Throughout the seasons at Walt Disney World, there is almost always a festival happening at EPCOT, and my personal favorite kicks off the year each January. The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is easily the most interactive and entertaining of the four festivals, and often the most overlooked. With Figment as your guide, experience the full palette of Broadway performances, interactive photo ops, and unique creative activities at EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts!
The Art!
The highlight of this festival is simply the art on display – from classic paintings to pressed metal and crafted sculptures, there are so many different types of visual art showcased. Disney invites artists from around the world to create and display art specifically for this event, and you’ll find a plethora of unique pieces to admire.
Artist booths are set up throughout the World Showcase and around World Celebration, allowing guests to chat with artists, watch live paintings, or purchase art to bring home. While there are many pricey, extravagant pieces for sale at this event, you’ll also find small prints and postcards that also make great souvenirs. The artists rotate throughout the festival, with a full listing of dates and locations available here: Artists at 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Arts.
If you are a fan of Disney Parks history you might just see some notable names on this list – Tony Baxter, former VP of Walt Disney Imagineering and the lead creator of classic attractions like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain, will be showcasing his art January 22 – 25!
One of my favorite areas of the festival is the chalk art on the promenade leading into the World Showcase. Rotating pieces line the sides of the walkway, and you can even catch artists hard at work on these. The most eye-catching visual attraction here is the illusion chalk art – carefully step “inside” these illusions and help bring the art to life! These pieces change throughout the festival — with no covering in this area and the occasional Disney Downpour, artists get many blank slates to work with over the course of the event. Guests can return throughout their visit to Disney World to see what new art has been created after a rainstorm.
The Activities!
NEW! Quest your way through the Fest with the New Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game! Complete the Collection Quest and Ink & Find Scavenger Hunt, and earn complimentary trading cards as you find giant-sized Lorcana cards around the park.
- Collection Quest: Trade Disney Lorcana cards with other guests at the Lumineers Lounge in Morocco, and receive a limited-edition Magical Places promo card.
- Ink & Find Scavenger Hunt: Discover larger-than- life trading cards scattered throughout EPCOT. Find the cards, match them to the special ink stickers on your map, and receive a different limited-edition Magical Places promo card.
Wanna play? To take part in the Collection Quest and Ink & Find Scavenger Hunt:
- Pick up your complimentary Festival Questbook on the bridge to World Showcase, available starting at 9:00 AM (while supplies last).
- Play! Follow the guide in the Festival Questbook for both activities.
- When your Questbook is complete, pick up your Magical Places promo cards from the Illumineer’s Lounge in the Morocco Pavilion, or from Figment’s Inspiration Station at The Odyssey.
Based on the crowd reports from today’s opening of the Festival (January 16) it seems like this is going to be a very popular activity and guests should plan to pick up their Questbooks early in the day.
Take a turn with a paintbrush as you join in on the creativity with the Paint by Numbers Mural! This free activity is actually a lot of fun – guests are given a small foam-tip paint brush and a ramakin of paint with a number on the cover. Cast members will then guide you to an empty/accessible area of the massive paint-by-numbers mural, and you can help complete a (team)work of art! You can do this multiple times throughout your visit to EPCOT if you want to contribute to another mural later in your trip – once a wall is completed, it’s replaced with a fresh set of squares featuring a different design.
Scattered throughout the park, guests can step into classic frames to become part of famous works in Artful Photo Ops! Cross the Delaware with George Washington in the America Pavillion, or become part of The Scream near Italy and Germany. There are PhotoPass Cast Members available at these locations for nice shots as well.
Younger guests can also take part in the creativity at the Kids Chalk Art area near the Imagination Pavilion. Available daily from 11am – 5pm, kids can get their creativity flowing and contribute to the Festival of the Arts with their own chalk masterpieces.
