20th Epcot International Flower And Garden Festival Overview

The 20th Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival presented by HGTV blooms into action March 6-May 19, 2013 at Walt Disney World Resort. More than 100 topiaries, 240 floating mini-gardens, dozens of flower towers and sweeping beds of multi-colored blooms will add floral splendor to the park landscape.

Flower and Garden Festival

This year Disney’s favorite topiaries and beautiful garden landscapes create the perfect backdrop this year’s new crop of festival additions that include food-and-beverage Garden Marketplaces, new topiaries, a circus-like “Land of Oz” play area, and nighttime illuminated gardens.

Flower and Garden Festival Additions Debuting This Year:

  • Garden Marketplace culinary creations ranging from smokehouse barbecue and shrimp with grits and Zellwood corn to sweet “frushi” made with fresh fruits and coconut rice.  Chefs are perfecting menus for marketplaces that will include Florida Fresh at World Showcase Promenade, Smokehouse Barbecue and Brew at American Adventure courtyard, Primavera Kitchen at Italy showcase, Hanami at Japan showcase and eight others.  Around the World Showcase promenade

Flower and Garden Festival

  • Garden Marketplace refreshing libations with a kick like Hot Sun Tomato Wine from Florida Orange Groves Winery and Dole Whip with Spiced Rum, as well as non-alcoholic drinks like Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade and Wild Berry Slush.  Beverage specialists will feature brews and beverages at food marketplaces and at Fruits by the Glass andPineapple PromenadeAround the World Showcase promenade
  • The Land of Oz Garden circus-like play area, based on the Disney fantastical film adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful” to be released March 8, 2013. The interactive children’s play zone will feature play systems adorned with giant flowers and designed to stretch kids’ imaginations and muscles. Midway-style games, circus-themed game tents and the “Oz Movie Garden” of intriguing plants will capture the spirit of the upcoming film.  Also on tap: photo opportunities and the “great and powerful Oz’s” crashed hot-air balloon. Imagination Walkway
Flower and Garden Festival
I am in love with these glass poppies outside of the Land of Oz play area.
  • Larger-than-life Fab Five Disney character topiary.  Floral versions of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto and Donald Duck (with Daisy Duck in a cameo) star in a celebratory cookout scene in living topiary color. The 14-foot-tall Goofy topiary will bobble an anniversary cake while Donald and Daisy play badminton, Mickey fires up the grill, Pluto swipes a link of hot dogs and Minnie chills out on a colorful blanket of blossoms. Epcot Front Entrance

Flower and Garden Festival

  • Illuminated Gardens in the park’s Future World and World Showcase will twinkle and glow over the festival’s world-famous Disney gardens and topiaries each festival evening. Epcot Future World and World Showcase

httpv://youtu.be/Uaok6wbfjuI

When you travel World Showcase, you’ll find each pavilion features its own nation-themed Garden Marketplace (they may even look familiar) featuring great food and drink options for theFlower and Garden Festival! Here’s just a taste of what’s in store:

International Pavilions

  • The Smokehouse – Barbeque and Brews: Get into some finger-lickin’ barbecue—pulled pork and smoked brisket—and ice-cold craft beers at The American Adventure.
  • Lotus House: Delicacies with Far Eastern flair await you at China: a savory spring pancake, taro-bacon puff pastry, bubble tea and more.
  • L’Orangerie: France presents a rustic ratatouille tart, country pâté with cherry compote and, of course, a selection of French wines.
  • Bauernmarkt – Farmer’s Market: Visit Germany, for spring pea and mushroom bread pudding, potato pancakes and a variety of beers.
  • Primavera Kitchen: Italy will be serving lobster with asparagus, spring vegetable lasagna, panna cotta, fruity cocktails and Italian wines.
  • Hanami: Named after the nation’s custom of viewing spring flowers, this location in Japan will feature “frushi,” or fruit sushi, grilled seafood sticks and sake.
  • Jardin de Fiestas: Join the party in Mexico with crab tostadas, pork tacos, the strawberry-infused Rosita margarita and tequila flights.
  • Taste of Marrakesh: Enjoy Morocco’s lamb kebabs and couscous, harissa chicken drumettes with chermoula, desert rose cocktail and more.
  • The Cottage – Savories, Trifles and Tea: Stop by the United Kingdom for tea and delectable dainties, including a salmon tartare-topped cheddar biscuit, an ultra-gourmet Caprese and a trio of trifles.
  • Pineapple Promenade: Take a delicious break in your day, indulging in spiced rum Dole Whip, pineapple upside down cake, fruit cups and more.
  • Florida Fresh: Taste the Sunshine State with watermelon and feta salad, shrimp and grits, and tomato and carrot wines!
  • Fruits by the Glass: Toast to Spring with mango and blueberry wines, nonalcoholic wild berry slush and gluten-free raspberry ale, among others.

