ORLANDO, Fla. – Disney officials announced Tuesday that the 22nd annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival will last two weeks longer than last year.
The festival is expected to run from Aug. 31 through Nov. 13, giving park-goers 75 days to enjoy the popular festival.
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In celebration of the park’s opening 35 years ago, festival organizers said there will be 35, a record number, of Marketplaces that will stretch around World Showcase and into Future World.
Disney spokeswoman Pam Brandon said attendees should plan their visit ahead of time as there is a lot to look forward to at this year’s festival.
“While the Marketplaces play a starring role, we recommend planning ahead so you don’t miss your favorite celebrity chefs, hands-on culinary workshops and demonstrations at the Festival Center, Party for the Senses, or your favorite artists at one of the nightly Eat to the Beat concerts,” Brandon wrote in a statement.
Brandon also said chefs are working on new dishes that will be paired with beverages for the Marketplaces, and that dozens of new tastes will be featured in the 2017 cookbook.
There are also more family favorites for guests to look forward to this year, Brandon said. The "Ratatouille"-inspired scavenger hunt will return, along with culinary demos and dishes geared toward kids’ liking, officials said.
The festival will include specialty dining and pairing events at World Showcase restaurants, as well as events at the resort hotels.
Disney officials said schedules will be in place and bookings for specialty festival events will become available this summer at epcotfoodfestival.com.