Spring has sprung at Walt Disney World with the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival that kicked off on March 2nd and doesn’t end until July 4th. This beautiful yearly festival celebrates everything we love about springtime. With a variety of seasonal foods from the outdoor kitchen to the colorful flowers and topiaries, this is a great festival to experience.
Topiary Displays and Flowers
One of my favorite things about this festival and what sets it apart from the other EPCOT festivals are the beautiful flowers and topiary displays. Many Disney characters are represented through beautiful spring foliage. In addition to the topiaries, the park is draped in amazing colors. It’s a beautiful site all around. Plus, it’s included with theme park admission or annual passes.
Entertainment
Like all the festivals, there is a decent entertainment lineup. For The Flower & Garden Festival, the Garden Rocks Concert series offers a variety of bands and performers that are included in admission. Also, you can book a dining package that guarantees you’ll be first to grab seating at the show. However, you may also choose to get in line for the general viewing which doesn’t cost any extra. Below are the concerts on tap for the remainder of the festival. There were many more prior to this as they started at the beginning of March. There is a decent variety of music for different tastes. I’m a little old school so I’m most excited for Don McLean, Don Felder, and STARSHIP.
Garden Rocks April- July Concert Line Up
- Blue October* – NEW!
April 8 & 9 - Don McLean*
April 10 & 11 - Epic
April 12 to 14 - Tommy DeCarlo, singer of the band Boston* – NEW!
April 15 & 16 - Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles*
April 17 & 18 - The Hooligans
April 19 to 21 - STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas*
April 22 & 23 - Claudia Leitte* – NEW!
April 24 & 25 - Element
April 26 to 28 - Berlin*
April 29 & 30 - TobyMac*
May 1 & 2 - Latin Ambition
May 3 to 5
- Blood, Sweat & Tears*
May 6 & 7 - The Commodores* – NEW!
May 8 & 9 - The Vybe
May 10 to 12 - Ambrosia with Peter Beckett* – NEW!
May 13 & 14 - MercyMe*
May 15 & 16 - Finesse
May 17 to 19 - A Flock of Seagulls*
May 20 & 21 - Collin Raye* – NEW!
May 22 & 23 - Country Airwaves
May 24 to 26 - Thelma Houston* – NEW!
May 27 & 28 - Little River Band*
May 29 & 30 - The Hooligans
May 31 to June 2
- Simple Plan*
June 3 to 6 - Audio Exchange
June 7 to 9 - Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone*
June 10 to 13 - Latin Ambition
June 14 to 16 - Plain White T’s*
June 17 to 20 - Element
June 21 to 23 - War*
June 24 & 25 - Daughtry* – NEW!
June 26 & 27 - Epic
June 28 to 30 - M-80’s
July 1 to 4
Food
The best part of any good EPCOT festival is the variety of outdoor kitchens. Flower & Garden has no shortage of great food items. With 18 outdoor kitchens and even more places with specialty items, there is something for everyone.
Here are a few of our favorite booths: The Honey Bee-stro by National Honey Board has great honey and sweet corn spoon bread and a lavender honey mustard chicken flatbread. I loved both of these items and can’t wait to have them again. Northern Bloom at the Canada Pavilion has tasty seared scallops and beef tenderloin tips. And La Isla Fresca between Morocco and France is Encanto themed and serves up arepas. We had the one topped with shrimp and avocado and the one topped with chorizo. Both were great. There are so many other things we didn’t get to try yet. I can’t wait to go back and experience more of the food this festival offers.
Getting the opportunity to experience not only all the EPCOT festivals but to visit them each multiple times to really take advantage of everything they have to offer is one of the best parts of living in Central Florida.
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