The [World Showcase] must be explored! Besides the obvious, delicious reasons to visit any EPCOT festival, there’s plenty to love about the newest yet smallest fest. Though it’s only a few weeks long – from January 17th through February 24th – Festival of the Arts (also lovingly dubbed “FARTS”) is a vibrant event that transforms the park into a technicolor dream. While we wait for this year’s festival foodie guide to drop, I’ve compiled some of my favorite reasons to make sure you plan to visit EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts in 2025.
Paint by Number Mural
One of the most popular offerings each year is Expression Section, an interactive paint-by-number mural depicting an EPCOT sightline. After coloring in a few squares of your assigned color, you’ll receive a souvenir bookmark of the mural image you helped create.
I love watching the white canvas eventually get filled in with the complete picture over the course of a few days. I only wonder where these massive canvases end up after the festival…
Pick Up Some Works of Art
It’s hard to miss all of the art on display around the park. This is a great time to explore new artists, visit your old favorites, and maybe purchase a piece of their work for your home. Many artists create pieces exclusively for the festival, too! Between the various artistic styles, gallery paintings and print sizes, plenty of Disney-themed and some non-Disney, there’s something for everyone!
Animation Academy
While Animation Academy is still offered via Animal Kingdom‘s Rafiki’s Planet Watch, I still miss the large-group drawing session at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Who else loves to sketch out a beloved character and take home the finished product? For FREE? That’s right. This interactive experience is also available at EPCOT during Festival of the Arts, happening at 12:30pm and 1:30pm at America Gardens Theater, before the Disney on Broadway Concert Series schedule.
The Lovers, The Dreamers, & Me
Last but certainly not least, we have a treat for my fellow Muppet fans! As with any EPCOT festival, there’s an exclusive themed number or two added into the nightly rotation of Spaceship Earth’s Points of Light shows. For Festival of the Arts, there’s a segment dedicated to Figment, the mascot of this rainbow-filled fest; and most importantly, a beautiful dancing light performance of Rainbow Connection sung by Kermit and the Muppets. Don’t miss it!
I can’t wait to see all of the food menus and merch in store for this favorite little festival! If you weren’t already planning on visiting EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts, did I help convince you? If only a little?
Catch you there!