As you explore the World Showcase, keep an eye out for some of your favorite characters hidden in each pavilion. In the past I’ve found Luca and Alberto by the water fountain in Italy, Abu in the bazaar in Morocco, and Meeko and Flit from Pocahontas in America. I can sense a recurring medium here – this festival is chalk-full of fun!
My favorite activity at this festival is the Animation Academy offered at the America Gardens Theater. I am a huge fan of this experience at Animal Kingdom, but traveling out to Conservation Station is a bit of a time commitment. Having the class available right in the middle of the World Showcase is a fun and convenient way to learn to draw a classic Disney character from a real Disney animator. This is only offered twice per day at 12:30pm and 1:30pm, so plan ahead! Grab a clipboard, paper, pencil, and maybe a beverage, and create your own souvenir at this unique festival experience.
The Live Entertainment!
All of the EPCOT festivals include live entertainment, but the International Festival of the Arts really showcases the value of the performing arts more than any other. In years past, this event has featured jazz musicians and acrobatic performances, as well as the Disney on Broadway Series. This year, there is a lineup of musical acts taking the stage in CommunicorePlaza. When you visit this festival, check the lineup of musicians ahead of time, so you don’t miss any of the action. More info will be added to this website as showtimes become available: EPCOT Festival of the Arts
The Disney on Broadway Series is a fun and convenient way to experience the talent of the Broadway artists – all included with the price of your admission to EPCOT! The performers listed below have all been featured in major Broadway productions of Disney classics, and there are a number of new acts this year. Check out the dates below to see who’s on tap for your visit to the International Festival of the Arts!
2026 DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series Schedule
- Isabelle McCalla (“Aladdin”) – NEW! and Adam Jacobs (“Aladdin”)
- January 16, 18, 19, 22, 24, 26, 27
- Sierra Boggess (“The Little Mermaid”) – NEW! and Michael James Scott (“Aladdin”)
- January 17, 20, 21, 23, 25, 28, 29
- Anastacia McCleskey (“Tarzan”) – NEW! and Josh Strickland (“Tarzan”)
- January 30
- February 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10
- Mandy Gonzalez (“Aida”) and Kissy Simmons (“The Lion King”)
- January 31
- February 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12
- Ainsley Melham (“Aladdin”) – NEW! Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”)
- February 13, 15, 16, 19
- Susan Egan (“Beauty and The Beast”) – NEW! and James Monroe Iglehart (“Aladdin”) – NEW!
- February 14, 17, 18, 20, 21
- Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”), Ainsley Melham (“Aladdin”), Susan Egan (Beauty and The Beast”), James Monroe Iglehart (“Aladdin”)
- February 22, 23
The Treats!
While the art and entertainment on display is the real draw of the International Festival of the Arts, no EPCOT event would be complete without the proper snacks to go along with it. Known as Food Studios at this festival, the outdoor kitchens offer beautifully plated bites and sparkling sips that match the artful whimsy of this event. Think — a rainbow flight of hard ciders or a giant mozzarella stick with a “palette” of sauces (yes, even Italy manages to put out a great food item at this festival)!
Check out the foodie guide and menus here: 2026 Food Studios at EPCOT International Festival of the Arts!
Disney always makes a game out of eating at these events, and Festival of the Arts is no different. Pick up your free Festival Passport at any merchandise location in the park, and collect five (5) stamps as you taste the featured dishes on the “Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine.” The “prize” for completing this is usually another snack – last year, guests were given a Figment rice crispy treat for collecting all five stamps.
Blink and You’ll Miss It!
EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts only runs for 39 days! That’s right – unlike International Flower & Garden Festival, or International Food & Wine Festival, which both last for about 3 months, guests only have a small window to visit this unique and imaginative event. From the artwork and entertainment to activities and themed snacks, this festival is a showcase of the creative elements that bring Disney itself to life! With the cooler temperatures and kids back in school, mid-January to mid-February is a great time to visit Walt Disney World as an adult group or a solo adventurer. Let’s start planning your next Magical Quest today!
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