Your Guide to EPCOT International Festival of the Arts 2026
By Noddea Skidmore
The first EPCOT Festival of 2026 begins this Friday with Festival of the Arts, and we’re here to sketch out all the details of this special event that celebrates food, art, and entertainment in the most magical place on earth.
Running from January 16 through February 23, 2026, Festival of the Arts will offer the following as a part of your park admission:
VIBRANT ARTWORK
Throughout the Festival, you’ll find more than 50 Disney artists around the park with their work for sale. This will range from canvas, prints, and sketches, to sculpture, mugs, plush, and more. Sometimes, artists are in their booths to welcome guests, chat, take photos, and sign their work after it’s purchased. CLICK HERE to meet the artists and see who is appearing when!
Don’t forget to look up, down, and around while you’re walking around EPCOT: Chalk artists leave their mark in both obvious, and surprising, places! But wait… feeling like being an artist yourself? Grab your complimentary brush and paint to participate in the community paint by number mural at the Expression Section!
Pro tip: Think purchasing art from the artists is out of your price range? Think again! Most will have postcards available for purchase that fit a 4”x6”or 5”x7” matted frame that can be affordably purchased, thrifted, or re-purposed. This is a fun way to bring home the magic of this special festival at an affordable price while also brightening up your work or living space.
DAZZLING ENTERTAINMENT
The Disney On Broadway Concert Series will have you enthralled with the iconic sounds of Disney, performed live right before your eyes at the America Gardens Theatre at the American Adventure Pavillion! Broadway stars with Disney On Broadway credits will treat you to entertaining concerts featuring songs from Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Newsies, Tarzan, Mary Poppins, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and more, musicals adapted from Disney Channel Original Movies like High School Musical and Freaky Friday, along with songs that we know and love from films that are currently being adapted for future Disney on Broadway shows like Coco and Hercules. Performers are teamed up together to give you a non-stop exciting experience, and there’s even two special performances where you’ll get a double-dose of Broadway magic with four stars. You can find the schedule HERE; there are even multiple performances each night. To get the best seats, you’ll want to consider a Dining Package that includes reserved seating - and while the price is a little higher than your standard fare, think of it as a different take on Lightning Lanes - you’re spending less time in line, and investing in convenience. Plus, we all need to eat, right?!
Pro tip: A Park-Hopper ticket is where it’s at during Festival of the Arts! If music or Broadway make you feel the most alive, plan on spending your evenings - or at least a part of them - at EPCOT for the Disney On Broadway Concert Series. If you plan your trip just right, you can catch two, three or four different shows during the course of your trip! Stay after for the “ Luminous: The Symphony of Us” nighttime show, or time your evening just right to take the Skyliner to Hollywood Studios for “Fantasmic!” before the parks close.
ONCE UPON A STAGE: THE MAGIC OF DISNEY ON BROADWAY
Experience a behind the scenes look at what goes into the making of a Broadway show at this thrilling, beautiful exhibit at Communicore Hall, open daily during the Festival from 9am to 9pm. You’ll see costumes, props, puppets, and more that bring beloved Disney stories to life on stages around the world. This experience debuted in 2025, and featured costumes from Aladdin, the printing press from Newsies, scenic models from Frozen, puppets, masks, and costumes from The Lion King, and so much more!
PALATE-PLEASING CUISINE
There’s no shortage of incredible offerings at this year’s Festival of the Arts, including fan favorites and brand new fare! Whether you’re an adventurous eater (there’s a deconstructed BLT for you with Pork belly, soft-poached egg, onion bread pudding, watercress espuma, and tomato jam), or you like classic All-American foods (stop by Pop Eats for the cozy Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup), there’s a little something for everybody. And don’t forget beverages - ciders, ales, cocktails, mocktails, tea, and coffee drinks are waiting to quench your thirst.
Visiting the Festival with kiddos? Don’t skip Figment’s Inspiration Station at The Oddessy; the brand new Popcorn, Popcorn Chicken and Waffles dish with rainbow popcorn, popcorn chicken, mini mozza, and maple syrup promises both a tasty and fun foodie adventure for all ages!
Check out all of the Food Studio offerings HERE.
Pro tip: Peek at your weather before you get started and let the temps help guide your foodie tour. What do we mean?? Pick a cooler/less sunny time of the day to stop by the France Pavillion for a Crème de Brie en Petit Pain: Warm creamy brie in a house-made bread bowl, but treat yourself to your Liquid Nitrogen Minnie Cake Pop or Imagination Cone when you’re ready for a refreshing respite from the sun.
BRUSH UP ON THE FUN
These are just a few of the offerings that make EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts a creative landscape for fun and expression. Other exciting elements include:
Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt: Help Figment learn about art on a fun scavenger hunt around World Showcase.
Limited/Exclusive Merchandise: Featuring Figment the dragon, you’ll find vibrant gear at festival kiosks around the park, Creations Shop, and other select locations.
Visual Art Performance: Watch Disney artists bring beloved characters to life right before your eyes!
Kids’ Chalk Art: Little artists can leave their mark at World Celebration, each day of the Festival between 11am - 5pm daily.
Ready to add a little color to your life with a trip to Walt Disney World for EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts? Let’s plan together!
Meet Noddea -
A lifelong Disney fan from Grand Rapids, she specializes in crafting magical vacations for travelers of all kinds—LGBTQIA+ guests, bestie getaways, couples, and festival lovers alike. Whether sharing pro tips or reducing planning stress, Noddea brings purpose, love, and authenticity to every trip she helps design.
Want to book your next Vacation with Noddea? Click the link below to get connected!
