Simply Perfect Vacations favorite Epcot festival is almost here! (Do we say that for every festival? Well, we really mean it this time! - Just don't tell Food and Wine, Holiday or Arts festival we said that please.)  The Flower and Garden festival welcomes in Spring with fresh flavors - edible and drinkable - and with beautiful floral and topiary arrangements throughout the park. This year the Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will start on March 3 and run until July 5, 2021! Giving guests plenty of time to eat and sip everything offered at the Outdoor Kitchens.

Speaking of the Outdoor Kitchens, we have a Foodie Guide lists for you that goes over all of the sweet and savory bites as well as the drinks guests at the festival-exclusive Outdoor Kitchens. There are over 20 Outdoor Kitchens this year with some new additions! A new kitchen is the EPCOT Sunshine Griddle offering delicious brunch items, and EPCOT Farmers Feast, where a rotating seasonal menu will offer the finest local ingredients through the festival.   There is even a new Orange Bird sipper (which is very popular with fans every year).

Returning favorites include the Garden Graze, a fun food stroll that highlights five delicious offerings at the festival – all listed in the Festival Passport. Upon purchasing a Garden Graze, Guests will receive a stamp for their Festival Passport. Once they’ve collected all five of the required stamps, they will receive a complimentary prize exclusive to the festival. The Garden Graze does not have to be completed in one day and have the entire festival to complete the Garden Graze and receive the prize.

Also new for this year’s festival will be music! Each weekend, guests can enjoy a series of concerts featuring local bands from Orlando, also known as the “City Beautiful.” Friday through Monday evenings, these “City Beautiful” bands will take the stage at America Gardens Theatre to perform.

Now, on to the food! 

Refreshment Outpost
Food Item:

• Pineapple Skewer with Tajin Seasoning (gluten/wheat friendly; plant-based; Garden Graze).

Beverage:

• Islamorada Beer Company Key Lime Hibiscus Ale, Ft. Pierce, Fla. (new).

Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market (Germany)
Food Items:

• Potato Pancakes with House-made Apple Sauce (gluten/wheat friendly; plant-based; Garden Graze).
• Potato Pancake with Caramelized Ham, Onions, and Herb Sour Cream (gluten/wheat friendly).
• Toasted Pretzel Bread topped with Black Forest Ham and Melted Gruyère Cheese. 
• Warm Cheese Strudel with Mixed Berries.

Beverages:

• I.A. Brewing Hugo, Doral, Fla. 
• Bitburger Premium Pils, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. 
• Stiegl Brewery Radler Zitrone, Salzburg, Austria. 
• Apfelschaumwein: Sparkling Wine and Apple Liqueur. 
• Beer Flight.

Northern Bloom (Canada)
Food Items:

• Seared Scallops with French Green Beans, Butter Potatoes, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Apple-wood-smoked Bacon (gluten/wheat friendly).
• Beef Tenderloin Tips, Mushroom Bordelaise Sauce, and Whipped Potatoes with Garden Vegetables.
• Griddled Maple Pound Cake with Warm Peach Compote and Sweet Corn Gelato. 

Beverages:

• Maple Popcorn Shake (non-alcoholic). 
• 81Bay Brewing Apricot with Maple Syrup, Tampa, Fla.
• Collective Arts Brewing Blackberry Fruit Beer, Hamilton, Ontario. 
• Goose Island Beer Company Lost Palate Hazy IPA with Mango and Cinnamon, Chicago, Ill. (new).
• Maple Popcorn Shake with Tap 357 Maple Rye Whisky. 
• Beer Flight.

Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico)
Food Items:

• Tostada de Cochinita: Braised Pork on a Crispy Corn Tortilla with Black Beans topped with Pickled Onions, Mango-Habanero Relish, and Oregano (gluten/wheat friendly).
• Taco Vampiro: Braised Beef on a Corn Tortilla with Crispy Grilled Monterey Jack Cheese and Salsa Ranchera (gluten/wheat friendly).
• Sope de Chorizo: Plant-based Ground Chorizo on Fried Corn Dough with Black Beans and Avocado Mousse (gluten/wheat friendly; plant-based).

Beverages:

• Passion Fruit Margarita: Corazón de Agave Blanco Tequila, Passion Fruit Purée, Lime Juice, Nixta Corn Liqueur, and a hint of smoke with a Hibiscus Flower Salt Rim.
• The Garden Margarita: Ojo de Tigre Mezcal, Lettuce Juice, Ancho Reyes Chile Verde Liqueur, Lime Juice, Gracias a Dios Agave Gin, and a Sprig of Thyme.
• Tulum Mexican Craft Beer with Floater: Artisanal Lager with Citrus notes made with Caribbean Seawater and served with an Elderflower Liqueur Floater.

Lotus House (China)
Food Items:

• Papa Cakes: Potato Cakes filled with Shrimp and Water Chestnuts served with House-made Strawberry Sauce (new).
• Bon Bon Chicken Skewer with Sesame and Peanut Sauce. 
• House-made Crab and Cheese Wontons. 