Throughout the 75-day garden party, guests will discover festival surprises around every corner including new topiary triumphs, a butterfly bounty, whimsical children’s play areas, HGTV celebrity designers, daily hands-on gardening seminars and a Festival Center packed with events that offer innovative ideas, gardening know-how and design tips.  Weekends, top Flower Power rockers of the 1960s and ’70s will perform.

Every Friday through Sunday, HGTV design celebrities will host Festival Center seminars in the Flower and Garden Festival Center. This is one of my favorite parts of theFlower and Garden Festival, and I absolutely suggest checking it out! If you do plan on attending one of these seminars, you’re going to want to grab a seat early.

Flower and Garden Festival

  • NEW! Chris Lambton of HGTV’s Going Yard
    March 8 – 10
  • NEW! Chris Grundy of DIY Network’s Cool Tools
    March 15 – 17
  • NEW! Egypt Sherrod of HGTV’s Property Virgins
    March 22 – 24
  • Brandon Johnson of HGTV’s My Yard Goes Disney
    March 29 – 31
  • Meg Caswell of HGTV’s Meg’s Great Rooms
    April 5 – 7
  • Jason Cameron of DIY Network’s Desperate Landscapes and Man Caves
    April 12 – 14
  • NEW! Sara Peterson of Editor-in-Chief, HGTV Magazine
    April 19 – 21
  • Carter Oosterhouse of HGTV’s Million Dollar Rooms
    April 26 – 28
  • NEW! Casey Noble of HGTV’s Design on a Dime
    May 3 – 5
  • Dan Faires of HGTV’s Design Star and HGTV.com’sDanMade
    May 10 – 12
  • NEW! David Bromstad of HGTV Design Star, Color Splash, Design Star All-Stars
    May 17 – 19

 

MoreFlower and Garden Festival  Family Highlights Include:

Flower and Garden Festival

  • “Monsters University” topiary:  Floral representations of Mike and Sully from the hit Disney-Pixar film “Monsters, Inc.” and stars of Disney-Pixar’s June 2013 release, “Monsters University,” will join the festivities as new topiary family members.  On the Future World Walkway
  • Phineas and Ferb topiary:  The popular Disney Channel animated celebs limit their shenanigans to go green for a family photo-op.  Behind Spaceship Earth
  • “Radiator Springs” interactive play zone:  Race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck “Mater” of the Disney-Pixar film “Cars 2″ will be the well-maintained topiary stars of this play area.  On the Test Track Walkway
  • Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House: Eight fanciful fairy topiaries of Pixie Hollow, including Tinker Bell, Fawn, Vidia and Terrence, take over the Butterfly House this year where hundreds of colorful winged beauties flit to life.  On the Imagination Walkway

Another really fun addition to theFlower and Garden Festival is the Flower Power Concert Series, which kicks off March 8-10 with Micky Dolenz (“I’m a Believer”), and continues each weekend with pop favorites including:

March 15-17:            Chubby Checker & The Wildcats
March 22-24:            The Guess Who
March 29-31:            Nelson
April 5-7:                  The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie
April 12-14:               Paul Revere & the Raiders
April 19-21:               Village People (new!)
April 26-28:               The Orchestra, Featuring Former Members of ELO and ELO II
May 3-5:                  Tommy Roe (new!)
May 10-12:               Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
May 17-19:               Starship starring Mickey Thomas.

Flower and Garden Festival

You’ll notice that there are two really groovy additions to the Flower Power Concert Series this year! The 1970s top disco band the Village People (April 19-21) and 1960s singer-songwriter Tommy Roe (May 3-5) bring on the Flower Power beat when they take the concert stage for the first time.

If you are planning on attending one of the Flower Power Concerts, make sure that you get there early! Seats tend to go quickly and they are always a blast!

While you’ll find a lot of great exhibits and topiaries in Epcot’s Future World, the Flower and Garden Festival keeps growing as you travel around World Showcase, where the spotlight will shine on topiaries of Disney princesses, storybook characters and even pandas and trolls, guests will discover the attractions, shops and restaurants that represent cultures and cuisine of 11 countries.

httpv://youtu.be/gAHllZIQuek

For more information about the 20th Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, call 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639), check out the Flower and Garden Festival Guide, or visit www.EpcotinSpring.com.

The festival, including all gardening programs and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission. Availability is limited for some events. Events may be rescheduled or cancelled at any time.

 

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Author: Shelley

When she isn't chasing her chihuahuas, daughter, or cheering for her Hokies you can find Shelley On the Go in the Central Florida Area and on-air with WDBO News 96.5 on Friday evenings!

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