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The Disneyland Report > Disney News > Walt Disney World celebrates Epcot International Food and Wine Festival for tenth year

Disney News

Walt Disney World celebrates Epcot International Food and Wine Festival for tenth year

Disney's 10K Race for the Taste Oct. 9 a Festival Challenge

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- To mark the 10th anniversary of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, there will be new tastes with old-world flavors, new wine and cooking schools with culinary experts, and a new way to work up an appetite -- Disney's 10K Race for the Taste -- as Future World and World Showcase overflow with first-rate food, wine and beer experiences Sept. 30-Nov. 13.

Each year, the festival features marketplaces with ethnic cuisine samplings, and this year the more than 20 marketplaces from around the globe will include new adventures showcasing Turkey, Singapore, Puerto Rico and Chile. Spain wine school and a cooking school join the lineup of learning opportunities, while on Oct. 9, participants in Disney's 10K Race for the Taste will finish the run at Epcot in time to indulge their appetites.

The festival also features wine and beer tasting seminars, a lineup of winemakers from around the globe and an impressive list of guest chefs, elegant dinners, grand tastings and pairings. Also, the festival's nightly Eat to the Beat! concert series will feature a varied musical lineup, including R&B, jazz, classic rock and oldies performers.

In recent years, the festival around World Showcase Lagoon has grown dramatically, attracting a diverse audience of more than one million guests each year -- from wine connoisseurs and epicures to droves of wine neophytes eager to boost their wine IQs.

"Our goal is to provide greater varieties of experiences at different levels to reflect the diverse tastes and interests of our guests," said Nora Carey, festival manager. "To celebrate 50 years of Disney theme parks and our 10th festival year, we've pulled out all the stops and created a truly memorable food and wine event."

More than 100 wineries offer tastings, and guests can sample the marketplace cuisine in tasting portions ranging from $1.50 to $4.50. Other highlights include:

• The Festival Welcome Center, with a Champagne and Sparkling Wine Bar, commemorative posters and other festival merchandise, including wine.

• Some 250 Disney chefs and guest chefs conducting culinary demonstrations and hosting elegant dinners and tasting events -- guest chefs scheduled this year include Ming Tsai, John Ash and Bradley Ogden.

• Up to 1,200 international wine and beer seminars with complimentary samplings.

• Elegant dinners, the weekly Party for the Senses grand tasting with entertainment by Cirque du Soleil and other by-reservation-only events.

Along with the music, dance, acrobatics and avant-garde entertainment showcased at Epcot pavilions and special exhibits, festival guests can enjoy Eat to the Beat! concerts performed three times each evening at America Gardens Theatre.

Entrance to the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, plus select wine and beer seminars and cooking demonstrations, is included with regular Epcot admission. Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information or to make reservations for special events and programs. Festival details will be posted on the Web site: disneyworld.com/foodandwine . Athletes can register online for Disney's Race for the Taste 10K by visiting disneyworldsports.com and clicking on "Sports" and then "Endurance," or by calling 407/938-3398.

Source: Press Release

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