Epcot International Festival of Holidays: Candlelight Processional, Marketplace Booths
The Epcot International Festival of Holidays is a celebration of international holiday traditions from around the world that takes place in the World Showcase in Epcot. EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays will take place November 24th, 2023 through December 30th, 2023.
This popular holiday tradition at Epcot features holiday marketplace booths including a holiday cookie stroll and the famous Candlelight Processional.
Keep reading to find out more about the Epcot International Festival of Holidays including our best tips on celebrating the holidays at Walt Disney World.
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Epcot International Festival of Holidays
The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays takes place November 24th, 2023 through December 30th, 2023. This festival experience includes:
- An International Yuletide Extravaganza: featuring 11 holiday traditions of the 11 World Showcase nations.
- The popular Candlelight Processional as guests experience the story of Christmas with a full choir and celebrity narrator.
- Holiday Kitchens: featuring seasonal food from around the world at select kiosks around the park- nearly 25 in total!
- The Holiday Cookie Stroll: sample cookies from around the world.
Epcot Festival of the Holidays Entertainment
The Epcot International Festival of Holidays is about much more than the holiday food marketplace booths (although they're not to be missed!) with plenty of variety of holiday entertainment.
Holiday Storytellers
World Showcase countries have their own Holiday Storytellers ready to share their legends and lores of the season. Shows take place multiple times throughout the day. Holiday Storytellers featured includes:
Future World
- JOYFUL! A Gospel Celebration of the Season Gospel style music
- America Music Machine: Cappela group
World Showcase
- Norway: Storyteller Sigrid tells the tale of the mischievous Christmas Gnome Julenissen.
- Germany: Helga tells a story of the first Christmas tree and the tale of the nutcracker
- Italy: La Befana, a kind-hearted witch, recalls her first Christmas 2000 years ago
- Japan: Daruma (doll) seller speaks about the Japanese New Year customs.
- France: Pere Noel recreates the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child.
- United Kingdom: Father Christmas shares Christmas traditions.
- Canada: The Canadian Holiday Voyageurs take guests on a musical tour through the seasonal customs of the Great White North.
- China: Chinese Lion Dance to celebrate the New Year.
- Mexico: Fiesta de Navidad- dancers and mariachis.
- Morocco: Storyteller shares holiday traditions.
Spaceship Earth Light Show
And don't miss the light show at Spaceship Earth invoking the sights of winter, including snowflakes, northern lights, and warm candles.
Santa Claus- American Adventure
Santa Claus greets guests at the American Adventure throughout the day. You can also enjoy the Voices of Liberty singing holiday Christmas carols in Charles Dickens-themed costumes plus view gingerbread displays of U.S. monuments. See all Disney World gingerbread houses ranked.
There will also be Holiday Storytellers at the American Adventure where guests can learn about Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.
Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt
Like all Epcot festivals, the International Festival of Holidays also includes a scavenger hunt! Search for holiday traditions Olaf has gathered from around the world. You can purchase a map for $9.99 from the Creations Shop, Port of Entry, or International Gateway gift shops. Once you've submitted your map (you can also decide to just get your prize without doing the scavenger hunt) you can redeem it for a prize.
Living with the Land- Glimmering Greenhouses
Don't forget to view the holiday overlay on Living with the Land as you drift through the twinkling holiday displays in the greenhouse. This is a beautiful addition for the season, it's worth taking the time to see!
Epcot Candlelight Processional
The Candlelight Processional has been a Disney Parks tradition dating back to 1958 at Disneyland. The Candlelight Processional at Epcot takes place at the America Gardens Theatre featuring the Voices of Liberty and a choir of Disney cast members, a live orchestra, and celebrity narrators retelling the traditional Christmas story.
In the Candlelight Processional, you will hear the biblical story of Christmas typically told by a celebrity narrator and accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and massed choir. This is a beloved tradition at Walt Disney World so be sure you don't miss it!
How do you get tickets to the Candlelight Processional at Epcot?
You do not require a separate ticket or reservation to see the Candlelight Processional at Epcot as its included in your park admission. The seating in the America Gardens Theatre is on a first come, first served basis so plan on reserving a spot early in the day.
