It is the first day of spring, and what better way to celebrate, than to surround yourself with beautiful flowers and foliage. The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is the perfect way to kick-off the spring season. You can breathe in the fresh spring air, inhale the fragrance of the many flowers, taste the gourmet snacks at the Garden Marketplace, and listen to music from some well-known bands of decades past.
This year, look for new topiaries of characters from many Disney movies, including Phineas and Ferb and Monsters Inc, and visit Radiator Springs featuring Lightening McQueen. Another new feature that will surprise you shows the topiaries in a whole new light when the sun goes down.
Of course at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, there are plenty of flowers and gardens. Make sure to take some time to stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the beautiful colors of the flora. You can learn tips for gardening, and if you aren’t a green thumb, you might just learn a thing or two. Even if you don’t, you can still enjoy the hard work that other gardeners have done to make the displays a true work of art.
The festival is family-friendly, as you would expect at Walt Disney World. Children can enjoy the displays and the concerts as much as the adults. In addition to the rides and shops that Epcot always offers, there is a special play area for the festival, based on the new Disney movie, “Oz the Great and Powerful”. Disney always does the best theming, and this is sure to occupy the little ones while you stop to take a breather and soak it all in. Once they have expended plenty of energy there, they may just be ready to sit down for a nice meal at one of the many wonderful restaurants at Epcot, or on the weekends they can sit with you and enjoy a concert.
This year, the Flower Power Concert Series at the America Gardens Theatre, is once again welcoming back many returning performers. Micky Dolenz of The Monkees and Chubby Checker have already performed, and The Guess Who will be performing next, March 22-24.
Ricky Nelson Remembered, featuring The Nelsons are back on March 29 through the 31. Matthew and Gunnar Nelson always share great stories about their father and bring such a unique perspective and personal element to the music. The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie are a blast. They are performing on April 5-7. Paul Revere & The Raiders is April 12-14, The Village People won’t be staying at the Orlando YMCA, but I’m sure they will be singing about it April 19-21. The Orchestra featuring Former Members of ELO and ELO II are April 26-28. Tommy Roe is May 3-5, Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone are May 10-12, and Starship Starring Mickey Thomas closes the festival from May 17-19.
The Flower Power Concert Series lasts the duration of the festival on Fridays through Sundays, and there are three concerts nightly at 5:30, 6:45, and 8:00. The concerts, and most of the festival activities are free with admission. Visit the website for deals for Florida Residents.
If you do not have kids or you wish to make the event a date night, a girl’s night, or just a gathering with friends, Epcot does have sights and attractions more geared for adults. This is not a dry park, so they do offer adult beverages in all of the countries. There are many restaurants and shops, and most of the countries have educational movies or mini museums that display artifacts or teach about that part of the world. There is something for everyone at Epcot, and the Flower and Garden Festival is the perfect time to go and check it out.
Comments