The time has come! The 2026 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts has officially begun, and, of course, we are in EPCOT to experience it all. We will be eating our way through the booths, admiring a variety of art, enjoying the entertainment, and more. And we are bringing you all along with us!

We’re experiencing it ALL so we can share the must-dos with you. Come along with us to get a peek at this year’s Festival of the Arts. Let’s go!

We will be updating this post throughout the day, so stay tuned for more!

Festival Dates

The 2026 Festival of the Arts runs from January 16th through February 23rd. It’s definitely on the shorter end when it comes to EPCOT Festivals, so don’t wait too long to visit! The Festival celebrates three artistic disciplines: Culinary, Visual, and Performing Arts.

The Culinary Arts, in particular, are recognized by the presence of Food Studios. These standalone marketplace booths offer enhanced food options around the park, with a focus on unique presentation in keeping with the artistic Festival theme. You can also catch artists throughout the park and Broadway stars in the Disney on Broadway Concert Series.

Check Out Our FULL PAGE About the Festival of the Arts Here

Getting Started and Crowds

It might be a chilly morning, but lots of people are excited for EPCOT! We were in EPCOT bright and early to be one of the first ones to experience the festival — and we definitely weren’t the only ones.

Crowds can look bigger right around rope drop, but they become more manageable as people start to spread out. The first days of festivals are generally pretty crowded, too. Although today is a chilly day, so it might be a bit lighter of a crowd than normal, we will see!

We are here EARLY and we are not the only ones who are excited!! 🤭✨🎨 pic.twitter.com/1r4tiaCi9w

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) January 16, 2026

After rope drop, quite a few people also headed to the Creations Shop to check out merchandise, but we could still maneuver around fairly easily. So, not too bad so far!

You Won’t BELIEVE the Crowds at the 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Arts

Signs and Decor

Make sure you keep an eye out as you enter EPCOT from the front entrance — you’ll find signs and decor featuring the many colors of the rainbow, with a particular purple dragon playing a prominent role! This is an excellent spot for a photo op. Especially since it’s easy to forget to take photos throughout the day, knocking one out at the beginning is always a good idea!

Throughout EPCOT, you will also be able to spot other Festival of the Arts signs!

Festival Passport

When you first enter EPCOT, don’t forget to grab a Festival Passport! (Don’t worry, you can also find them throughout the park if you forget to grab one.) The Festival of the Arts has its very own Passport with all sorts of information about the event, including food booths, entertainment, and more.

Here’s a closer look at this year’s Festival of the Arts Passport! We are loving all the colors!

EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts has official kicked-off! Look how cute the 2026 passport is 🥹🖌️🎨 pic.twitter.com/Yma9YRAJGV

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) January 16, 2026

You can get an in-depth look inside this year’s festival passport right here!

Take A Look Inside the 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Arts Passport

Festival Merchandise

In addition to food and entertainment, there’s plenty of festival merchandise to browse. We spotted some NEW ears for the Festival of the Arts!

SPOTTED: new ears for International Festival of the Arts 🤩✨🥹 pic.twitter.com/9pERErz5V9

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) January 16, 2026

As well as a new Figment Loungefly backpack!

You can also snag this Corkcicle Water Bottle. 

We also spotted this fun Festival of the Arts Spirit Jersey!

You can take a look at even more of the festival merchandise right here!

Every NEW Souvenir that Just Dropped at EPCOT for the Festival of the Arts

You can also snag an exclusive Figment Popcorn Bucket! We have a feeling this guy is going to be popular. You will need to place a Mobile Order on the My Disney Experience app to snag him.

This NEW EPCOT Festival of the Arts Souvenir Is Going to Be POPULAR

Performing Arts

Disney on Broadway performers will be returning to the stage in 2026 with three daily shows. You will get to see stars from Broadway shows such as Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and more. Check out a complete list of performers right here. 

These performances can be seen on the America Gardens Theater stage. CommuniCore Plaza will also host a variety of performances daily. You can check the My Disney Experience app for a list of performance times. You can also head over to CommuniCore Hall to see a Disney on Broadway Exhibit!

You’ll Regret Missing This Iconic EPCOT Festival of the Arts Attraction

Spaceship Earth Show

The night ends with a special show on Spaceship Earth exclusive to the festival! You’ll hear “You’re Welcome” from Moana and see a special lighting show. It’s a fun way to cap off a day at the festival and see Spaceship dance with lights.

All The Entertainment You Can Experience at the 2026 EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts

Visual Arts

You can also celebrate the visual arts throughout EPCOT with a variety of exhibits, hands-on experiences, and demonstrations. We always love checking out the Walking Chalk Gallery and seeing what the chalk artists are working on. Make sure to check the Festival of the Arts passport for more information!

You can even meet artists during the festival! Some popular artists that will be appearing during this year’s festival include:

• Jerrod Maruyama (January 16th through 21st)
• Joey Chou (January 21st through 29th)
• Stacey Aoyama (January 31st; February 1st through 5th)
• Will Gay (January 23rd, 24th, 30th, and 31st; February 1st)
• Jason Ratner (January 16th, 18th, 24th, 25th, and 31st; February 1st, 11th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 21st, and 22nd)
• Ashley Taylor (January 16th to 20th)
• Dave Perillo (January 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 24th, 25th, and 31st; February 1st to 5th)

You can find a full schedule on the Walt Disney World website (search for “Featured Artists”)or the My Disney Experience app. You can also head out on a scavenger hunt to find Figment!