If you don't want to worry about having to devote part of your park day reserving a spot, you can also purchase a dining package which are typically offered for the Candlelight Processional. We should have more information soon on the 2022 availability of dining packages.
Since this is such a popular tradition at Epcot, I recommend either booking a dining package or being committed to reserving your seat at least 90 minutes prior to showtime.
The 2023 narrators haven't been announced yet but you can view last year's list for an idea of what to expect.
2022 Celebrity Narrators
- 11/25 – 11/26: Simu Liu
- 11/27 – 11/29: Edward James Olmos
- 11/30 – 12/1: Raul Esparza
- 12/2 – 12/3: Whoopi Goldberg
- 12/4 – 12/6: Isabella Rossellini
- 12/7 – 12/9: Daymond John
- 12/10 – 12/12: Josh Gad
- 12/13 – 12/14: Gloria Estefan
- 12/15 – 12/18: Neil Patrick Harris
- 12/19 – 12/20: Mariska Hargitay
- 12/21 – 12/23: Cal Ripken Jr.
- 12/24 – 12/26: Marie Osmond
- 12/27 – 12/28: Courtney Vance
- 12/29 – 12/30: Angela Bassett
Epcot Candlelight Processional Dining Packages
Beginning October 6, 2022, check availability online—and secure your spot for this limited-time dining experience. Advance reservations are highly recommended.
Same Day Reservations
Dine without reservations at Spice Road Table or Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue that day and enjoy guaranteed seats to a Candlelight Processional performance later that day.
There are both table and quick service restaurants in Epcot that offer Candlelight Processional Dining Packages. Each package includes:
- An appetizer, entrée and dessert or one (1) full buffet (where applicable), along with a non-alcoholic beverage
- One (1) guaranteed seat per person to the Candlelight Processional held on the same daygratuity:
Adult
(ages 10 and up)Child
(ages 3 to 9)Biergarten Restaurant
Germany Pavilion$65.00 $37.00 Coral Reef Restaurant
The Living Seas$74.00 $30.00 Garden Grill Restaurant
The Land Pavilion$71.00 $46.00 Le Cellier Steakhouse
Canada Pavilion$100.00 $39.00 Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue
(same-day dining packages only)
American Adventure Pavilion$40.00 Rose & Crown Dining Room
United Kingdom Pavilion$64.00 $28.00 Spice Road Table
(same-day dining packages only)
Morocco Pavilion$52.00 $23.00
If you already had plans to eat at one of these restaurants then this is a great way to bundle that experience with a guaranteed spot to see the Candlelight Processional at Epcot!
- Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are only offered during the holiday season.
- Alcohol will only be served to Guests ages 21 and older.
- Reservations require a credit card guarantee.
- Guests will receive Candlelight Seating badges at the restaurant after their meal. The badge will specify the date and show time they have reserved.
- Guests with the Dining Package will enter America Gardens Theatre in a separate queue and will be seated on a first-come, first served basis. Seating is guaranteed.
- Guests who have not reserved a Candlelight Processional Dining Package will be seated at the Candlelight Processional on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is based on availability due to limited capacity.
- To enter EPCOT, both a theme park reservation and valid theme park admission are required. EPCOT admission is not included in the price of the dining package.
Read our review of the EPCOT Candlelight Processional dining package.
