Epcot’s longest-running annual festival – the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival – is revving up to be a show stopper, with a Garden Rocks Concert Series talent lineup like never before. New to the Garden Rocks Concert Series on the America Gardens Theatre stage this year are Daughtry, Don McLean and other luminaries of various musical genres – so mark your calendars now!
- March 4-5 – Peabo Bryson NEW
- March 13-16 – Simple Plan
- March 17-19 – STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas
- March 20-23 – Mark Wills NEW to Garden Rocks
- March 24-26 – The Spinners
- March 27-28 – Sister Hazel
- March 29-30 – The Pointer Sisters
- March 31-April 2 – Former Journey Lead Vocalist Steve Augeri
- April 3-4 – Blood, Sweat & Tears
- April 5-6 – Exposé
- April 7-9 – Berlin
- April 19-20 – Rick Springfield
- April 24-27 – Plain White T’s
- April 28-30 – Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles
- May 1-2 – Don McLean NEW
- May 5-7 – Ambrosia with Peter Beckett NEW
- May 8-9 – Thelma Houston NEW
- May 10-11 – The Allman Betts Band NEW to Garden Rocks
- May 12-14 – Air Supply
- May 15-18 – Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
- May 19-21 – Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot NEW to Garden Rocks
- May 24-25 – Daughtry NEW
- May 26-28 – Marshall Tucker Band
- May 31-June 1 – Survivor
(Keep checking the Diz Planet for announcements of bands playing the remaining concert dates.)
See a favorite band or a new one you don’t want to miss? One of the best ways to join the concert fun is to book a Garden Rocks Concert Series Dining Package for one of the shows at 5:30, 6:45 or 8 p.m. Each package includes breakfast, lunch or dinner at select Epcot restaurants and guaranteed concert seating. Reservations will open to Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members Dec. 18 and to the general public Dec. 19.
The music is surely gonna get you, and that’s not all. The
festival presents a kaleidoscope of colorful blooms, topiaries and gardens
designed to inspire wonder and whispers of “how’d they do that?!” The brand-new
Remy topiary will be unveiled as the
centerpiece of a Ratatouille Garden
at the France pavilion, where the new Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction will
open in summer 2020. The
floral Remy will be surrounded by a colorful garden of veggies that comprise
ingredients of a ratatouille recipe.
It wouldn’t be a festival without fabulous food, and the
event’s 17 Outdoor Kitchens plus other food-and-beverage stops will tickle your
taste buds. Florida fans will delight in some of the state’s namesake flavors
at three different kitchens: honey-laced treats at The Honey Bee-stro, citrus-based marvels at The Citrus Blossom, and sweet and savory delights at Florida Fresh.
Elsewhere across the park, lush swaths of bright blossoms,
floating gardens, flower towers and more whimsical topiaries will brighten the
landscape. Watch for stunning topiary depictions of celebrated heroines like Anna and Elsa, rough-and-ready Toy Story hero Buzz Lightyear, beloved Muppets Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog, and fairy-tale wonders like Tinker Bell, Snow White and Bambi. At
the Goodness Garden Butterfly House,
hundreds of winged beauties will take flight. Nearby at the Play Full Garden, families can celebrate
spring at a unique playground experience.
Fans of behind-the-scenes tours won’t want to miss booking a Gardens of the World Tour – Spring Edition; an English Tea Garden Tour at the United Kingdom pavilion; or a Behind the Seeds! guided walk through The Land pavilion’s fish farm and four greenhouses. The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival began in 1994 as a 38-day celebration of Disney-style gardens and topiaries. The event now flourishes as a 90-day celebration of spring with something for everyone in the family. Follow the Diz Planet for updates and more details. The festival, including Garden Rocks concerts and all gardens and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission. Visit FreshEpcot.com or call (407) W-DISNEY for more information.