EPCOT runs four major festivals every year, each transforming the park into a completely different experience with exclusive food, entertainment, merchandise, and interactive activities. The festivals collectively cover nearly the entire calendar year, meaning there is almost no time when EPCOT is not in an active festival. This guide covers all four festivals: the International Festival of the Arts, International Flower and Garden Festival, International Food and Wine Festival, and International Festival of the Holidays, with dates, what to expect, and links to Fantasy Land News’s full coverage of each one. Updated annually.
Last updated: March 15, 2026
Currently Happening at EPCOT: March 2026
The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival is running right now from March 4 through June 1, 2026. The park is filled with over 60 Disney character topiaries, more than 20 Outdoor Kitchen food booths, the Garden Rocks Concert Series at America Gardens Theatre, Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration scavenger hunt, and the Eggstravaganza Easter egg hunt through April 5. A new Hoppers-inspired Wildlife Crossing Garden is also part of the 2026 lineup. Read our complete 2026 Flower and Garden Festival guide here.
Also happening now: Soarin’ Across America debuts at EPCOT on May 26, 2026, replacing Soarin’ Around the World. The new film closes on May 13 for transition. Full Soarin’ Across America details here.
The Four EPCOT Festivals: Annual Calendar
Disney has not always announced the following year’s festival dates until late fall, but the general windows have remained consistent for several years. Use these as planning benchmarks. Fantasy Land News covers every official date announcement the moment Disney releases it.
Festival of the Arts: January through late February. The shortest festival of the year is approximately 39 days. Runs entirely in the winter and is the least crowded of the four festivals, making it one of the best times to visit EPCOT.
Flower and Garden Festival: Early March through early June. The longest festival of the year. Covers spring and extends well into the summer season. Heavily family-oriented with the topiary displays and interactive gardens alongside the food offerings.
Food and Wine Festival: Late August through mid to late November. The most popular and most attended festival. Covers the back-to-school season through fall, with the Eat to the Beat Concert Series running on select dates throughout.
Festival of the Holidays: Mid-November through late December. Overlaps with the end of Food and Wine and runs through the Christmas season. Covers the Holiday Kitchens food program, Candlelight Processional, and seasonal entertainment across the World Showcase pavilions.
The four festivals together cover virtually the entire year. The only consistent gap is a brief window in early January between the end of Festival of the Holidays and the start of Festival of the Arts, typically one to two weeks where EPCOT operates without an active festival overlay.
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts
The Festival of the Arts is EPCOT’s newest festival, launched in 2017, and has grown into one of the most creatively ambitious events at any Disney park. The festival celebrates visual art, culinary art, and performing art simultaneously, with Disney on Broadway performers headlining the Drawn to the Music concert series at America Gardens Theatre.
Key features of the Festival of the Arts include the Artistic Food Studios, which are themed food kiosks where dishes are designed as much for visual presentation as flavor, the Paint-by-Number mural that guests can contribute to during their visit, and the Animation Academy, where guests can learn to draw Disney characters. The festival also tends to produce the most in-demand specialty merchandise of the year, including the annual Figment popcorn bucket which typically sells out within hours via mobile order.
2026 Festival of the Arts ran from January 16 through February 23, 2026. The 2026 edition featured Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game activities as a new interactive element, a new Figment Artist popcorn bucket at $29.00 via mobile order only, and the return of the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine food stroll. Read our complete 2026 Festival of the Arts guide here.
Planning tips for Festival of the Arts: This is the least crowded EPCOT festival of the year. January and early February weekdays are among the lowest-crowd periods at Walt Disney World. The festival’s 39-day window is the shortest of the four, so if this is the primary reason for your trip, confirm your dates before booking. The Figment popcorn bucket sells out fast. Have the My Disney Experience app ready on opening day and select a mobile order window as early as possible.
EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival
The Flower and Garden Festival is the oldest of the four EPCOT festivals and the one most associated with the park’s original identity as a celebration of nature and horticulture. The festival runs the longest of any EPCOT event, stretching nearly three months from early March through early June.
The centerpiece of the festival is the topiary collection, with over 60 sculpted Disney character displays spread throughout the park, each made from living plants by Disney’s horticulture team. The topiary designs change and expand every year. Characters from current Pixar and Disney films often appear alongside classic characters, and new additions are announced in the weeks before the festival opens.
The Outdoor Kitchens are the food component, with over 20 themed food booths serving garden-inspired dishes and drinks across the park. The Garden Graze food stroll rewards guests who purchase designated plant-based items with a completer prize. The Garden Rocks Concert Series runs on select evenings throughout the festival at America Gardens Theatre.
