The 39-day 2023 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts takes center-stage this month at Walt Disney World, celebrating the visual, culinary, and performing arts, January 13 - February 20, 2023.
Performing Arts
Live entertainment takes place throughout the festival, including performances by some of Broadway’s brightest stars as they share songs from Disney musicals in the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series. Shows take place three times daily throughout the festival at America Gardens Theatre.
Dining packages for lunch and dinner are available at seven EPCOT locations, with guaranteed seating at the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series.
Times - Starting at 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM
Location - America Gardens Theatre at EPCOT
Here’s the full lineup of performers you’ll see at the festival this year:
- Jan. 13, 15, 16, 19, 20 – Kara Lindsay (“Newsies”) & Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”)
- Jan. 14, 17, 18, 21, 22 – Arielle Jacobs (“Aladdin”) & Adam Jacobs (“Aladdin”)
- Jan. 23, 25, 26, 29, 30, Feb. 2, 3 – Patti Murin (“Frozen”) & Robert Creighton (“Frozen”)
- Jan. 24, 27, 28, 31, Feb. 1, 4, 5 – Mandy Gonzalez (“AIDA”) & L. Steven Taylor (“The Lion King”)
- Feb. 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19 – Kissy Simmons (“The Lion King”) & Josh Strickland (“Tarzan”)
- Feb. 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 17 – Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”) & Michael James Scott (“Aladdin”)
- Feb. 20 – Special, extended finale performance featuring Brown, Scott, Simmons & Strickland
Beyond music, festivalgoers can witness feats of acrobatic strength and agility by Art Defying Gravity and be entertained by artists who paint Disney characters in high-energy shows that combine performance and fine arts.
Culinary Arts
More than 15 unique Food Studios located throughout the park will offer bites and sips crafted with a creative twist, including many new food and drink items. View all the menus.
Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey: Art, Food and Little Sparks of Magic joins the lineup this year with an array of playful food and beverage items.
Also new in 2023, Moderne invites guests to explore an avante-garde menu. Selections include Angry Crab, a whole, crispy soft-shell crab served with green papaya salad, mango-Sriracha fluid gel and coconut-lime foam with pomegranate and mango crush pearls – perfect for pairing with a J. Lohr Riesling.
The Artist’s Table in the American Adventure pavilion also debuts a new menu of elevated comfort foods, including Duck and Dumplings with smoked duck breast, ricotta dumplings, petite vegetables and duck jus, with other delicious items to savor as well.
Tthe Festival Passport guides guests through The Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine, a ood stroll highlighting seven sweet and savory offerings. A complimentary Artist Palette Cookie is available for those who collect five stamps from locations listed in the Festival Passport.
Visual Art
New Figment-inspired festival merchandise features a new festival Spirit Jersey, Figment Chalkboard Framed Mug, Figment Munchlings and Figment CORKCICLE Tumbler.
More than 100 Disney and visiting artists will participate in the festival.
- The lineup features many new faces, including husband and wife photography team Kahran and Regis Bethencourt as well as returning favorites such as Dylan Bonner, Fenway Fan, Jerrod Maruyama, Ashley Taylorand more.
- Guests can catch a glimpse of artists at work with a peek inside the Disney Artist Gallery or the WonderGround Gallery.
- From Figment to Jiminy Cricket, Chalk Full of Characters features charming chalk drawings in tucked away corners throughout EPCOT.
- Kids can create their own chalk art masterpieces at Kid’s Chalk Art, while families can leave their creative mark on a larger-than-life mural at Expression Section: A Paint by Numbers Mural.
- Guests learn from an animation artist how to draw a Disney character at Animation Academy.
- An outdoor art wall features stories and characters that reflect the imaginative and innovative spirit of EPCOT at Drawing on Inspiration: Celebrating EPCOT.
- Across World Showcase, guests can step into some of the most iconic artwork from around the world at unique Artful Photo Ops.
- Figment’s Brush with the Masters takes guests on a scavenger hunt around World Showcase to spot the lovable purple dragon as he hides in famous works of art. Redeem your completed map of Figment sightings to receive a small artful keepsake.
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