'Brighten a Barrel' for rainwater collection at Epcot's 2018 International Flower & Garden Festival

Guests can ‘Brighten a Barrel’ during the opening weekend of Epcot’s 2018 International Flower & Garden Festival.

Attendees at the opening weekend of the 2018 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival can combine artistry and ecology when they ‘Brighten a Barrel’ by painting a rainwater collector.

During the kick-off weekend of Epcot’s 25th Annual International Flower & Garden Festival, Barrels by the Bay has teamed up with Walt Disney World, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida (Coke Florida), and the Orlando City Mayor Buddy Dyer’s Green Works Initiative.

From March 2-4, 2018 Walt Disney World guests visiting the Epcot event will paint 40 rain barrels for the local community at the ‘Brighten a Barrel’ activity station. A rain barrel is a system that collects and stores rainwater from a roof, preventing rainwater runoff pollution that could flow into streams, rivers, and oceans.

Guests will be invited to paint a rain barrel from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. each day at the center of the park near Epcot’s Fountain of Nations. ‘Brighten a Barrel’ gives guests of all ages the opportunity to learn more about their local waterways and how stormwater runoff concerns can be minimized through rain barrels. Volunteers will be on hand to talk with guests about rain barrels and ways to protect their community’s waterways. The rain barrels being painted are recycled Coke Florida syrup barrels that will be converted into rain barrels. Orlando City Mayor Buddy Dyer’s Green Works Initiative has assisted with finding installation locations for the painted barrels in Orange County, to help protect the community’s water resources.