Holiday Kitchens at Epcot
Bavaria Holiday Kitchen
Food Items:
- Pork Schnitzel with mushroom sauce, spätzle, and braised red cabbage
- Cheese Fondue in a bread bowl with steamed baby vegetables and marble potatoes
- Linzer Cookie (Cookie Stroll Item)
Beverages:
- Possmann Pure Hard Apple Cider
- The Tank Brewing Co. Prost! Festbier
- Köstritzer Schwarzbier Bitburger (New)
- Regional Riesling
- Glühwein: House-made hot spiced wine
- Beer Flight
American Holiday Table
Food Items:
- Slow-roasted Turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce
- Blackened Catfish with Hoppin’ John and comeback sauce
- Gingerbread Cookie (Cookie Stroll Item)
Beverages:
- Crooked Can Brewing Company Bah HOPbug IPA (New)
- 3 Daughters Brewing Eggnog White Porter
- Playalinda Brewing Co. Peppermint Chocolate Stout
- Beer Flight
Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina
Food Items:
- Grilled Kebabs with carrot-chickpea salad and garlic aïoli
- Lamb Kefta
- Chermoula Chicken
- Stone-baked Moroccan Bread with hummus, chermoula, and zhoug dips (Plant-based)
Beverages:
- Bold Rock Orchard Frost Hard Cider (New)
- Gulf Stream Brewing Company Holiday Snakebite (New)
- Woodchuck Winter Chill Hard Cider
- Fig Cocktail with fig vodka and white cranberry juice
- Hard Cider Flight
L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen
Food Items:
- Pastrami on Rye with house-made pickles and deli mustard
- Smoked Salmon Potato Latke
- Potato Latkes (Plant-based)
- Rugalach: Pastry filled with raspberry jam, walnuts, and cinnamon (New)
- Black and White Cookie (Plant-based) (Cookie Stroll Item)
Beverages:
- Brooklyn Brewery Winter IPA
- Frozen New York Whiskey Sour featuring Manifest Whiskey and Manischewitz Blackberry Wine
Yukon Holiday Kitchen
Food Items:
- Seared Salmon with butternut squash purée, maple-bourbon glaze, and fennel-arugula salad (New)
- Beef Bourguignon with crushed potatoes
- Snickerdoodle Cookie made with SNICKERS bar pieces (Cookie Stroll Item)
Beverages:
- Frozen Joffrey’s Coffee (Non-alcoholic Beverage)
- 81Bay Brewing Co. Peanut Butter Banana Porter
- Playalinda Brewing Co. Maple Cookie Blonde Ale
- Collective Arts Coffee Maple Porter
- Regional Icewine
- Regional Red Wine
- Frozen Joffrey’s Coffee with Tap 357 Whisky
- Beer Flight
Holiday Sweets & Treats
Food Items:
- Peppermint Sundae: Chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, and peppermint candy
Beverages:
- Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee (Non-alcoholic Beverage)
- Chocolate Peppermint Shake featuring Twinings Peppermint Cheer Tea (Non-alcoholic Beverage)
- Breckenridge Brewery Christmas Ale
- Brew Hub Sugar Plum Red Ale (New)
- Left Hand Brewing Co. Chai Milk Stout (New)
- Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee with assorted liqueurs (Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur, Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream Liqueur, or Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey)
- Chocolate Peppermint Shake featuring Twinings Peppermint Cheer Tea and whipped cream vodka
- Beer Flight
Refreshment Port
Food Item:
- Turkey Poutine: Sweet potato fries with turkey gravy, cranberry relish, and crispy onions
Beverages:
- Gingerbread Milk Shake (Non-alcoholic Beverage)
- Eggnog (Non-alcoholic Beverage)
- Keel Farms Hard Pumpkin Cider (New)
- Pasek Cellars Cranberry Wine
- Gingerbread Milk Shake with Whipped Cream Vodka
- Firenog: Eggnog with Fireball Cinnamon Whisky
NEW! Swirled Showcase
Food Items:
- Mickey-shaped Liquid Nitro Cake
- Soft-serve in a Waffle Cone: Vanilla, apple-cinnamon, and salted caramel
- Cream Soda Float with vanilla soft-serve
- Fanta Grape Float with vanilla soft-serve
Beverages:
- Frozen Apple Pie (Non-alcoholic Beverage)
- Cinnamon Apple Cider (Non-alcoholic Beverage)
- 3 Daughters Brewing Toasted Coconut Porter
- 3 Daughters Brewing Toasted Coconut Porter Float with salted caramel soft-serve