Two popular scavenger hunts run during the festival: Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration runs the full length of the festival and tasks guests with following Spike the Bee through the gardens. Eggstravaganza runs through Easter and hides character-themed eggs throughout World Showcase. Both require a purchased map and offer a prize for completion.
2026 Flower and Garden Festival runs from March 4 through June 1, 2026. New for 2026 is the Wildlife Crossing Garden, inspired by the Pixar film Hoppers, a Pet-Friendly Garden celebrating canine characters, and over 75 new menu items across the Outdoor Kitchens. The Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade at Pineapple Promenade is the undisputed fan-favorite drink of the festival. Read our complete 2026 Flower and Garden Festival guide here.
More 2026 Flower and Garden coverage from Fantasy Land News:
Eat Your Way Around the 2026 Flower and Garden Festival — full food guide
Where to Find Every Disney Topiary at the 2026 Festival
2026 Garden Rocks Concert Series full lineup
Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration 2026 guide
New Hoppers Garden at EPCOT 2026
Planning tips for Flower and Garden: The festival’s opening weeks in March coincide with spring break crowds, making late April and May the best time to visit for lower crowds combined with full festival offerings. The topiary displays are in peak condition from opening day through mid-May before the Florida heat begins to affect them. Book Garden Rocks dining packages as early as possible. Reserved seating for popular acts sells out weeks in advance.
EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival
The Food and Wine Festival is EPCOT’s signature event and the most attended festival at any Disney park. Running from late August through mid-November, it covers nearly three months with over 35 Global Marketplace food kiosks spread throughout the park serving internationally inspired dishes and drinks.
The Eat to the Beat Concert Series runs on select nights throughout the festival at America Gardens Theatre, featuring national touring acts and returning favorites. Dining packages are available that include a guaranteed reserved seat for a specific performance alongside a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant these book up quickly for popular acts.
Food strolls are a signature feature of the festival. Emile’s Fromage Montage sends guests searching for designated cheese dishes across the Marketplaces to earn a completion prize. Remy’s Hide and Squeak is a kid-friendly scavenger hunt finding Remy statuettes hidden throughout World Showcase.
2025 Food and Wine Festival ran from August 28 through November 22, 2025. The 2025 edition featured over 35 Global Marketplaces, the Harvest Hollow themed autumn section, Brew-Wing at the Odyssey Pavilion, and new menu items, including the Peruvian Ceviche and Boeuf Bourguignon. Read our 2025 Food and Wine Festival guide here.
2026 Food and Wine Festival dates have not yet been announced. Fantasy Land News will cover the announcement the moment Disney releases it. Based on the 2025 pattern, expect the festival to begin in late August 2026. Check back here for updated dates and coverage links as the announcement approaches.
Planning tips for Food and Wine: The festival’s first few weeks in late August and early September are the hottest and most humid time of year in Florida. Late October and early November offer the best combination of cooler weather, full festival offerings, and lower crowds than the opening weeks. Eat to the Beat dining packages for popular acts should be booked as soon as reservations open, typically 60 days in advance through My Disney Experience.
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
The Festival of the Holidays transforms EPCOT into a celebration of winter holidays from around the world, with each World Showcase pavilion presenting its country’s unique holiday traditions through entertainment, food, and storytelling. The festival runs from mid-November through late December, overlapping with the final weeks of Food and Wine before taking over completely.
The Candlelight Processional is the centerpiece of the Festival of the Holidays, a choral retelling of the Christmas story narrated by a celebrity guest, accompanied by a live orchestra and mass choir at America Gardens Theatre. Celebrity narrators change throughout the festival’s run, and dining packages for popular narrators sell out months in advance.
The Holiday Kitchens replace the standard Outdoor Kitchens format with pavilion-specific holiday food offerings. Each pavilion presents dishes tied to its country’s holiday traditions. The Cookie Stroll sends guests collecting stamps by purchasing designated cookies from Holiday Kitchen locations, earning a completion prize.
The Holidays Around the World storytelling program runs in each pavilion throughout the day, with Disney cast members sharing holiday traditions from their home countries in short, informal presentations.
2025 Festival of the Holidays dates have passed. 2026 Festival of the Holidays dates have not yet been announced. Disney typically announces fall festival dates in May or June. Fantasy Land News will cover the announcement immediately. For past coverage and planning context, check our EPCOT news archive.
