Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

Rain Bird Partners In Growing Festival

More than 30 million blooms open one of this spring’s preeminent gardening events - the 6th Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival from April 16 - May 30. This year, the festival flashes back to the fun “Flower Power” of the ’60s and ’70s with striking displays and beautiful blooms that are just the beginning of this
festival’s appeal.

Interactive workshops, demonstrations, tours, even flower-filled brunches and concerts bring gardening to life for adults and kids alike.

As one of the founding partners of the event, Rain Bird contributes to the festival’s fun with two displays as well as overall festival support.

“We value Rain Bird for their knowledge in irrigation,” said Sam Lemheney, Area Manager for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. “And we appreciate the countless hours put in helping us prepare for the festival.”

The Rain Bird displays - a Surprise Water Garden in the Italy Pavilion actually squirts visitors with surprise water jets and an “Every Day is Earth Day” micro-irrigation demonstration - are just two of many displays designed to emphasize the fun and practicality of gardening.

“The entire concept behind the festival is a celebration of plants and gardening,” said Katy Moss Warner, Director of Disney’s Horticulture and Environmental Initiatives. Warner was influential in starting the festival six years ago in response to a call from guests who have taken a keen interest in gardening, “Disney style.”

“The Disney organization is recognized for an exceptional tradition of show horticulture,” Warner explained. “This is done particularly well in the Epcot gardens, so the Flower & Garden Festival seemed to be a natural fit.”

Discovering Gardening

“The festival is in keeping with the Epcot theme of discovery,” Lemheney added. “Visitors uncover things that they normally wouldn’t discover about gardening and horticulture.”

With gardening the number one hobby worldwide, the Epcot festival continues to grow every year, said Lana Hall, who spearheads marketing for the event. Today, the festival extends from the park’s Future World to the World Showcase.

“We are the largest flower show in the country as far as area,” said Lemheney. “Our festival combines the excitement and variety of a great flower show with the beauty and interest of one of the worlds most spectacular theme parks.”

Six years ago, the festival started with 13 participants, including Rain Bird. Today, 26 festival partners help add credibility to the event, according to Lemheney. The festival also gives partners, like Rain Bird, an opportunity to showcase their talents and products in a fun way.

A Focus on Family Fun

“There is something for all ages,” said Lemheney, who adds that Epcot particularly tries to make the festival fun for kids. “Kid zones” throughout the event, encourage youngsters as well as parents to get involved.

“Many of the unique displays we have make the whole event a family experience,” said Lemheney. “We are trying
to promote the idea that gardening offers something for every member of the family.”

Topiary are another big festival hit, according to Hall. During the festival, Epcot brings in more than 90 topiaries - some brand new, some from other parks.

Warner has the staff add motion, action, even water surprises to the topiary, inspired by ideas that her team cooks up at “creative roundtable” sessions held throughout the year. She also gathers ideas from her travels to gardens throughout the world.

“We want to show that gardening really is fun,” Warner explained.

The festival displays are exciting, but given the setting, they have to be, Lemheney points out. The festival is already within an attraction. People are coming to see Epcot, so the festival events must rival the excitement of Epcot attractions such as “Honey I Shrunk the Audience,” and “Body Wars.” “It’s a unique challenge,” Lemheney said.

Behind the Scenes

In keeping with the volunteer feel of most festivals, Epcot uses a pseudo-volunteer force of horticulturists from other Disney Parks and resorts such as The Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort, and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to create many of the amazing displays. Area Managers are asked to work as Display Leaders for the festival.

About 35 of the festival’s numerous displays are completed that way, according to Lemheney. This gives the Disney staff of more than 600 gardeners an opportunity to do something a little different and creative.

Practically Delightful

In addition to creating an atmosphere of gardening fun, the festival focuses on practical ideas and tips to visitors.
“The festival is aesthetic, practical and designed to communicate ideas,” said Warner.

It gives Disney’s horticultural staff, regarded as one of the premier in the country, an opportunity to share gardening concepts. Gardeners arrange their schedules so they are visible and able to answer questions while people are
in the park. Informational signs throughout the park supply gardening tips.

“It’s an opportunity to get a lot of information from Disney’s horticultural staff, who are considered authorities in the
gardening and horticultural world,” said Hall.

“There are great parts of gardening,” Warner explained. “It’s an opportunity for visitors to appreciate the creativity of others and translate it into their own region.”

“Visitors come to get the ‘take aways’ or things they can learn in order to have beautiful gardens all year,” said Hall. “Displays like Rain Bird’s micro-irrigation are always a big hit. It’s a wonderful way to take the information home.”

Special Events Galore

While the typical flower show is about 10 days long, the Epcot festival lasts six weeks. In order to keep the momentum going and visitors coming back, special events are scattered throughout the week and each weekend, explained Lemheney.

The Festival Center on the Rose

Walk between Epcot Future World West and World Showcase hosts special events and a Garden Marketplace. This year, nationally recognized garden personalities from the Home & Garden Television network will be among the festival presenters.

Workshops offered range from Designer Plants for the Home to Gardening for Food around the World. In keeping with the theme of discovery, guests discover secrets to creating extraordinary results with ordinary plants.

In addition to dozens of daily dem-onstrations and guided tours, there are weekend brunches that serve edible delights with flowery displays.

The Festival concludes each evening with a nightly Flower Power Concert series featuring musical acts that blossomed during the flower power ’60s and ’70s. Playing each night will vary from Davy Jones of the Monkees to the Buckinghams, The Turtles, John Kay and Steppenwolf. Combined these acts have landed more than 100 top 40 hits.

Discover it All

Whether visitors come for learning, beauty, music or simple fun, they’ll find it all at the 6th Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.

“The festival is full of wonderful educational opportunities as we display the art of gardening,” said Warner. “We want to inspire visitors to try some of these things at home,” added Lemheney. “Visitors can find out how experts do it and take it home and do it themselves.”

For Rain Bird, it’s also a great opportunity to help Epcot emphasize the fun and practicality of gardening and the wise use of water.

Admission to the festival is included in the Epcot ticket price. Special tours are available for an additional charge. For more information, contact Walt Disney World Information at 407-824-4321.