EPCOT's 18th Annual International Food and Wine Festival | Everything You Need To Know (For Now)

EPCOT’s popular International Food and Wine Festival returns for its 18^th year beginning September 27, 2013 and will run through November 11, 2013. One of the great things of the festival is how it always remains fresh and this year is no different. Don't worry the cranberry bog returns for another year.

Marketplaces

Scotland is being introduced to the festival with a newScottish Marketplace. The marketplace will feature traditional Scottish dishes and a Rusty Nail cocktail, made from Scotch whisky and Drambuie.

Returning this year will be the Brazil Marketplace that was a huge hit in the 2012 festival. Altogether this year will feature over 25 ethnic and specialized marketplaces. Also featured this year is vegetarian friendly marketplace Terra and Hawai’i’s Marketplace. The Scandinavian Marketplace will feature the Xante Sunshine cocktail.

All the international marketplaces will participate in the Marketplace Discovery Passport. The passports are great way to keep track of what you’ve had. When you visit an international marketplace you'll receive a stamp for the passport.

Celebrity Chefs

This year’s event will feature over 270 chefs and culinary stars from around North America. The list includes Warren Brown, Paula DaSilva, Gale Gand, Jamie Deen, Robert Irvine, Dean Max, Rock Harper, Jeff Henderson, Art Smith, Buddy Valastro, Allen Susser, “Cake Boy” Eric Lanlard, Duskie Estes, John Stewart, Donald Link, Bryan Voltaggio and Emily Ellyn.

Events

This year’s festival will include Party for the Senses grand tasting events Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26, and Nov. 2. It will feature tempting bites from eminent chefs, with well over 50 wines and beers along with live entertainment. Each weekend will also include “3D” Disney’s Dessert Discovery on select Fridays, Cheese Seminars on Saturdays and Sweet Sundays on Sundays. These are premium events that do cost an extra admission.

This year’s event will also include reserved culinary events such as a wine tasting hosted by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson. This year will also feature mixology seminars. Authentic Taste seminars will also be featured at the Festival Welcome Center.

Eat to the Beat Concert Series

While the food is the main focus the concert series is also a major draw for the festival and this year’s lineup is impressive. This year’s concert series features six acts that are new to the festival.