The 18th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival runs this year from March 2 through May 15, 2011 featuring a first-time sponsorship by HGTV that will include weekend appearances by its famous designers and landscaping experts.
Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the festival, celebrities from the television network will appear on the HGTV Stage offering tips to Disney guests on topics including “Mobile Gardens,” “Secrets to Bringing Indoor Style Outside” and “Gardening with Kids.”
The design stars who will be at Epcot for the festival are:
As part of the sponsorship, HGTV also will present a new, twice-its-previous-size Bambi’s Butterfly House along the Future World Imagination Walkway. Inside this festival stop are hundreds of native butterflies and character topiaries from the timeless Disney classic film, “Bambi.” This year’s display celebrates the upcoming release of “Bambi” Diamond Edition, for the first time on Blu-ray Hi-Def.
New topiaries will spring up all over Epcot as part of the festival, including Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Lotso of “Toy Story 3” in front of Spaceship Earth at the park’s front-entrance garden. Floral versions of Lightning McQueen and Mater, stars of “Cars 2,” will also make an appearance.
Flower Power concerts will be performed on the open-air America Gardens Theatre stage three times each Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening with popular acts like Davy Jones and Chubby Checker & The Wildcats. New-to-the-festival performers will include Melissa Manchester, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.
More information about the 18th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is available by calling 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or by visiting disneyworld.com/flower. The festival, including all gardening programs, presentations and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.
Photos from last year’s Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival: