Dr. Rachel J.C. Fu, Chair & Professor of Dept. of Tourism, Hospitality and Event | Director of the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute at the University of Florida
Florida has become a hotspot for food festivals because they combine two things people love: travel and unique culinary experiences. In today’s travel trends, cuisine is a huge draw – about 80% of travelers research food options before a trip, and over half identify as “culinary travelers,” seeking out local flavors and food events during their vacations. Florida’s theme parks and tourist venues have tapped into this in a big way. These events turn a regular park visit into a culinary adventure, letting guests sample global dishes, craft beers, and gourmet bites that they can’t find every day.
Another reason for the popularity is the social and fun atmosphere of these festivals. They’re not stuffy food events – they’re often full of live music, entertainment, and themed activities. For example, Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival features live concerts and tasting booths from around the world, creating a party-like environment. Even the Kennedy Space Center – an unusual venue for a food fest – has found success with its annual “Taste of Space” festival each fall, where visitors sample space-inspired dishes and cocktails and even meet astronauts. It turns out that even at a space museum, people love the chance to enjoy food in a new context. Food is a universal language, and these festivals let Florida’s attractions offer something for foodies, families, and culture-seekers all at once. Social media has further boosted their popularity – eye-catching dishes and drinks often go viral, and that exposure to a mass audience quickly translates into profit for the organizers. In short, food festivals hit the sweet spot between entertainment and gastronomy, which is why both tourists and locals flock to them.
Benefits in Attendance and Revenue
Yes – food festivals have proven to be huge revenue and attendance boosters for Florida’s parks. Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival has become a template for theme parks nationwide, because it led to increased attendance and guest spending, especially during what used to be slower times of year. Recent numbers bear this out – Epcot’s attendance jumped by nearly 20% in 2024, even when other parks saw declines. Much of that success is credited to the park’s festivals and new attractions creating fresh reasons to visit.
For the parks, these events are a win-win: they drive ticket sales and get visitors to spend more on food and drink. Guests often purchase tasting lanyards, special dinners, and festival merchandise. SeaWorld Orlando, for instance, expanded its Seven Seas Food Festival in 2025 to add even more concerts and menu items due to guest demand, indicating the festival’s strong drawing power. The per-guest spending on food and beverages tends to surge during these festivals – one theme park company reported food and beverage revenue up by tens of millions in a year of heavy event programming. In short, culinary festivals not only bring healthy crowds through the gates, they also encourage those visitors to spend more time and money in the park, making them very profitable for Florida’s tourism industry.
Off-Season Festivals to Prevent Attendance Slumps
Many of these food festivals are scheduled outside the summer peak. This is quite intentional. Traditionally, Florida’s theme parks see a dip in visitation when school is back in session – late summer and fall used to be “slow” periods. To combat that, parks introduced food festivals and other special events during those months to keep attendance high. The strategy has worked so well that it’s practically erased the old slow season. As one theme park insider observed, Epcot’s festivals have made the off-season as busy as summer at that park. In other words, a food & wine festival in October can fill the park just like July used to. Parks are indeed timing these festivals to smooth out the crowds across the year.
As mentioned earlier, Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival kicks off in late August and runs through the fall – a period that, decades ago, saw lighter tourist traffic. Now, fall is a highlight for foodie tourists and locals who plan visits specifically for the festival. Similarly, Kennedy Space Center’s Taste of Space runs in October when typical family vacation travel is lower. By hosting a fun food event, the Space Center draws in local residents and adults (including food enthusiasts and space buffs) who might not visit in the middle of the school year otherwise. The parks have learned that locals will come out for these limited-time events, even if they aren’t on vacation – so scheduling festivals during the school year prevents steep drops in paying customers. It keeps the turnstiles clicking year-round. In Florida’s climate, it also helps that the cooler fall and winter months are perfect for outdoor eating events, making the experience more comfortable and enjoyable than the sweltering summer. All in all, these carefully timed festivals are a savvy way for attractions to maintain momentum and revenue between the big holiday and summer travel seasons.
Variety and Community Impact of Food Festivals
It’s worth noting that Florida’s food festivals aren’t just about indulgence – they’re also embracing diverse cultures and even healthy eating themes. For instance, the Collard Green Festival in St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival) is a community-oriented event that celebrates a traditional Southern staple with a healthy twist. Now in its seventh year, this festival has grown tremendously – from a small gathering in 2018 to an expected crowd of over 12,000 people in 2025. It offers cooking demonstrations, a collard greens cook-off, and even health screenings and wellness talks. The focus is on teaching people to grow and prepare healthy food and addressing issues like diabetes and heart health in the community. In other words, it’s using food as a fun way to educate and uplift the community.
These kinds of events show how food festivals can be about more than just eating – they promote culture, community, and even public health alongside tourism. Florida’s lineup ranges from big-budget theme park festivals to local street fairs dedicated to a single ingredient or cuisine. All of them leverage what food does best: bringing people together. As one festival organizer put it, people love when “the community can come together over something we all share in common – our love for what food does”. Whether it’s families tasting international dishes at Epcot or friends dancing at a neighborhood collard greens block party, food festivals succeed in Florida because they create memorable shared experiences. They boost the economy, keep tourism humming year-round, and celebrate the rich culinary tapestry and hospitality that Florida is known for – a recipe for continued popularity.
[Image Credit: G. Park]
