| SPRING 2009 |
Super Pass is on sale soon for the
2009 OC Super Fair.
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All events are subject to change without prior notice.
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OC FAIR & EVENT CENTER
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626
www.ocfair.com
(714) 708-1500
@The Fair is managed by the Communications Department. |
Board of Directors
Julie Vandermost
Chair
Kristina Dodge
Vice-Chair
Dale Dykema
Gary Hayakawa
David Padilla
Joyce Tucker
Dave Ellis
Mary Young
President & CEO
Steve Beazley
Senior VP, Finance
Dena Heathman
VP, Events
Doug Lofstrom
VP, Operations
Jerome Hoban
Back to all issues.
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PETS JOIN STUDENTS FOR A WEEKEND OF FUN, APR. 17-19 |
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For the first time, the annual Youth Expo will team up with the popular America’s Family Pet Expo to offer a full-grounds weekend of fun, entertainment and education April 17-19.
Youth Expo will bring together some of the brightest and most talented students in Orange County to celebrate how they can “Get Super Smart!” in 2009. Projects from students in public, private and home-schools, and ranging in age from preschool to high school will be featured in a variety of academic and artistic competitions.
Youth Expo in underwritten by the OC Fair & Event Center and sponsored by Orange County Parenting magazine. Public hours are Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Parking is $5 and admission is free for everyone. For details visit www.ocfair.com/youthexpo.
While local students show off their stuff at Youth Expo, furry friends strut their stuff at the annual America’s Family Pet Expo held property-wide. Exhibitors from all aspects of the pet world will be on-hand with displays, educational demonstrations and seminars featuring dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles and nearly every kind of companion animal.
Pet Expo is open Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. General admission is $12, seniors (60 and older) are $10, and children (6-12) are $6. Parking is $5. For details on Pet Expo, visit www.petexpooc.com.
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| ACTION SPORTS ARENA CRANKS UP THE MUSIC FOR 2009 |
The Fab Four - The Ultimate Tribute to the Beatles
Thurs., July 15
(On sale to the general public April 11.)
"Led Zeppelin Live!" starring Heartbreaker
Thurs., July
16
(On sale now!)
Space Oddity
David Brighton's
tribute to David Bowie
Thurs., July 23
(On sale now!)
The Joshua Tree
A tribute to U2
Fri., July 24
(On sale now!)
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The 2009 season at the Action Sports Arena during the 2009 OC Super Fair brings back the arena favorites with a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll mixed in from July 10-Aug. 9.
The first shows to go on sale to the general public are a part of a first-ever tribute band series with anniversary celebrations of some of the greatest international stars in rock history:
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The Fab Four-The Ultimate Tribute to the Beatles will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles’ Abbey Road album on Wed., July 15, (General onsale starts April 11.)
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“Led Zeppelin Live” starring Heartbreaker will lend tribute to the 40th anniversary of two of the artists' albums, Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II on Thurs., July 16.
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Space Oddity, David Brighton’s tribute to David Bowie, will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Diamond Dogs album on Thurs., July 23.
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The Joshua Tree will close out the series with a celebration of the 25th anniversary of U2’s The Unforgettable Fire album on Fri., July 24.
Each tribute band show starts at 8:15 p.m. Reserved seats range from $12.50-$17.50 per show and seat. Save 10 percent when you purchase a ticket to all four shows. Tickets for Heartbreaker, Space Oddity and Joshua Tree are on sale now and include free general Fair admission. The general public sale for The Fab Four show starts April 11. Free general admission seating will also be available for each show on a first-come, first-seated basis and with paid Fair admission.
Click here to purchase a reserved seat for the tribute band shows.
The following shows are also confirmed for the Action Sports Arena this year:
| July 10-12 |
Maloof Money Cup
Pro/Am Skateboarding |
| July 17 |
OC Fair SummerFist 2009 |
| July 19 |
OCPCA Police K-9 Show
(two shows) |
| July 22 |
Radio Disney presents Savvy & Mandy featuring Jonnie & Brookie, Tyler Shamy, and Runway MMC |
| July 25 |
9th Annual “Orange Crush” Demolition Derby (two shows) |
| July 26 |
“Think. Big.” Demolition Derby
Battle of the Class C Motorhomes |
| Aug. 5 & 7 |
Extreme Rodeo |
| Aug. 6 & 8 |
Bull Riding |
| Aug. 9 |
Fiesta del Charro (two shows) |
Reserved seats are available for all Action Sports Arena events, which include free OC Super Fair admission. Limited free general admission seating is available on a first-come, first-seated basis with paid Fair admission, excluding the Maloof Money Cup events.
