Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Each year, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival features marketplaces with ethnic cuisine samplings from the top "foodie" cities of the world. More than 25 international marketplaces from Hawaii to Belgium will offer tasty treats at the 18th anniversary of the event and chefs will be debuting the tastes of Scotland.

Festival Count

More than 300 national and international wines

More than 1.5-million sumptuous samplings throughout the festival

More than 100 of America's most celebrated chefs and 160 Walt Disney World chefs

More than 300 wine and beer seminars

More than 1,200 fireworks exploding each night over World Showcase Lagoon in "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" grand finale

138 Eat to the Beat! concerts

33,000 bottles of wine and champagne

1.5 million samplings throughout the festival

300,000 wine servings

360,000 beer servings

100,000 desserts served... sweet!

Festival Highlights

The Festival Welcome Center will again host daily wine seminars, bottle signings, author events and culinary demonstrations. Eat to the Beat! concerts will again entertain guests three times nightly at America Gardens Theatre. World Showcase will be the backdrop for performers from many countries as they sing, dance, perform arobatics and comedy for the festivities. A sampling of entertainment includes:

High-energy Celtic music of Off Kilter (Canada)

The Arabic rhythms of Mo'Rockin (Morocco)

Perfect harmony of Voices of Liberty (American Adventure rotunda)

Infectious beat of internationally acclaimed Mariachi Cobre (Mexico)

Retro British hits by British Revolution (United Kingdom)

Jaw-dropping stunts by The Jeweled Dragon Acrobats (China)

Hilarious antics of World Showcase Players (United Kingdom)

Along with the entertainment showcased at Epcot pavilions and special exhibits, festival guests can enjoy Eat to the Beat! concerts performed each evening at America Gardens Theatre in World Showcase. The evening concerts are scheduled daily at 5:30, 6:45 and 8:00 p.m. and are included with regular Epcot admission.

Alaska

The largest of the US states, Alaska spans an incredible 586,000 square miles. With its myriad of geographical terrains which split the state into 5 distinct regions and the expanse of water encircling over three quarters of the state, Alaska showcases a world of ecosystems just waiting to be discovered.

Follow a pod of giant humpback whales as they breach into the air, watch the spellbinding grizzly bears as they lead their cubs to food and safety, spot puffins, bald eagles, moose, harbour seals and polar bears as they go about their daily rituals. The wilderness boasts a wealth of wildlife indigenous to their Alaskan habitats. Take to the water for a view from a different perspective. Cruises sweep along the inside passage, calling at intricate ports along the way. For a more intrinsic experience, small ship cruising with Cruise West enables guests to get up close and personal with the flora and fauna and offers the option of taking a raft to less accessible destinations accompanied by professional guides knowledgeable in the terrain. Ocean day cruises venture out to Glacier Bay, Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound offering a wonderful glimpse of coastal Alaska with dramatic mountain scenery, tidewater glaciers and the water's abundance of wildlife. For the more adventurous, kayaking and rafting along the thousands of rivers and coastal waters enables exploration of destinations difficult or impossible to access by land.

Ascend into the skies for a bird’s eye view. Helicopters, light aircraft and float planes whisk you into the air across land and sea. Circle magnificent Mount McKinley, fly deep into back country wilderness or land on a glacier and tread where few others have been before. From an hour’s pleasure flight to a full day tour fly fishing in the wilderness, Alaska is an inspirational experience which shouldn’t be missed.

Back on land, a self drive or escorted itinerary are the only ways to truly experience the best of Alaska. Traditionally commencing from Anchorage, this small city is a wonderful introduction to life the Alaskan way. Sitting at the base of the Chugach Mountains, Anchorage is alive with arts, culture and speciality shopping. Leaving the city behind, the scenery is transposed to reveal small villages, rugged landscapes and gigantic national parks.

One of the most famous attractions, Denali National Park is home to North America’s tallest mountain. Standing 20,320 feet in the air, Mount McKinley’s magnificence attracts visitors from across the world. Visitors flock to the 6 million acre park, to hike, bike, raft, ski and explore the world's largest protected ecosystem, home to 750 species of flowering plant, 39 types of mammal and 165 bird species.

Take a sternwheeler cruise from Fairbanks, try dog sledding or how about testing your luck panning for gold? Bathe in the naturally heated waters at Cheena Hot Springs, drive into Wrangell St. Elias National Park, North America’s largest national park, which is 6 times the size of Yellowstone, or explore the historic mining town of Kennicott. Sail out of the seaside village of Valdez on a sightseeing cruise to Prince William Sound or Columbia Glacier. No visit to this enchanting destination is complete without exploring Seward, Kenai, Homer, Girdwood and of course, Kodiak Island. The Kenai Peninsula boasts spectacular scenery and idyllic seaside villages but primarily is renowned as a natural habitat for Alaska’s abundant population of marine wildlife and birds.

From a relaxing retreat to intrepid wilderness exploration, from small ship cruising to a soft adventure, whatever way you choose to appreciate this stunning destination, you can be assured that one visit is never enough! 

How is done a statuette "Oscar"

In 1939 the librarian of the Academy, and later its executive director, Margaret Herrick, exclaimed at the sight of statues: "This figure reminds of my Uncle Oscar!". From the moment the most prestigious film prize art is called that way.

Each year, a small foundry factory in Chicago receives major order from Los Angeles: cast figurine knight, hoisted on the reel of film.

First, a mixture of molten tin and lead is poured into the form. This is followed by grinding

The biggest problem - the eyes, of "Oscar." If there are too deep furrows, "Oscar" may break during grinding. These are returned to the facility.