53 Delicious Days of Food, Wine and Fun Begins Today: Longest-Ever Foodie Festival at Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort guests can taste the cuisine of six continents, sip beverages from around the globe and eat to the beat of live entertainment at the 19th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival presented by Chase starting today, Sept. 19 through Nov. 10, 2014.
The 53-day festival at Disney’s Epcot theme park – longer than last year’s 46-day event — serves up authentic dishes to pair with wine, beers, cocktails and other beverages; nightly Eat to the Beat! concerts with entertainment ranging from rock and soul to funk and blues; cultural exhibits of more than 25 international regions; and regularly scheduled performances by acrobats, musicians, dancers and comedy troupes. Exotic marketplaces from Puerto Rico to Patagonia offer exciting taste treats. The festival is believed to be the largest food and wine event of its kind in the world, beginning at the Festival Welcome Center in Future World and fanning around the promenade encircling World Showcase Lagoon.
Here are some facts about the 19th annual event:
- A record 53 days long, the festival began in 1996 with a first run of 30 days
- 35 new marketplace dishes; more than 250 food-and-beverage menu items total — each tapas-sized portion or drink priced $3-$8
- More than 300 national and international wines
- 200-plus chefs will present culinary demonstrations and cook for festival events
- Nearly 400 culinary demos, beverage and mixology seminars take place during the 53-day festival
- More than 1,200 fireworks exploding each night over World Showcase Lagoon in “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth”
- 159 Eat to the Beat! concerts performed; 5 bands appearing for the first time at this year’s festival
- More than 60 wineries represented at festival marketplaces. For the first time ever, festival guests can sip Dom Pérignon at the Desserts & Champagne Marketplace
- More than 40 breweries from around the world, including local craft beer operations, will be represented at festival marketplaces
- 100,000-plus desserts including the Dessert Trio at Desserts & Champagne Marketplace
- More than 80,000 servings dished up of the most popular savory item at the 2012 international marketplaces: the “Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce from Canada