Price Increase Hits Figment Scavenger Hunt in EPCOT — Is This Year’s Prize Worth It?

Also, keep an eye out for the Chalk Full of Character art around the park featuring beloved Disney characters in unexpected corners throughout the World Showcase pavilions!

The Hidden Details You NEED To Look For at the 2026 EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts

There are also NEW Disney Lorcana experiences at the Festival of the Arts this year. Of course, we had to check those out too! You can pick up a Festival Questbook and go on an “Ink and Find” adventure around EPCOT, looking for larger-than-life trading cards. When you’ve found all the giant cards, head back to Illumineer’s Lounge in Morocco to get a limited-edition Magical Places promo card.

You can also participate in the Collection Quest in the Illumineer’s Lounge. You can open Disney Lorcana booster packs and trade cards with others. Once you have a complete collection, you can redeem your Questbook for another limited-edition Magical Places promo card.

FIRST LOOK: Something NEW Has Come to the EPCOT Festival of the Arts!

Culinary Arts

Of course, it wouldn’t be an EPCOT Festival without FOOD! We are stopping at every single Food Studio and bringing you our full review of each! We started off at Craftsman’s Courtyard.

REVIEW: You’ll Be SHOCKED by the Food Disney Serves at This EPCOT Festival Booth

Then we headed over to Swirled Showcase.

REVIEW: You Can Customize Your DOLE Whip in EPCOT Right Now!

Next up was Fictional Victuals serving up a menu inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

REVIEW: The Hits, the Misses, and the Must-Tries at This Popular EPCOT Festival of the Arts Booth

Then we made our way over to Opening Bites.

REVIEW: This EPCOT Snack Is Back to Haunt My Dreams…Yet Again

We tried out El Artista Hambriento after that!

REVIEW: EPCOT Says It Doesn’t Play Favorites…But This Festival Booth Seems to Get ALL the Good Stuff

Then we made our way over to a fan-favorite, Deconstructed Dish — and to our surprise, a VERY different looking Deconstructed Key Lime Pie this year.

REVIEW: Welp, Disney Messed with One of Our Favorite EPCOT Festival Desserts…and It Did Not Go Well

We also stopped by Pop Eats! to try out a NEW grilled cheese option at this year’s festival.

REVIEW: We Just Ate A Fancy Grilled Cheese in EPCOT…And We Have Thoughts

Onto the next one, with The Painted Panda.

REVIEW: This EPCOT Festival Booth Could Meet Your Parents But It’s Probably Not THE ONE

We also stopped by L’Art de la Cuisine Française for some bread and cheese.

REVIEW: We Would Live at This EPCOT Festival of the Arts Booth If We Could

Next up, we stopped by Gourmet Landscapes.

REVIEW: Who Would’ve Thought BEETS Would Make Our Best of the Fest List for EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts?

Then we headed over to Vibrante and Vivido!

REVIEW: Empanadas and Pina Coladas in EPCOT? What’s Not To Love?

We also stopped by the Refreshment Outpost for one of the festival’s most iconic snacks.

REVIEW: It Only Costs $6 to Get One of the Most Iconic EPCOT Festival of the Arts Snacks

Then we made our way over to Figment’s Inspiration Station.

REVIEW: I Could Eat This NEW EPCOT Snack for the Next 38 Days and Never Get Tired of It

We also tried the dishes at L’Arte di Mangiare.

The One EPCOT Festival of the Arts Booth That Just Never Quite Gets It Right

We also ate and drank our way through Pastoral Palate.

REVIEW: If You Skip This Booth, You’re Doing EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts WRONG!

And, we also stopped by Goshiki at the Japan Pavilion.

REVIEW: I’d Like To Thank the Creator of This New EPCOT Snack for Making Me Believe in Happiness Again

We also got to try out the eats and drinks at The Artist’s Table. 

REVIEW: This New EPCOT Treat Is Every Chocolate Lover’s DREAM

We also stopped by Deco Delights.

REVIEW: Here We Have an EPCOT Festival of the Arts Booth That’s Simple Perfection

Lastly, we went to the Tangerine Cafe in Morocco!

REVIEW: There’s a Reason We Get The Same Thing From This EPCOT Booth Every Year (And You Should, Too!)

After all that food, we earned a prize! That’s right — if you participate in the Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine, you can get a FREE prize. Get five stamps from purchasing select menu items and return your Festival Passport to the Deco Delights Food Booth to claim your prize.

You Can Get a FREE Prize Just for Eating Around EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts

Additional Food Locations

A few permanent dining locations also serve up some festival eats! We started off our morning with a stop at Joffrey’s for the Pop Art Latte. It was artsy AND tasty, and we also wrote a full review!

REVIEW: Joffrey’s Understood the Assignment With Its NEW EPCOT-Exclusive Drink

We also made a stop by the Funnel Cakes stand in the American Adventure Pavilion to try the festival-exclusive funnel cake, the Wild Berry Funnel Cake!

REVIEW: It’s Sweet. It’s Fried. And It Has Berries. We Are Loving This NEW Disney World Funnel Cake

We will be bringing you reviews of even more additional locations — so stay tuned!

Want to know how to handle the Festival like a PRO? Grab our DFB Guide to the Festival of the Arts for tips, tricks, and advice. Stay tuned to this post, as we’ll be updating it throughout the festival!

Find Out EVERYTHING You Need To Know About the 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Arts Here

Will you be checking out the Festival of the Arts this year? Tell us in the comments.