2014 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Changes Announced

By Cassie

That culinary extravaganza known as the 19^th Annual International Food & Wine Festival will take place in Epcot from September 19 to November 10, 2014. This year the Festival runs for 53 days, longer than any F&W Festival so far. There will be nearly 30 marketplaces to offer international food and beverage selections for you. The festival is included in the price of your admission ticket, but the food and beverages are sold separately. The Festival also gives you an opportunity to have signature dining with world-renown chefs, culinary demonstrations, beverage seminars, and the Eat to the Beat Concert series bringing nightly performances to the American Gardens Theater. To book the special offerings for this Festival, you will need to wait until late August when the full schedule is released, and call 407-WDW-FEST or book online at www.epcotfoodfestival.com. For the rest of you who can’t wait to graze the booths, here is some tantalizing news and information for you to start planning your visit now.

This year we will be treated to some new marketplaces, one of which is called Patagonia and will feature menu items from the countries of Argentina and Chile.

Marketplaces that are returning are: Africa, Terra, Hawai’I, Hops and Barley, Farm Fresh(was called Florida Fresh last year), Bean to Bar, Brazil, Scotland, and Puerto Rico which is returning after a brief hiatus.

Here are the menu items that we know of so far: (These are not the full menus.)

Africa-South African bobotie with turkey and mushrooms

Bean to Bar-will return with chocolate items, including Drinking Chocolate

Brazil-Moqueca de Pescado-fresh tilapia with coconut lime sauce and steamed rice

Farm Fresh-griddled “yard bird” with braised greens and house-made habanero sauce; “Bacon and Eggs”-applewood-smoked, pepper-coated bacon with sweet corn, potatoes, hollandaise sauce and pickeled jalapenos; beverages will include Chateau St. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica® Riesling

Hawai’i- a new beverage Aulani Sunset featuring Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum

Hops and Barley-Fresh baked carrot cake with Craisins® and cream cheese icing

Patagonia-Roasted Verlasso Salmon with Quinoa Salad and Arugula Chimichurri which they pair with Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier.

Puerto Rico-Papa Rellena-crispy fried potato balls stuffed with pork and beef; Carne Guisada con Arroz Blanco-slow braised beef with Puerto Rican grown rice; one beverage will be Medalla Light.

Scotland-Sea Scallop with spinach cheddar gratin and crispy bacon

Terra-an all Vegan marketplace will have Blackened Chick’n Breast with Spicy Gumbo Sauce; Paperboy Red

Refreshment Port is not an International food marketplace, but it is included on the Festival Passport. We expect the wildly popular Cronut (part Croissant, part Doughnut) will be included. Block & Hans is also open year round, like the Refreshment Port, yet is included in the Festival listings. Here you can explore some craft beers and additions from The Great Wine Company-Chardonnay and Domaine Chandon Brut Sparkling Blanc de Noir.

     

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The complete list of opportunities is usually released in June.

Celebrity Chefs will host some of the hottest Festival events. Those Chefs include: Jennifer Hill Booker, Jerome Brown, Warren Brown, Paula DaSilva, Erika Davis, Jamie Deen, Duskie Estes, Gale Grand, Rock Harper, Dana Herbert, Dean Max, John Stewart, Allen Susser, Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro, and more to come.

Party for the Senses, scheduled for specific dates, usually on Saturday nights in the past, will return for 2014. This is a tasting event unlike any other. A Foodie Boot Camp series, special dinners featuring Walt Disney World Chefs, Food for Thought-a eat and discuss cookbook event with a Celebrity Chef expected to be on Friday mornings, Sunday Mornings with… is a brunch event with a celebrity pastry chef or baker where you may sample three desserts, Parisian Breakfast, a huge hit last year is returning for 2014 this event is a great value and takes place before park opening hours at Les Chefs de France, are some of the Special Events that you should be able to start making reservations for in August. These events tend to sell out fairly quickly so stay tuned to DisneyDining.com for the latest information.

The Craisins® Cranberry Bog will return again for its fourth time at the Festival. You can pick up a package of Craisins® at a booth nearby the bog. Also complimentary are some events in the Festival Center such as seminars and book signings, Marketplace Discovery Passports, Eat to the Beat concerts and of course all the attractions within Epcot.

2014 Eat to the Beat Concert schedule: (shows at 5:30pm, 6:45pm, 8:00pm)

Sept. 19-21 Jo Dee Messina (first time at Festival)

Sept. 22-23 The Pointer Sisters

Sept. 24-25 Rick Springfield

Sept. 26-27 Christopher Cross

Sept. 28-29 Hanson

Sept. 30-Oct. 2 Air Supply

Oct. 3- 5 STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas

Oct. 6-8 Sugar Ray

Oct. 9-10 Fuel (first time at Festival)

Oct. 11-12 Sister Hazel

Oct. 13-14 TBD

Oct. 15-16 Billy Ocean

Oct. 17-19 Night Ranger

Oct. 20-22 Smash Mouth

Oct. 23-24 Jim Brickman

Oct. 25-26 Los Lonely Boys (first time at Festival)

Oct. 27-28 Wilson Phillips

Oct. 29-31 Dennis DeYoung (original member of STYX)

Nov. 1-2 38 Special

Nov. 3-5 Boyz II Men

Nov. 6-7 David Cook

Nov. 8-10 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

 

Chase, a long-time sponsor of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival we expect will once again provide a special “Chase Lounge” for their cardholders in the American Adventure pavilion. Show your Chase card and you will be admitted to a lounge area on the third floor where you can relax on comfortable seating, get complimentary beverages, recharge your cell-phone and enjoy air-conditioned comfort and great views of the World Showcase Lagoon. There are other advantages of having a Chase Disney Visa card when booking Disney vacations and merchandise purchases.