LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Festival of the Masters, Disney’s acclaimed annual showcase of art, culture and cuisine, returns Nov. 8-10 to Walt Disney World Resort with an entertaining mix of fine arts, live entertainment, delicious food and fun for the whole family.
Now in its 27th year at the Downtown Disney area, the free three-day festival will feature displays from celebrated visual artists, interactive activities for children and families, a diverse lineup of live performers, and tempting tastes of eclectic cuisine from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
This year’s event promises all-new fun for Walt Disney World guests, including a culinary creation of epic proportions by Kellogg’s and a towering LEGO sculpture constructed over the course of the festival.
More than 150 award-winning artists will showcase their work throughout Downtown Disney West Side -- a festival first -- with approximately $40,000 in prize money to be awarded during this year’s event. In order to participate, all artists must have received a primary award in a juried art festival within the last three years.
Judging this year’s entries are Maurine Littleton, owner of a prominent Washington, D.C., art gallery that bears her name; “landscape inventor” Dennis Masback; and abstract expressionist painter and professor John L. Moore. They will select first, second and third place winners in nine categories: painting; watercolor; graphics, drawing, collage and printmaking; photography; sculpture; clay; glass; leather, fibre and paper, wood; and jewelry and non-sculptural metalwork.
First place winners in each category will receive $1,500; second place, $1,000; and third place, $750. Honors also will include a $3,000 Best of Show award, 20 $300 Awards of Merit, and works purchased for the Disney Corporate Collection. The awards ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. Nov. 9 on the West End Stage at Downtown Disney Pleasure Island.
Festival of the Masters will feature additional activities for all ages throughout the three districts of the Downtown Disney area -- West Side, Pleasure Island and the Marketplace. Here are the highlights:
Kellogg's will partner with master pastry chef Erich Herbitschek of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to create an enormouse Rice Krispies Treat at the West Side, measuring several feet across and decorated with a mosaic of Mickey Mouse.
During the festival’s three days, LEGO Master Builders -- with the help of Walt Disney World guests -- will construct a sculpture of popular “Star Wars” character Yoda more than 13 feet tall out of more than 80,000 LEGO bricks on the Dock Stage at the Marketplace.
The Madonnari Masters Street Painting Festival, outside World of Disney at Downtown Disney Marketplace, will showcase dozens of talented artists creating temporary paintings on pavement. A nearby children’s chalk art area will let kids join the fun.
Outside Once Upon a Toy, the creative new toy store at the Marketplace, Hasbro will sponsor an interactive area where children and families can create mini-masterpieces in Play-Doh and Lite-Brite. Artist and children’s book illustrator Christine Benjamin will be on hand creating whimsical works of art from Play-Doh.
Cast and crew from the acclaimed Cirque du Soleil® production La Nouba at the West Side will bring the wonder and mystery of the critically acclaimed production out of the Cirque du Soleil Theater from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, with displays of artwork by La Nouba performers and demonstrations of the show’s acrobatic artistry.
Nov. 8 and 10: Trampoline, 2 p.m.; Diabolos, 4 p.m.
Nov. 9: German Wheel, 2 p.m.; Cycles, 4 p.m.
High school and college jazz ensembles will perform daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the West End and Hub stages at Pleasure Island during the Disney Magic Music Days Jazz Jam.
A taste of the unique dining experiences at Downtown Disney will be offered at several locations including House of Blues, Bongos Cuban Café, Planet Hollywood, Portobello Yacht Club, Fulton’s Crab House, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop, and Rainforest Café.
House of Blues will host its fourth annual “Where the Art Meets the Soul” Folk Art Festival, a West Side showcase for the unique talents of self-taught artists.
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop at the Marketplace once again will present a colorful look at the art of chocolate, featuring chocolate-themed works made by middle school and high school students.
Admission to Festival of the Masters is free. In addition, free parking is available in all Downtown Disney parking lots.
