin your search for Figment around the World Showcase, where he will be hiding in famous works of art. Once you have completed your map, you can then return your map to Disney Traders for a surprise! This is a great way to keep the little ones entertained as you make your way around the world.
As with many other festivals, the Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Arts offers festival-exclusive merchandise for guests to pick up. From apparel and pins to posters and MagicBands, this exclusive merchandise can be found throughout Epcot and will make great souvenirs for everyone in your party!
I’m so excited to see what Disney will be offering in the New Year, and I think the Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Arts will be the perfect way to start off 2021! As the days quickly approach, I cannot wait to see what the festival brings!
Will you be visiting the Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Arts in 2021?
~Alyssa
