Currently ongoing at Walt Disney World Epcot is the ever popular International Food and Wine Festival. We have written about the event and brought you information about all the sounds to be experienced at the festival, but now it is time to feature some of the food – Louisiana food, that is.

Last year, the International Food & Wine Festival, which usually features food from foreign countries in its exhibitions, broke with the tradition and included an American state, Oklahoma. This year, the festival includes one of the states with perhaps the best-known and richest cuisine, Louisiana. Hosted by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the exhibit will include sights, sounds and flavors from the seven regions of the state via a food and beverage kiosk, an artisan area, cooking demonstrations, entertainment, children’s activities, and a merchandise and artisan shop. It has all been custom-built by Walt Disney Imagineering to offer visitors an authentic sampling of Louisiana’s unique culture and heritage.

"We are excited to give travelers just a small taste of what our state has to offer and invite them to Louisiana to get the full cultural experience," said Chuck Morse, Assistant Secretary of the Louisiana Office of Tourism.

Whether it’s spicy Louisiana seafood gumbo or sweet praline bread pudding, you’ll love all the classic Louisiana offerings from the regional chefs. For a satisfying accompaniment, we recommend Purple Haze, a Louisiana beer from Abita Brewery. And when you’re not drinking or munching on tasty Cajun dishes, you can learn to “fais-do-do,” Cajun street dance, or head down to the Riverboat dock and listen to cultural ambassadors share the history and stories of their home state. Families will especially enjoy the Cajun Creole inspired house that features activities for both young and old. When you’ve finished sampling all that Louisiana in Orlando has to offer, you can take some of the state home at the shop, which is modeled after the French Market and offers a selection of regional products, including native Louisiana plants.

The Louisiana exhibit will highlight food and culture from a different region of the state each week of the festival. The first week was “Creole Fusion,” focusing on the New Orleans area, and the second was “Delta Delights,” highlighting northeast Louisiana. Currently underway is the “Seafood Sensations” week, centering on the Lake Charles area. In the weeks to come, there’ll be “Red River Riches” of northwest Louisiana, including Shreveport and Bossier City; “Cajun/Bayou Bounty” of Acadiana, including Lafayette; and “Capital Cuisine” of southeast Louisiana, including Baton Rouge.

The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, now in its 13th year, began on September 26th and continues through November 9th. Don’t miss all the tasty, educational, and cultural fun! Once you get your discount Disney tickets here at OrlandoFunTickets.com, you’ll have what’s essentially the next best thing to a plane ticket to Louisiana. So enjoy your trip and Bon Appétit.