The Downtown Disney area is a 120-acre shopping, dining and entertainment area incorporating the Marketplace, Pleasure Island and the West Side, all set in a spectacular waterfront location. For more information, call 407/824-4321 or visit disneyworld.com.
Now in its 27th year at the Downtown Disney area, the free three-day festival will feature displays from celebrated visual artists, interactive activities for children and families, a diverse lineup of live performers, and tempting tastes of eclectic cuisine from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
This year’s event promises all-new fun for Walt Disney World guests, including a culinary creation of epic proportions by Kellogg’s and a towering LEGO sculpture constructed over the course of the festival.
More than 150 award-winning artists will showcase their work throughout Downtown Disney West Side -- a festival first -- with approximately $40,000 in prize money to be awarded during this year’s event. In order to participate, all artists must have received a primary award in a juried art festival within the last three years.
Judging this year’s entries are Maurine Littleton, owner of a prominent Washington, D.C., art gallery that bears her name; “landscape inventor” Dennis Masback; and abstract expressionist painter and professor John L. Moore. They will select first, second and third place winners in nine categories: painting; watercolor; graphics, drawing, collage and printmaking; photography; sculpture; clay; glass; leather, fibre and paper, wood; and jewelry and non-sculptural metalwork.
First place winners in each category will receive $1,500; second place, $1,000; and third place, $750. Honors also will include a $3,000 Best of Show award, 20 $300 Awards of Merit, and works purchased for the Disney Corporate Collection. The awards ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. Nov. 9 on the West End Stage at Downtown Disney Pleasure Island.
Festival of the Masters will feature additional activities for all ages throughout the three districts of the Downtown Disney area -- West Side, Pleasure Island and the Marketplace. Here are the highlights:
Kellogg's will partner with master pastry chef Erich Herbitschek of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to create an enormouse Rice Krispies Treat at the West Side, measuring several feet across and decorated with a mosaic of Mickey Mouse.
During the festival’s three days, LEGO Master Builders -- with the help of Walt Disney World guests -- will construct a sculpture of popular “Star Wars” character Yoda more than 13 feet tall out of more than 80,000 LEGO bricks on the Dock Stage at the Marketplace.
The Madonnari Masters Street Painting Festival, outside World of Disney at Downtown Disney Marketplace, will showcase dozens of talented artists creating temporary paintings on pavement. A nearby children’s chalk art area will let kids join the fun.
Outside Once Upon a Toy, the creative new toy store at the Marketplace, Hasbro will sponsor an interactive area where children and families can create mini-masterpieces in Play-Doh and Lite-Brite. Artist and children’s book illustrator Christine Benjamin will be on hand creating whimsical works of art from Play-Doh.
Cast and crew from the acclaimed Cirque du Soleil® production La Nouba at the West Side will bring the wonder and mystery of the critically acclaimed production out of the Cirque du Soleil Theater from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, with displays of artwork by La Nouba performers and demonstrations of the show’s acrobatic artistry.
Nov. 8 and 10: Trampoline, 2 p.m.; Diabolos, 4 p.m.
Nov. 9: German Wheel, 2 p.m.; Cycles, 4 p.m.
High school and college jazz ensembles will perform daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the West End and Hub stages at Pleasure Island during the Disney Magic Music Days Jazz Jam.
A taste of the unique dining experiences at Downtown Disney will be offered at several locations including House of Blues, Bongos Cuban Café, Planet Hollywood, Portobello Yacht Club, Fulton’s Crab House, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop, and Rainforest Café.
House of Blues will host its fourth annual “Where the Art Meets the Soul” Folk Art Festival, a West Side showcase for the unique talents of self-taught artists.
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop at the Marketplace once again will present a colorful look at the art of chocolate, featuring chocolate-themed works made by middle school and high school students.
Admission to Festival of the Masters is free. In addition, free parking is available in all Downtown Disney parking lots.
The Downtown Disney area is a 120-acre shopping, dining and entertainment area incorporating the Marketplace, Pleasure Island and the West Side, all set in a spectacular waterfront location. For more information, call 407/824-4321 or visit disneyworld.com.