The wildly popular Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will be returning in 2016 for its 21st year, and I am hungry now just thinking about it!  The festival begins September 14 and will run through November 14.  Every year I see more and more faces in the crowd during the festival, and Walt Disney World Resort is keeping Guests coming back for more with returning fan favorite experiences.

The Eat to the Beat Concert Series will of course be returning to America Gardens Theater with favorite acts such as Wilson Phillips, Boyz II Men, and Jeffery Osbourne along with other favorites and some new acts as well.  Concerts are included with park admission, so grab a seat and enjoy the music while you enjoy your food and beverage choices from the International Marketplaces.

Boyz II Men at the Eat to the Beat Concert Series 2015

Some of the best minds in the culinary industry will again be sharing their tips and tricks during demonstrations and seminars over the course of the 62 day festival.  Sommeliers, mixologists, and celebrity chefs will be on-hand to dole out their knowledge to festival-goers.  For Guests who wish to enjoy a premium tasting experience, The Rockin’ Burger Block Party and Party for the Senses will be returning this year.  Special dining experiences will be available throughout the restaurants of World Showcase, and also at various restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels and Disney Springs.

The Festival Center will be buzzing with excitement again with one-of-a-kind Food & Wine Festival merchandise, book and bottle signing by celebrities in the culinary industry, and (my favorite from last year) The Chocolate Experience:  From Bean to the Bar, which will include samples for guests from host, Ghirardelli.  The chocolate exhibit included scenes from popular Disney movies crafted entirely out of chocolate!

House from ‘UP’ crafted out of chocolate

North Mountain from ‘Frozen’ crafted out of chocolate

While the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is mostly popular with the 21-and-over crowd, there are still experiences for the little ones to enjoy.  Chef Remy from the Disney film “Ratatouille” will be back with his family friendly scavenger hunt through the festival that includes six new collectible pins.  Kids can also take part in filling out their Marketplace Passport and receive a stamp for every bite they sample from each International Marketplace around World Showcase.

Photo courtesy of Disney

This is the first installment of a three part series we will be running to keep you up to date on all the happenings at this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, so make sure you sign up for the Magical DIStractions newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+, so you don’t miss the latest news!

Our YouTube channel features videos taken by our team and new videos will be added soon. Also, we have started a new group “Magical DIStractions” on Facebook where you can chat directly with our team and many other Disney Fans. Make sure you send us a join request! Believe me when I say, you don’t want to miss a single thing!