Beverages:

• “Panda” Bubble Tea: Classic Milk Tea with Black and White Boba Pearls (non-alcoholic).
• Jasmine Draft Beer.
• Marco Boba: Amaretto, Iced Coffee, Milk, and Boba. 
• Kung Fu Punch: Vodka, Triple Sec, Mango Syrup, Orange Juice, and Soda Water.
• Tang Dynasty: Jose Cuervo Especial Tequila Gold, Light Rum, Strawberry Syrup, Piña Colada Mix, White Boba Pearls, and Soda Water (new).​

Primavera Kitchen (Italy)
Food Items:

• Margherita: Rustic Italian Flatbread with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella.
• Arancini: Sweet Sausage Fried Risotto Balls with Pomodoro Sauce.
• Traditional Sicilian Cannoli: Crisp Pastry filled with Sweet Ricotta, Chocolate, and Candied Orange.

Beverages:

• Peroni Pilsner.                                                                                       
• Pinot Grigio.                                                                                         
• Chianti.
• Prosecco.                                                                      
• Rosa Regale.
• Moscato.                                                          
• Italian White Sangria with Prosecco.
• Italian Red Sangria with Cabernet Sauvignon.       
• Italian Margarita with Limoncello and Tequila.

Hanami (Japan)
Food Items:

• Frushi: Strawberry, Pineapple, and Cantaloupe wrapped in Sweet Rice and Pink Soy Wrap served with Whipped Cream, Drizzled Berry Sauce, and Toasted Coconut.
• Shrimp and Crab with Spicy Mayonnaise and Cucumber Slices finished with Creamy Avocado and Violet Sauce (new).
• Soy-glazed Pork Shank with Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Lotus Flower, Garlic Chips, and Green Onion.

Beverages:                                                                    

• Sakura Zen Ale.
• Pineapple Sake.
• Blood Orange Sour with Fresh Mint (new). 

Fleur de Lys (France)
Food Items:

• Tarte aux Oignons Caramélisés et Chèvre: Goat Cheese Tart with Caramelized Onions on a flaky Pastry Crust.
• Canard Confit à l’Orange aux Gnocchi à la Parisienne: Braised Duck Confit à l’Orange with Parisian Gnocchi (new).
• Macaron au Chocolate en Sucette: Large Chocolate Macaron Lollipop.
• Beignet Caramélisé, Fourré Crème Vanille, Glacé au Caramel Fleur de Sel: Caramelized Beignet filled with Vanilla Cream and Glazed with Caramel Fleur de Sel (new).

Beverages:

• Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 Draft Beer.
• VeRy Raspberry: Rosé Wine with Natural Raspberry Flavor.
• Chardonnay, Le Vieux Manoir (new).
• Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec Blend, Château Lorient (new).
• La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushy: Vodka, Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka, St. Germain Liqueur, White and Red Cranberry Juice.  

Joffrey’s

• Future World East: Bloomin’ Berry: Frozen Lemon and Blackberry Syrup with a splash of Vodka (new).
• Showcase Plaza:Citrus Sunrise: Frozen Lemon and Passion Fruit with Mandarin Vodka (new).
• The American Adventure: Bubbly Brew: Jameson®Cold Brew Whiskey and Coffee with a splash of Coke® (new).
• Canada: Spring Flurry: Frozen Lemon and Cinnamon Whiskey (new).

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If you're ready to book your trip to Walt Disney World Resort, contact your Simply Perfect Vacations agent today. Or you can request a free, no obligation quote here.

Throughout the park guests will see stunning topiaries of Disney Character blooming to life. Favorite topiaries that you will see include Remy in the France pavilion; Tinker Bell and the Fairy Houses in the United Kingdom; Lady and the Tramp (a personal favorite) in Italy; and Sorcerer Mickey at the park’s reimagined main entrance.

If you're going to the festival for food and drink, you won't be disappointed.  With more than 20 delectable stops to choose from you can embark on a mouth-watering tour  around the park and discover a variety of options.  Each Outdoor Kitchen offers a specialty menu of creative cuisine and libations to savor and sip. 

Looking for live entertainment? The Flower and Garden festival features live music every day.  Voices of Liberty will perform an all-American a cappella showcase and Mariachi Cobre will perform Mexican folk music.  Jammin’ Gardeners will be at EPCOT performing rhythmic beats with inspired backyard percussion, and in the World Showplace the EPCOT Pianist will be playing seasonal songs.

The Festival is fun for the whole family with the fun scavenger hunts. Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration is a springtime quest to find the buzzzz-iest honey bee at Walt Disney World Resort.  And during the Easter season (March 19 – April 4), Guests can also take part in the Egg-stravaganza Scavenger Hunt to find Disney pals and their oversized eggs all around World Showcase.

No Festival visit would be complete without picking up some official event merchandise to commemorate you visit. This year's merchandise will feature Orange Bird, Figment, Minnie Mouse and Spike the Bee on apparel, headwear, drinkware and much more.

The best part about visiting the Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival? It is available for guests already visiting EPCOT to experience at no extra charge! Valid admission and a park reservation to Epcot for the same date of your visit is required (food, beverage and merchandise are not included and do cost extra).

If you're ready to book your spring trip to Walt Disney World, contact your Simply Perfect Vacations agent today. Or you can request a free, no obligation quote here.