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[title]The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival returns to Walt Disney World from August 27 through November 21, 2026, marking the event's 30th anniversary. To celebrate the milestone, Disney has introduced “Around the World in 30 Plates,” a collection of 30 returning or reimagined dishes from three decades of festival menus. The nearly three-month event transforms the park into one park-wide culinary crawl, with limited-time food booths, drinks, concerts, scavenger hunts, and plenty of festival-exclusive merchandise.
Festival admission is included with a valid EPCOT ticket, although food, drinks, and select activities cost extra. Here's everything you need to know before eating your way around the World Showcase.
What is the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival?
Food & Wine is one of EPCOT's four annual festivals. You'll find Global Marketplaces throughout the park, serving snack-sized dishes and drinks inspired by countries and culinary traditions worldwide.
The 2026 marketplace lineup spans six continents, with booths representing Australia, Mexico, China, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Greece, Belgium, Brazil, France, Canada, and more. You'll also find themed concepts like Gyozas of the Galaxy, Flavors from Fire, and The Fry Basket.
Not every marketplace opens on day one. Coastal Eats, Earth Eats, India, and The Alps start serving on October 2. The Wedge, a cheese-centric marketplace inside CommuniCore Hall, runs from September 18 through November 8.
The kiosks serve small, snack-size portions so you can sample several dishes in one visit. Pick up a Festival Passport when you arrive at the park to help you plan which kiosks to visit and which dishes to try.
Eat to the Beat Concert Series
Beyond the food, the festival brings live music to EPCOT through the Eat to the Beat Concert Series. Performances take place nightly from August 27 through November 16 at the America Gardens Theatre, with showtimes at 5:30pm, 6:45pm, and 8pm.
This year's schedule includes Yellowcard, New Found Glory, Smash Mouth, The Fray, Bowling for Soup, Boyz II Men, and The Beach Boys.
Concerts are included with valid EPCOT admission, and standby seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. For popular acts, plan to stake out a spot in the standby line at least 45 minutes to an hour before showtime, especially on weekends. Arriving 20 minutes early for a lesser-known local act is usually enough.
If you'd rather skip the line and make sure you get a great seat, book an Eat to the Beat Dining Package. It pairs a meal at a participating EPCOT restaurant with guaranteed seating at one concert that day, and you can reserve packages up to 60 days in advance through the My Disney Experience app. Book as early as your window allows, since slots for big-name performers fill fast.
What to do between bites
The festival offers more than eating and drinking. Catch the JAMMitors, who turn trash cans and kitchen equipment into percussion instruments. Or take on one of EPCOT's seasonal scavenger hunts.
Remy's Ratatouille Hide & Squeak sends guests searching for Remy statuettes hidden around World Showcase and the Global Marketplaces. Maps cost $11.99 plus tax and come with a festival keepsake, even if you don't find every Remy. From September 25 through November 2, Pluto's Pumpkin Pursuit offers a Halloween-themed hunt featuring decorative pumpkins inspired by Disney characters.
Cheese fans can indulge in Emile's Fromage Montage by purchasing five qualifying cheese dishes around the park and collecting a stamp for each in the Festival Passport. Once you have five stamps, bring the passport to Shimmering Sips for a complimentary festival treat. You can spread the challenge across multiple visits to the park, so there's no need to eat all five dishes in one day.
Keep an eye out for festival-exclusive Disney PhotoPass opportunities around EPCOT. Culinary-inspired Magic Shots include a Muppets-themed Swedish Chef photo in World Celebration, a Leaning Tower of Cheeza shot inspired by A Goofy Movie in the Italy Pavilion, and a giant empanada photo in the Mexico Pavilion.
If you’re looking for keepsakes to remember the visit, a whole fleet of specialty merchandise is available for purchase. Everything from T-shirts to pot holders, even tiny decorative trash cans, is available at Creations.
The best dishes to try
Basil Pesto Chicken Dumplings, Gyozas of the Galaxy: $5.99
This is without a doubt my favorite dish from this year's festival. I love it when dumplings cross cultures, and this one definitely leans unexpectedly Italian in a way most people wouldn’t expect from the filled dish. The chicken filling inside is cooked perfectly, and the fonduta sauce is extremely creamy. They are topped with tomato confit and a balsamic drizzle that cuts through the dish's richness with a much-needed pop of acidity. Whether you share it or order two and make it dinner, the price point is great.
Chocolate-Pistachio Cookie, Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina: $4.29
It may look like a basic chocolate-dipped cookie, but this is my favorite sweet at an EPCOT festival yet. The cookie is soft, and inside sits a mix of pistachio paste and knafeh, a nod to the still-viral Dubai chocolate trend. It's sold as a shareable size, but honestly, good luck sharing once you take a bite.
Rodizio-Style Grilled Beef Skewer, Flavors from Fire: $6.99
EPCOT already feels like the surface of the sun this time of year, so respect to the cast members manning that grill. This returning favorite is a star, and it's easy to see why it's back. The portion is generous, the beef is cooked perfectly, and the potatoes and peppers round it out nicely. It's the perfect pop-up protein to keep you fueled through the rest of the park.
Tips for visiting the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival guide
This is EPCOT’s most popular festival, so you’ll want to make a game plan. You can check out the festival menus ahead of time and make a list of your must-try dishes and drinks. This way, you can avoid filling up at the first few booths and miss things worth the walk. If you can, visit with a group since sharing dishes lets you sample more without overspending or getting too full.
Weekday afternoons are generally easier to navigate than Friday nights and weekends, when locals hit the park and join vacationers around World Showcase. If you arrive at 11 when the festival booths open, start near the back of the park at the International Gateway, as most visitors begin with the booths closest to EPCOT’s main entrance.
Since the festival kicks off during the summer, you’ll need to plan for the weather. Schedule indoor activities and air-conditioned breaks, and try to visit later in the day when things have cooled down, if possible. Be sure to hydrate, especially if you’re planning to sample some of the festival’s alcoholic options. And of course, always pack a poncho.
Finally, set a budget. Even though the portions are small, some of the price tags add up quickly. Festival-themed mini Disney Gift Cards can be worn on your wrist, making them an easy way to track spending while keeping your phone and wallet tucked away.