Disney confirmed today that the 2026 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival will run from August 27 through November 21, 2026 — a 87-day run covering the full back half of summer, all of fall, and the opening stretch of the holiday season. Along with the dates, Disney shared a first look at three returning marketplace dishes and confirmed that Emile’s Fromage Montage, Remy’s Hide and Squeak, and the Eat to the Beat Concert Series are all coming back.
The 2026 Festival Dates and What the Window Means for Your Trip
August 27 through November 21 puts the 2026 Food and Wine Festival in a familiar position on the calendar. The opening weeks land during the tail end of the Florida summer, which means heat, humidity, and the park’s back-to-school crowd pattern. Late October into early November is historically when the conditions improve and the festival hits its stride with cooler evenings, full marketplace availability, and slightly lower crowds than the opening rush. If you have flexibility in your travel dates, that window is still the sweet spot.
The festival has run since 1996 and is the most-attended event at any Disney park. The 2025 edition ran from August 28 through November 22, so the 2026 window is nearly identical in structure.
Three Returning Dishes Already Confirmed
Disney revealed three menu items that will be back for 2026. The Street Corn-style Dumplings — chicken dumplings with tomatillo salsa verde, street corn salad, cotija, lime crema, and cilantro — return from the Gyozas of the Galaxy marketplace. The Grilled Bushberry-spiced Shrimp Skewer with sweet-and-sour vegetables and coconut-chile sauce is back at the Australia marketplace. The Kirschwasser Torte with cherry-brandy buttercream, fondant, sugared almonds, and cherry compote returns at The Alps.
Full menus and the complete marketplace list are still in development. Disney noted that some Global Marketplaces will have a phased opening, and a Foodie Guide with the full details will be released closer to the festival.
Returning Activities: Fromage Montage, Remy’s Hunt, and Eat to the Beat
Emile’s Fromage Montage is back, sending guests around the marketplaces in search of designated cheese-forward dishes to collect stamps in their festival passport and earn a completion prize. Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak scavenger hunt also returns, with Remy hidden throughout World Showcase for guests of all ages to track down using a purchased map and sticker set.
The Eat to the Beat Concert Series will once again run at America Gardens Theatre in the American Adventure Pavilion. Multiple performances are typically scheduled each day, and concerts are included with EPCOT park admission on a first-come, first-served basis. The full artist lineup has not been announced. Disney also confirmed that dining packages for reserved seating will be available closer to the festival. Those packages book up fast once they go on sale — if you have a specific act in mind, check My Disney Experience the moment reservations open.
Our Take:
The Eat to the Beat Concert Series is fine if your music taste runs toward whatever is playing at Target on a Saturday afternoon, and that is not a complaint Disney is going to hear any time soon, because those crowds are enormous. What actually has us excited is Remy’s Hide and Squeak, which remains one of the best low-cost, high-reward activities at any Disney park for families and adults alike. And The Muppets taking over the Odyssey Pavilion is the kind of specific, weird, delightful idea that makes Food and Wine worth showing up for beyond the food. The dates are set. That is reason enough to start planning.
This is the first confirmed date announcement for the 2026 fall festival season at EPCOT. Fantasy Land News will have full marketplace coverage, the Eat to the Beat lineup, and planning guides as Disney releases them. For everything EPCOT festivals, bookmark our complete EPCOT Festival Guide. Join the Realm at fantasylandnews.com/the-realm.
