Epcot Food & Wine Festival Preview -

Disclosure: I was invited to Disney’s Media Preview event for the 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The opinions expressed here are my own.

My favorite season of the year soon approaches, and this can only mean that Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival is right around the corner. This is one of my favorite festivals at Epcot, with so many delicious offerings throughout the World Showcase, exciting new merchandise, spectacular entertainment, and fun activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Dave Kesting, General Manager of Epcot Festivals, gave us an overview of some of the new and exciting things to expect at this year’s festival. There was so much to see and do at the Media Preview including sampling various new dishes and getting a sneak peek at some of the merchandise.

Food and Drinks

During the Food & Wine Festival Preview, I was fortunate to speak to Al Youngman, the Culinary Director who oversees all of the Epcot festivals. It was incredible to see some of the new dishes that will be available this year, as well as some old favorites making a return from last year.

Here’s a closer look at some of the tasty dishes highlighted in this year’s Food & Wine Festival:

NEW at the Thailand Marketplace

Islands of the Caribbean

**Jerk-spiced Chicken with Roasted Sweet Plantain Salad and Mango Chutney Yogurt (GF)**

NEW at Africa

**Spicy Kenyan Vegan Githeri with White Beans, Pigeon Peas, Curry Rice Pilaf and Kachumbari Slaw (V)**

Flavors of Fire

**Smoked Corned Beef with Crispy Potatoes, Cheese Curds, Pickled Onions and Beer-Cheese Fondue**

**Edmeades Zinfandel, Mendocino County**

NEW at Coastal Eats

**Pacifico True Striped Bass Tostada with Slaw and Fire-roasted Tomatillo Sauce**

**Short’s Brewing Co. Mule Beer, Elk Rapids, Michigan (FESTIVAL EXCLUSIVE)**

The Alps (New Marketplace)

**Blueberry and Almond Frangipane Tart with Crème Fraîche Cream and Blue Diamond® Almonds (V) (KA)**

Australia

**Deconstructed Pavlova with Pastry Cream, Citrus-macerated Berries and Lemon Myrtle Meringue (KA) (GF) (V)**

Active Eats

**Fruit and Nut Energy Snack: House-made mixture of Apricots, Almonds, Pecans, Coconut, Puffed Rice and Chocolate Chips (V) (GF) (KA)**

Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar

**Mimosa Flight featuring the Tropical Mimosa, Key Lime Mimosa, and the Blood Orange Mimosa**

Appleseed Orchard (New Marketplace)

**Cider Flight featuring Ciderboys Lemon Cello Hard Cider, Collective Arts Brewing Cherry Apple Hard Cider, Woodchuck Hard Cider Spiced Apple**

The Donut Box – Opening October 1st, 2019

**Black and White Coffee Cocktail garnished with a Fresh Yeast Donut with Chocolate Espresso Bean Crumbles**

Merchandise

During my chat with Will Dasso, the Guest Experience Manager for Festival Merchandise at Epcot, I was able to view the various items and collections that will be available this year. I can honestly say that the merchandise lineup looks absolutely amazing!

The merchandise is divided in different themes which include:

Chef Mickey and Minnie

It was all about the cupcakes and sparkles here with Minnie making her debut as “Chef Minnie” alongside Mickey.

Taste Your Way Around the World

Celebrate your “tasting” experience around the World Showcase with this cork and wine color inspired collection.

Brews Around The World

A nice selection of items for those craft beer lovers to enjoy.

Chef Remy

Another favorite “chef” back again at this year’s festival is Remy. For the first time ever, a chef jacket featuring this lovable character will be available for purchase. Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak Scavenger Hunt returns as well with brand new prizes. In this fun activity, you can search for Remy around the World Showcase while spotting one of the 15 ingredients on the map. Collect all to redeem for one of four tumblers featuring Figment, Remy, Minnie, and Mickey.

Recipe for a Figment

Figment returns as well in various apparel, accessories, and kitchen items. I particularly loved the “One Little Spark” song being incorporated into the apparel.

Passholder Collection

Annual Passholders will have the opportunity to collect special items available throughout the festival. The first items are set to appear on August 29th, 2019, while the remaining items will be available to purchase on September 12th, 2019.

Entertainment

The Food and Wine Festival wouldn’t be complete without some spectacular entertainment. The Eat To The Beat Concert Series returns once again with 36 incredible artists who will be performing 3 shows daily starting on August 29th. These will take place at the American Gardens Theatre with dining packages available which guarantee a seat at the concerts. For full artist line up click here.

Check out some of the featured artists making a very special appearance at this year’s Eat To The Beat Concert Series:

Joey Fatone and Friends, featuring Chris Kirkpatrick and Ryan Cabrera

Grace Kelly

Additional events and activities will also include:

Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak Scavenger Hunt (collect all ingredients throughout the World Showcase for a special prize)

Emile’s Fromage Montage (purchase 5 delicious cheese dishes throughout the festival for a special treat)

Candy Sushi (learn how to make sushi treats with a Disney Chef)

The Chocolate Experience (learn all about chocolate and what it takes for it to get from the bean to the bar)

Family Play Zone (a perfect spot for the little ones to release some energy)

Disney Du Jour Dance Party (this dance party features a DJ 7 days a week and live performances from Disney Radio stars)

You can find more information on all these events, as well as details on festival seminars, demonstrations, celebrity chefs, and the brand new Tailgate Tasting hosted by ESPN’s Monday Night Football (perfect for all those football fans!) by visiting the Walt Disney World website.

Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon

Let’s not forget to celebrate the start of the RunDisney race season with the Wine and Dine Half Marathon weekend taking place October 31st- November 3rd, 2019. The race welcomes all ages and skill levels, and offers a Post- race party addon exclusively for runners and their guests.

I’m particularly excited for this race as this will be my first official RunDisney event. After seeing those beautiful medals, I honestly cannot wait for that race weekend!

As you can see there are even more exciting things happening at this year’s 24th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Make sure you start planning your trip and making your reservations now as many events fill up fast. The festival runs from August 29th to November 3rd, expanding the celebration to a total of 87 days.

A huge thank you to the Walt Disney World Resort for the invitation!