WDW Daily News

Kicking off Aug. 31, 2017 and celebrating 35 years of Epcot® with 35 delectable marketplaces, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is bigger and better than ever, with sips and tastes throughout the park, celebrity chefs, culinary workshops, live music and special tasting experiences. And it’s 75 days, so guests have until Nov. 13, 2017 to experience it all.

To get started, encourage guests to make the Festival Center their first stop to pick up a schedule and a complimentary festival passport and check out options for navigating the festival. Here are some don’t-miss experiences starting opening weekend:

• The global marketplaces. There are 35 this year for guests to sip and taste their way through Future World and World Showcase, and while some favorites are back, they can check out the five new additions: Active Eats (sweet avocado crema with strawberries, cake and tortilla streusel); The Almond Orchard (cauliflower risotto with pulled chicken, artichokes, spinach and Parmesan cheese); Coastal Eats (lump crab cake with slaw and avocado lemongrass cream); Flavors From Fire (smoked corned beef with crispy potatoes, pickled onions and Blonde Ale Beer fondue); the Light Lab with all sorts of spirited concoctions. They might consider a Tasting Sampler voucher ($65) for eight food or beverage items (some exclusions may apply). Plus they’ll get a limited-release Epcot Food & Wine Festival trading pin.
• Celebrity sightings. Guests can start their day Sunday, Sept. 3, with Chef Shaun O’Neale (winner of FOX TV’s “MasterChef”) first up for “What’s Cookin’ With . . .” held on select Friday and Sunday mornings in the Festival Center ($129). A cooking demo, breakfast and time for Q&A is all part of the fun. They can also catch returning favorites such as Alex Guarnaschelli, Buddy Valastro, Geoffrey Zakarian, Jamie Deen, Robert Irvine and more (schedule at epcotfoodfestival.com; reservations 407-939-3378).
• Live music every single night. There’s impromptu entertainment all around World Showcase Promenade, but each evening rocks out with the fantastic Eat to the Beat Concert Series on the outdoor stage at America Gardens Theatre three times nightly. First up: Delta Rae, a folk rock band from North Carolina, Aug. 31-Sept. 1 (“Bottom of the River”).
• Culinary demos. Every day in the Festival Center (2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 12:15 and 2:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday) guests can meet a chef and hear stories and tips while they create a dish that everyone gets to taste ($17). On a sunny afternoon, it’s a great respite from the Florida heat. Reservations recommended at epcotfoodfestival.com or by calling 407-939-3378.
• Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! If guests like hands-on experiences, this is for them — chefs, bakers, mixologists and other pros show guests the ropes ($49). Opening day, it’s Chef Emily Ellyn mixing up fun with Cask & Crew Whiskey, and guests get to play bartender and mix their own cocktail. (Mondays through Thursdays, additional hosts and topics are at epcotfoodfestival.com.)
• Kids part of the equation? Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak returns, a fun way to play together in this culinary scavenger hunt that takes guests all over World Showcase. And many of the global marketplaces are featuring dishes geared toward kids’ palates.

Looking ahead, some of our favorite celeb chefs are coming up: Sept. 15, Stuart O’Keeffe; Sept. 17, Jet Tila; Sept. 29, Graham Elliott. And there are five Party for the Senses grand tasting events this year (Sept. 23, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21 and Nov. 11), an extravaganza of food, beverages and themed live entertainment.

The festival runs through Nov. 13 – 75 days in all. Back to Basics series, Eat to the Beat concerts, cultural adventures, Festival Passport and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission. Party for the Senses grand tasting events, signature dinners and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate event admission. Guests can book some events at epcotfoodfestival.com and call 407-WDW-FEST (939-3378) for all others.

The delicious bites available in the record 35 Marketplaces at the 22nd Epcot International Food & Wine Festival aren’t the only treats guests will find at the park this fall! They’ve also got an exciting lineup of live entertainment planned. In addition to the “Eat to the Beat” Concert Series, featuring 11 new artists, guests will also want to look for authentic performers throughout World Showcase, with some new acts and returning favorites.

Suroît – New to Epcot, this renowned band hails from Canada’s Magdalen Islands in eastern Quebec. For four decades, their infectious sound has embraced influences from Cajun, Celtic, bluegrass and rock music. Join Suroît on the Mill Stage at the Canada pavilion, Aug. 31 – Oct. 1, 2017.

Margret Almer & The Bavarian Band – World-famous yodeler Margret Almer makes an encore appearance at Epcot this fall. She’ll be performing with The Bavarian Band at the Germany pavilion, beginning Aug. 31 and continuing through the holiday season.

Musique Aramenco – Another returning favorite takes the stage at the Morocco pavilion Sept. 1-Dec.30, 2017 Musique Aramenco presents a fusion of traditional and modern Moroccan music.

Bodh’aktan – Back by popular demand, Bodh’aktan mixes Quebecois, folk and polka to make fantastic rock and dance music. After rocking stages across Quebec, the United States and Europe, this incredibly popular, kilted band is returning for an Epcot encore at the Canada pavilion Oct. 2 – 22, 2017.

Raffy – This musical quartet makes their Epcot debut Oct. 23-Nov. 26, 2017 on the Mill Stage. Raffy’s infectious energy has been embraced across Canada through a live tour, appearances on television and radio airplay of their first hit single.

This fall, guests have lots of reasons to head out to World Showcase for all the singing, dancing, sipping and dining during the 22nd Epcot International Food & Wine Festival!