The first annual Epcot International Festival of the Arts is underway at Walt Disney World. This inaugural event runs Fridays through Mondays between January 13 to February 20, 2017. The Art Festival is part Food & Wine / Flower & Garden / Festival of the Masters with various food and beverage options mixed with art seminars and displays around the park.

There was one particular art display outside The American Adventure that grabbed my attention, a tent full of Disney Cruise Line art that is often only viewable in the Vista Gallery aboard the cruise ships. Here are some not so great pictures of the items on display.

I am getting close to buying this one… It is called Seafarin by Greg McCullough.

Although, I prefer to call it the current & future Disney Cruise Line Atrium Statue Collection by Greg McCullough…

I’m sure if you go to see the DCL artwork you may be interested in some of the festival’s other offerings.

First up, Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt which is a wonderful activity for all ages. Similar scavenger hunts offered during the Flower & Garden festival where you search for large eggs painted as Disney characters and during Food & Wine when you search for Remy. If you would like a scavenger hunt prize, buy this card at one of the gift shops as in Future World. I think it was $6.95.

Then look around in each of the World Showcase pavilions for framed Figment art and place the corresponding sticker on the map.

Once you locate all the painting in World Showcase you can choose from one of four Figment magnets.

Over in the Odyssey, you know, the awesome place that has basically just been a rest stop between Future World and World Showcase except for an occasional festival or private use. Yes, that building serves as the festival center with seminars and two wonderful exhibits. One features Epcot concept art from Herb Ryman.

While the other is dedicated to the south of the boarder with a look at work from Mary Blair resulting form the goodwill tour to South America in the early 40’s.

While in the Odyssey we sampled some of the culinary offerings from The Painter’s Palate.The Neapolitan Beer Flight, Pomegranate Mule featuring the Ginger People Ginger Beer and Van Gogh Vodka, and the Margherita Flatbread with Basil Pesto and Balsamic Drizzle. ON this particular visit, the beer flight with Vanilla Porter, Chocolate Stout, and Strawberry Blonde was the only thing worthwhile. The Pomegranate Mule tasted like juice without a hint of vodka and the flatbread was possibly a leftover from Friday night. Although, the flatbread did taste great, it was just a long way from fresh.

My favorite item of the festival that I’ve tried so far is the Choriqueso taco from El Artista Hambriento. Great flavor!

The next culinary stop was in Germany at the Cuisine Classique booth where we ordered two of the Red Snappers with braised Ratatouillie and Lemon-Tyme Beurre Blanc, the Port Wine poached pear with Vanilla panna cotta, and pistachio grums, a jumbo artist palate cookie and the Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout.

No problems with our choices at this booth. The cookie is also a beer holder.

Over in Canada we tried the Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Brut Champagne and the Classic Sidecar with a chocolate twist.

One of the last locations we tried was the Pop Eats! booth. We had this great almond layer cake and both of the beverage options. The Poppin Bubbles Cocktail and the Cloudeum Silver Sparkling wine which looks like a translucent sparkly paint. The Poppin Bubbles cocktail had these red orbs that burst in your mouth. The drink was served with a wide straw. Very interesting in an enjoyable way.

The surprise winner for me was the Croissant Doughnut from the Refreshment Port.

It was well worth those 0 calories.

Another fun activity while at the festival is the paint by numbers mural. The line appeared long, but turned out to be a very short wait. We were each provided with a cup of paint and a brush and instructed to find squares with the number on the paint cup and fill in the squares.

This festival even debuted the best topiary ever… FIGMENT!!!

You can learn more about Festival of the Arts on this page. Have you been to the festival? What did you think?