Walt Disney World has officially put one of EPCOT’s biggest annual events on the 2026 calendar. The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival returns from August 27 through November 21, 2026, bringing back Global Marketplaces, live music, food strolls, scavenger hunts, and plenty of reasons to snack around World Showcase.
For many Disney fans, this is the EPCOT festival that defines late summer and fall at Walt Disney World.
EPCOT Food Wine 2026 Runs August 27 Through November 21
The 2026 festival opens Thursday, August 27, and continues through Saturday, November 21. That gives guests nearly three months to sip, stroll, and sample their way around EPCOT. It also places the festival right in the middle of a busy Walt Disney World season, as summer winds down and Halloween and fall travel pick up. This is also one of EPCOT’s longest-running traditions. The festival began in 1996, and it has grown into a major part of the park’s yearly rhythm.
A First Taste of the 2026 Global Marketplaces
Disney has not released the full menu yet. However, a few returning festival items have already been confirmed.
The early list includes Street Corn-style Dumplings from Gyozas of the Galaxy. These chicken dumplings come with tomatillo salsa verde, street corn salad, cotija, lime crema, and cilantro. Australia will bring back a Grilled Bushberry-spiced Shrimp Skewer with sweet-and-sour vegetables and coconut-chile sauce. The Alps will return with Kirschwasser Torte, made with cherry-brandy buttercream, fondant, sugared almonds, and cherry compote.
That is only the first bite. Disney says the full Foodie Guide, complete menus, marketplace list, and phased opening details will come later.
Eat to the Beat Brings Live Music Back to EPCOT
The Eat to the Beat Concert Series will return to the America Gardens Theatre in the American Adventure Pavilion.
Concerts are included with EPCOT admission, and seating is first-come, first-served. Disney also plans to share dining package details closer to the festival, which should help guests pair a meal with guaranteed concert seating. The full artist lineup has not been announced yet.
For now, this is one of the biggest details still missing. Once the lineup drops, that will likely become its own planning story.
Internal Link: Add backlink to your 2025 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival post, especially if you covered Eat to the Beat:
Why EPCOT Food & Wine Still Works
EPCOT has several festivals now, but Food & Wine still feels like the original fall tradition. The event works because it is easy to customize. Some guests come for the food booths. Others come for the concerts. Families can add Remy’s Hide & Squeak. Cheese fans can chase Emile’s Fromage Montage. Locals can return again and again as new marketplaces open. That flexibility is why the festival has lasted since 1996.
It is not just a dining event. It is a reason to spend a full day at EPCOT, return for another evening, and make the park part of your fall Walt Disney World plans.
The Big Takeaway for Disney Fans
The 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is officially on the calendar. From August 27 through November 21, EPCOT will once again turn into Walt Disney World’s biggest global tasting tour. The menus are still coming, but the core ingredients are already there: Global Marketplaces, Eat to the Beat, Remy’s Hide & Squeak, and Emile’s Fromage Montage. For now, mark the dates. Then get ready for the full menu reveal. Because at EPCOT, fall does not really begin until Food & Wine is back.
