When Disney has its slow season at the beginning of the year, travelers can go and enjoy food and art for the weekends from late January to mid-February. In the beginning, the Festival of the Arts was created as a way to attract tourists to Disney during the colder months of the year. The festival debuted in 2017 and has become an annual tradition, along with the Food and Wine Festival and Flower and Garden Festival. Disney’s Festival of the Arts celebrates performing, visual, and culinary arts, all throughout Epcot. 

Epcot visitors can find 16 food booths and multiple tents throughout the area where you view artwork of varying artists. You can buy their artwork on canvases, postcards, and as large or mini prints. By the store Creations, there are handmade sculptures and jewelry available to buy. 

The 16 food booths can mainly be found throughout the World Showcase, which takes guests around the world visiting different countries. Each country’s booth offers a small portion of food that was originally made in that country. There is also a performance by former Disney Broadway stars nightly, where they sing classic Disney songs. Other performances include those of music from varying bands and talented visual artists. Visitors can also see artists draw or paint their work live and afterwards they are able to get prints and canvases signed. 

Within Epcot, there are multiple paintings set up in life size proportions so that visitors can recreate these paintings in photograph form with friends and family. There is also special edition merchandise for the festival that includes collectors pins, spirit jerseys, cups, and t-shirts.  This festival is the perfect opportunity to get away for the weekend and go down to sunny Florida to eat and see interesting artwork. This year’s festival runs from January 12th to February 19th.