Planning tips for Festival of the Holidays: This is one of the busiest times of year at Walt Disney World. The weeks before Christmas and the days between Christmas and New Year are among the highest-crowd periods of the entire year. If your goal is the Candlelight Processional, book a dining package the moment reservations open. Popular narrators like Neil Patrick Harris or Whoopi Goldberg sell out within hours. Early December weekdays are the best balance of full festival and manageable crowds.
EPCOT Festival Tips That Apply to All Four Festivals
Festival Passport and food strolls are available at each festival and offer structured ways to explore the food offerings while working toward a completion prize. The passports are inexpensive, and the completion prizes have become collectibles in their own right. Past prizes have included character watering cans, garden stakes, and exclusive festival items.
Mobile order is available at most Outdoor Kitchen and Global Marketplace locations and is strongly recommended. Lines at popular food booths can stretch 20 to 30 minutes on busy days. Placing a mobile order while walking between pavilions eliminates that wait entirely.
Specialty merchandise at each festival sells out faster than Disney restocks it. The Figment popcorn bucket at Festival of the Arts is the most extreme example but limited merchandise at all four festivals tends to disappear within the first week. If you see something you want, buy it on the first day of your visit rather than planning to return for it later.
Each festival’s scavenger hunt maps are available at Disney Traders and Creations Shop near the park entrance. Pick one up first thing in the morning before exploring the park so you can complete the hunt as you move through the festival naturally rather than retracing steps.
Frequently Asked Questions About EPCOT Festivals
Are EPCOT festivals included with park admission?
Yes. Admission to any EPCOT festival is included with a standard EPCOT theme park ticket. There is no separate festival ticket or upcharge. Individual food and drink items, scavenger hunt maps, merchandise, and dining packages all cost extra, but simply attending the festival and experiencing the topiaries, entertainment, and atmosphere requires only park admission.
How many EPCOT festivals are there in a year?
Four. Festival of the Arts runs January through late February, Flower and Garden runs March through early June, Food and Wine runs late August through mid-November, and Festival of the Holidays runs mid-November through late December. Together, they cover most of the calendar year.
Which EPCOT festival is the best?
It depends on what you enjoy. Food and Wine is the most popular and has the most variety of food. Flower and Garden is the longest and the most visually spectacular, thanks to the topiaries. Festival of the Arts is the least crowded and most creative. Festival of the Holidays is the most emotionally resonant, particularly the Candlelight Processional. Fantasy Land News covers all four in depth. Browse the festival coverage above to decide which fits your trip best.
When does EPCOT not have a festival?
The only consistent gap is a brief window in early January between the end of Festival of the Holidays and the start of Festival of the Arts, typically one to two weeks where EPCOT operates without an active festival overlay.
What is the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT?
The Candlelight Processional is a celebrity-narrated choral retelling of the Christmas story performed at America Gardens Theatre during the Festival of the Holidays. A different celebrity narrator appears each night throughout the festival’s run, accompanied by a live orchestra and a 450-person mass choir. Dining packages are available that include a guaranteed reserved seat alongside a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant.
What is the Figment popcorn bucket at EPCOT?
The Figment popcorn bucket is an annual, limited-release collectible released during the Festival of the Arts. It features Figment, EPCOT’s beloved purple dragon mascot, in a themed design that changes every year. The bucket is available via mobile order only at the Odyssey building and typically sells out within hours of going on sale each morning. The 2026 version launched at $29.00. See our Disney Popcorn Buckets Guide for the full current lineup.
Do EPCOT festivals have scavenger hunts?
Yes. Flower and Garden has two: Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration (runs the full festival) and Eggstravaganza (runs through Easter). Food and Wine has Remy’s Hide and Squeak and Emile’s Fromage Montage. Festival of the Holidays has the Cookie Stroll. All require a purchased map and offer a completion prize. Maps are available at Disney Traders and Creations Shop near the park entrance.
What is the Garden Rocks Concert Series?
Garden Rocks is the live music component of the Flower and Garden Festival, running on select evenings throughout the festival at America Gardens Theatre. Concerts are included with park admission and feature national touring acts performing multiple shows per evening. Dining packages are available for reserved seating alongside a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant. The 2026 lineup includes The Music of ABBA, Information Society, FireHouse, and Iam Tongi, among others. See the full 2026 Garden Rocks lineup here.
For the latest EPCOT news and festival coverage as it happens, follow Fantasy Land News at www.fantasylandnews.com. Full EPCOT coverage: fantasylandnews.com/category/walt-disney-world/epcot/. Walt Disney World planning: fantasylandnews.com/category/walt-disney-world/