- Berry Fizz Fragolino Red Sparkling Wine Float with vanilla soft-serve
NEW! Bubbles & Brine
Food Items:
- Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with prosecco cocktail sauce and grilled lemon
- Jonah Crab Claw Cocktail with stone-ground mustard sauce
Beverages:
- Moët & Chandon Impérial
- Veuve Clicquot Rosé
- Dom Pérignon
NEW! Wine & Wedge
Food Items:
- Assorted Artisanal Cheeses and Accompaniments
- Boursin Fig & Balsamic Soufflé with fig tapenade
- Southern Pimento Cheese with bread-and-butter pickled vegetables and grilled bread
- Artist Palette of Wine and Cheese: Assorted artisanal cheeses and accompaniments paired with Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Hartley Apple Brandy, and Florida Orange Groves Winery Black and Blue Port
Beverages:
- Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
- Hartley Apple Brandy
- Florida Orange Groves Winery Black and Blue Port
- Flight
NEW! Char & Chop
Food Items:
- Roasted Porchetta with lemon-parsley salsa verde and shaved fennel salad
- Grilled IMPOSSIBLE Spicy Sausage with herbed polenta, puttanesca sauce, and ricotta
- Meat Assorti: Trio of shaved meats with baby arugula, pickled mustard seeds, truffle oil, and grilled ciabatta
Beverages:
- Krombacher Pilsner
- North Coast Laguna Baja Vienna Lager
- Motorworks Brewing Midnight Espresso Coffee Porter
- GoGi ‘Birdie’ Pinot Noir
- Bloody Mary with Seaside Grown Bloody Mary Mix and Kurvball Barbecue Whiskey
- Beer Flight
Refreshment Outpost
Food Items:
- Peanut stew with sweet potatoes, mustard greens, and roasted peanuts (Plant-based)
- DOLE Whip Raspberry
Beverages:
- Ciderboys Caramel Apple Hard Cider (New)
- 81Bay Brewing Co. Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Ale (New)
- Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. Gingerbread White Stout (New)
- Pumpkin Spice Ginger Cocktail featuring Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka (New)
Nochebuena Cocina
Food Items:
- Tamale with chorizo, plant-based cotija cheese and spicy red chile sauce (Plant-based)
- Pernil: Mojo pork with tostones and ketchup-mayonnaise
- Spiced Chocolate Cookie (Cookie Stroll Item)
Beverage:
- Ponche Navideño: Mexican Christmas punch with apples, pears, guava, oranges, dried hibiscus, brown sugar, tamarind, cinnamon sticks, and clove (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)
- 81Bay Brewing Co. Horchata Beer
Holiday Hearth Desserts
Food Items:
- Mint Chocolate Mousse Wreath (New)
- Apple Caramel Crumb Cake (New)
- Chocolate-covered Toffee Brittle (New)
- Red Velvet Mini Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
- Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie
- Mouse Crunch made with M&M’S chocolate candies
- Peppermint Pinwheel Cookie (Cookie Stroll Item)
Beverages:
- Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee (Non-alcoholic Beverage)
- Frozen Caramel Hot Chocolate with TWIX cookie bar pieces and whipped cream (Non-alcoholic Beverage) (New)
- Wicked Weed Brewing Jack Frost IPA (New)
- BrewDog It’s a Beaut Stout (New)
- Wicked Weed Brewing Milk & Cookies Imperial Milk Stout
- Peppermint Cocoa: Hot cocoa by Joffrey’s Coffee with peppermint schnapps
- Beer Flight
Le Marché de Noël Holiday Kitchen
Food Items:
- Crème de Saumon Fumé en Brioche à l’Aneth, Concombre: Cream of smoked salmon in house-made dill brioche bread with cucumber (New)
- Rôti de Jambon Sauce Moutarde à l’Ancienne, Patate Douce Rôties: Roasted ham with mushrooms, pearl onions, bacon, mustard sauce, and roasted sweet potatoes
- Bûche de Noël au Pain D’Épices, Ganache Chocolat au Lait et Noisettes: Gingerbread Christmas log with milk chocolate and hazelnut ganache (New)
Beverages:
- Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini: Grey Goose La Vanille Vodka, vodka, chocolate milk, and whipped cream
