Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival has always been about more than just tasting your way around World Showcase. Yes, the global marketplaces attract plenty of attention each year, but for many longtime Disney World fans, one experience stands above the rest: the Eat to the Beat Concert Series.
This year, however, the festival is getting one of its biggest entertainment refreshes in recent memory.
When the 2026 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival begins on August 27, nine artists will make their debut in the Eat to the Beat lineup, marking a significant shift from the familiar names that have become annual traditions.
While returning favorites are still on the schedule, Disney has clearly made an effort to introduce fresh acts that span multiple genres, generations, and musical styles.
A New Era for Eat to the Beat
One reason Eat to the Beat has remained so popular is its consistency. Guests know they’ll often find beloved performers returning year after year, whether they’re reliving favorite songs from decades past or discovering artists they haven’t seen live in years.
That formula isn’t disappearing, but Disney is expanding it.
Rather than relying almost exclusively on returning performers, this year’s festival welcomes nine first-time acts to the America Gardens Theatre stage. It’s one of the largest single-year additions the concert series has seen, giving repeat visitors even more reasons to stop by throughout the festival.
The new artists include:
- The War and Treaty
- Couch
- Fitz and the Tantrums
- Grupo ManÃa
- Rey Ruiz
- Allen Stone
- Lauren Alaina
- Big Head Todd and the Monsters
- Grace Potter
Each brings something different to the lineup.
Country fans will recognize Lauren Alaina from American Idol (2002) and her successful Nashville career. Pop audiences will likely know Fitz and the Tantrums for chart-topping hits like “HandClap,” while Latin music fans will have opportunities to see legendary performers Grupo ManÃa and Rey Ruiz.
Meanwhile, indie, funk, soul, blues, and rock listeners also receive new representation through artists like Couch, Allen Stone, Grace Potter, and Big Head Todd and the Monsters.
Instead of leaning heavily toward one style of music, Disney appears to have built a lineup designed to appeal to a broader audience over nearly three months of performances.
Familiar Favorites Aren’t Going Anywhere
Despite the influx of newcomers, longtime festival guests won’t feel like the event has completely changed.
Several returning performers remain on the schedule, including Hanson, Boyz II Men, Yellowcard, MercyMe, New Found Glory, Smash Mouth, The Fray, STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas, and The Beach Boys.
These artists have become staples of Food & Wine over the years, with some making repeated appearances that many guests now associate with the festival itself.
That balance between tradition and change may ultimately be what makes the 2026 lineup stand out.
Guests who have attended multiple festivals can still catch familiar acts while also experiencing performances they’ve never had the opportunity to see at EPCOT before.
It All Begins August 27
The opening day of this year’s festival immediately showcases Disney’s updated approach.
Evolution: Motown will perform on August 27, officially kicking off the concert series before Hanson takes the stage from August 28 through August 31.
From there, the lineup rotates almost daily through mid-November, giving guests dozens of opportunities to catch live music throughout their visit.
Unlike many concerts outside the parks, Eat to the Beat performances are included with EPCOT admission, making them one of the strongest entertainment values available during the festival.
Guests who want guaranteed seating can still reserve an Eat to the Beat Dining Package, but standby seating remains available for those willing to arrive early.
More Than Just Food
It’s easy for the food booths to dominate conversations surrounding the festival.
Every year brings dozens of limited-time menu items, returning fan favorites, and entirely new dishes spread throughout World Showcase and beyond.
Yet the concert series consistently becomes one of the busiest parts of the event.
On nights featuring especially popular performers, the America Gardens Theatre often fills well before showtime as guests line up to secure seats. For many visitors, grabbing dinner from one of the Global Marketplaces before settling in for live music has become a Food & Wine tradition.
That’s why changes to the entertainment lineup often generate as much discussion as new menu announcements.
Replacing nine headlining performers doesn’t just freshen the schedule—it changes the overall feel of the festival for returning guests.
Disney Keeps the Festival Evolving
One reason EPCOT’s festivals continue attracting repeat visitors is Disney’s willingness to update them each year.
Some experiences remain unchanged because guests expect them. Others evolve gradually to keep the event from feeling repetitive.
The 2026 Food & Wine Festival appears to strike that balance.
Returning favorites give longtime fans something familiar, while the addition of nine debut performers provides fresh reasons to revisit Eat to the Beat, even for guests who’ve attended the festival many times before.
It’s a reminder that Disney doesn’t necessarily need sweeping changes to keep EPCOT exciting. Sometimes refreshing one major entertainment offering can make the entire festival feel different.
Whether you’re visiting specifically for Hanson, hoping to catch Boyz II Men once again, or planning to discover one of the nine newcomers making their EPCOT debut, this year’s concert lineup offers more variety than it’s had in years.
With the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival beginning on August 27 and continuing through the fall, guests will soon find themselves choosing between longtime favorites and brand-new performers sharing the America Gardens Theatre stage for the very first time. And for many music fans, that’s every bit as exciting as whatever’s being served at the festival booths.
