LPWire: Epcot's 12th Annual Flower & Garden Festival Opens in Burst of Fragrant Confetti
12th Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Opens Today
Epcot Vice-President Brad Rex officially opened the 12th Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival in a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Friday April 15th.
For the next seven weeks, Epcot will bloom with bouquets of custom displays themed to the "Happiest Celebration on Earth," Disney's global jubilee celebrating 50 years of magic at Disney parks and resorts. Intricately detailed topiaries, multi-colored beds of flowers, a lush rose garden, meticulously crafted bonsai trees and other wonders of the plant world will complement thousands of other varieties of flowers and trees at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. The show will add living color to the largest celebration in Walt Disney Parks and Resorts history. During his opening remarks, Rex invited guests to discover the 50 hidden Mickeys sprinkled throughout the various Festival displays.
The 12th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival showcases topiary displays themed to the "Happiest Celebration on Earth" from the park entrance to World Showcase Lagoon, including the signature Spaceship Earth garden, which will feature the "Fab Five" -- Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto and Donald Duck. Last year's entrance display, themed to Magical Gatherings, won an Award of Excellence from the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association, and the festival's "Power of Flowers" display won the FNGLA's Floriculture Award.
Minnie's Magnificent Butterfly Garden and Farmer Mickey's Maze are new in Future World, and Flower Power concerts return to America Gardens Theatre in World Showcase with nightly musical entertainment of top acts from the 1960s and '70s including Davy Jones, Paul Revere & the Raiders and Arlo Guthrie. Throughout the park, guests can attend gardening seminars and demonstrations. They also can browse among colorful displays that include The Ultimate Backyard Garden, presented by The Home Depot, and a Fragrance Garden presented by Guerlain.
Guests will again discover the hub of program activity at the Festival Center, located inside Innoventions West behind Fountain View Café. Guest speakers and demonstrations will be scheduled daily. Festival merchandise, program guides and information also will be available in this one-stop welcome shop.
"More and more people are spending time in their backyards, and we'll focus on the latest ways to enjoy your home's great outdoors beyond puttering in the garden," says Eric Darden, horticulture manager of the festival. "This year, there are more creative ways than ever to enhance outdoor living spaces, and we're looking forward to helping guests develop ideas and plan inviting garden retreats."
Each festival weekend will be themed with special speakers and events.
"Themed weekends allow us to give our guests special treats by focusing on one aspect of the garden experience," Darden said. "The I Dig Bugs and Art in the Garden weekends are huge favorites. Mother's Day is also a huge weekend for us, with mothers and kids spending all day together among the flowers at Epcot."
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--Posted April 15, 2005
Edited by LaughingPlace.com
Source: Walt Disney World