- Le Joyeux de Noël: Vodka, Grey Goose Vodka, cold brew coffee, sea salt caramel toffee, and peppermint (New)
- Blood Orange Mimosa: Pol Remy Sparkling Wine, orange juice, and blood orange (New)
Tuscany Holiday Kitchen
Food Items:
- Montanara: Fried house-made pizza dough with pomodoro sauce, parmesan, and fresh basil (New)
- Farfalle Salmone Affumicato: Farfalle pasta with smoked salmon and cream sauce (New)
- Torta Caprese: Flourless chocolate torta with chocolate sauce and vanilla cream (New)
- Dolce Pizza: Fried house-made pizza dough with sugar and cinnamon (New)
Beverages:
- Prosecco
- Moscato
- Chianti
- Italian Sangria (Red or White)
- Italian Margarita with tequila and limoncello
- Peroni Pilsner
Shanghai Holiday Kitchen
Food Items:
- Chicken Skewer with creamy peanut sauce
- Beef and Noodle Soup Bowl with slow-braised beef shank, green onion, and house-made chili oil
- Vegetable Spring Rolls with citrus sauce
Beverages:
- Bubble Tea: Classic milk tea with black and white boba pearls
- Brew Hub Year of the Dragon – Dragon Fruit Lager
- Butterfly Lantern with butterfly pea blossom gin, vodka, prickly pear, lychee, soda water, and boba (New)
- Kung Fu Master with vodka, triple sec, mango, orange juice, and soda water
- The Lucky Mo with citrus vodka, peach schnapps, piña colada mix, orange juice, and soda water
Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen
Food Items:
- Sushi Tree: Sushi roll with krab meat and cream cheese topped with Aonori seaweed, Ikura salmon roe, and spicy mayonnaise
- New Year Celebration Soba: Buckwheat soba noodles in a hot dashi soup with yuzu, shrimp tempura, and chopped green onion
- Sweet Potato Mochi Cake: Gooey sweet potato mochi cake with purple sweet potato cream, strawberry, black sugary syrup, and sesame seeds (New)
Beverages:
- Ichigo Milk Boba: Cranberry and yuzu cream drink featuring Japanese calpico soft drink and popping strawberry boba pearls (Non-alcoholic Beverage)
- Japanese Christmas Punch: Shōchū, plum wine, cranberry, and lemon
- Choya Sparkling Plum Wine (New)
- Sapporo Premium Beer
Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen
Food Items:
- Giant Tostada de Chorizo: Giant tostada with chipotle black bean purée, ground chorizo, salsa verde, queso cotija, crema Mexicana, and pickled onions (New)
- Tamale de Barbacoa: Shredded barbacoa beef in a corn masa topped with mole negro, queso cotija, crema Mexicana, and pickled onions (New)
- Dulce de Leche Churro sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar
Beverages:
- Apple Margarita: Centinela Blanco Tequila, apple purée, black tea-cinnamon cordial, and Nixta Corn Liqueur topped with whipped cream and holiday salt (New)
- Horchata Margarita: Cinnamon-infused Ilegal Mezcal, Abasolo Corn Whiskey, Agua de Horchata, and cinnamon-horchata rum
- Holiday Cerveza: Mexican Artisanal Craft Lager with black currant liqueur (New)
Funnel Cake
- Holiday Cinnamon Celebration Funnel Cake topped with powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream, cinnamon cookie crunch, cream cheese whipped cream, and gold dust inspired by the culinary treasures of the Kingdom of Rosas in Disney’s all-new animated musical film, “Wish”
Connections Café
Food Item:
- Holiday Sugar Cookie (Cookie Stroll Item)
Connections Eatery
Beverages:
- So Many Wishes: Pomegranate-green tea, hibiscus, lemon, and a dash of stardust (Non-alcoholic beverage)
- Coquito Milk Shake (Non-alcoholic beverage)
- Coquito Milk Shake with Bacardí Superior Rum
Sunshine Seasons
Food Item:
- Jingle Sugar Cookie made with M&M’S chocolate candies (Cookie Stroll Item)
Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company
- Horchata Cold Brew: A holly jolly blend of Joffrey’s Shakin’ Jamaican Cold Brew and horchata topped with whipped cream and cinnamon (Non-alcoholic Beverage) (Spirited version available with Creamy Spiced Rum)
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