Make sure to sign-up for Grandstand Arena entertainment e-alerts to hear about on-sales and any special discounts.
The 2009 OC Super Fair is open Wednesday-Sunday, July 10-Aug. 9. The gates to the Action Sports Arena open approximately 60 minutes before each day’s show time.
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| FIRST-EVER FAIR PASS ON SALE SOON |
Do you Twitter?
Catch all the super
OC Fair chatter at twitter.com/ocfair09
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The first OC Super Fair pass (Super Pass) will go on on sale soon at a discounted price until June 28. The Super Pass is an exclusive pass that allows the purchaser to enjoy the 2009 Fair season for as many of the 23 days as they would like.
2009 prices of the Super Pass are:
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By June 28 |
June 29-Aug. 7 |
| Adult (13-59) |
$25 |
$30 |
| Senior (60+) |
$20 |
$25 |
| Child (6-12) |
$15 |
$20 |
The Super Pass is valid for one (1) admission every day of the 2009 OC Super Fair (July 10-Aug. 9, 2009, open Wednesday-Sunday) for the owner of the pass only. This pass is non-transferrable. Children 5 and younger are free every day.
The 2009 Fair hours are Wednesday-Friday, Noon-Midnight; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-Midnight.
Subscribe to e-alerts to find out when the Super Pass is on sale.
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| PRESIDENTIAL VISIT BRINGS OCFEC INTO NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT |
President Barack Obama
speaks at the Town Hall
event held at OCFEC.
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The OC Fair & Event Center leaped into the national spotlight when it was called upon to host President Barack Obama at his first public visit to California since being elected. The free event, held Mar. 18, invited the public to hear the President speak about a variety of topics, particularly, the economy, during an intimate hour-long Town Hall meeting in which he fielded questions from the public.
News spread quickly and people started lining up outside the gates as early as 5 p.m. the day before tickets were distributed. Politicians, community leaders, celebrities and general public from throughout Southern California filled the limited seating in Building 12 and heard the President speak about issues in today’s world and address the public's concerns about the failing economy.
Without much notice, it was an all-staff effort to quickly organize and work with local, county, state and national staffs on everything from building setup to security to public relations.
This was the second visit in OCFEC's history by a U.S. President while in office. Former President Ronald Reagan visited the property in 1986 during his second term.
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| OC RUNNERS REROUTE, INVADE OCFEC MAY 1-3 |
The 2009 Avia OC Marathon will follow a new, friendlier route this year that will feature some of the best scenes and highlights of the county, including the OC Fair & Event Center (OCFEC), May 1-3. The full and half marathons will start at Fashion Island in Newport Beach and will lead participants down Pacific Coast Highway and past Corona Del Mar, Newport Bay and Back Bay, the Orange County Performing Arts Center, South Coast Plaza and the Santa Ana River. Both races finish at OCFEC, where the Health & Fitness Expo, the 5K Run and Kids Run are held.
The Health & Fitness Expo is open Friday, Noon-7p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. The Kids Run is held Saturday and the other three competitions are on Sunday.
To register as a participant, volunteer or exhibitor, or for more details, visit www.ocmarathon.com.
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| PARDON OUR DUST - CONSTRUCTION UPDATES |
Crews install the new frame
for the canopy outside
Building 14.
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Steady progress is being made on the Master Plan capitol improvements effort at the OC Fair & Event Center. Check out weekly updates with details and photos of the major projects on the Facility Improvements Update page. |
| A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO |
Steve Beazley
President & CEO
OC Fair & Event Center
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60 Years and Counting…
At the conclusion of World War II, the federal government, through the War Assets Administration took the 1,300 acres of land that was inhabited by the Santa Ana Army Air Base and began parceling and selling it off to public and private entities.
The Orange County Fair Board had the vision to acquire 150 acres of the land and create a permanent home base for the annual summer Fair. In 1948 the purchase was secured and the 1949 Orange County Fair was staged at the former Air Base which triggered the transition from “Air Base to Fair Base.”
The first fair on the new site, a four-day event, was built around the former base’s gymnasium building, where the fair’s feature exhibits were housed and where most of the fairgoers flocked to see the large and ornate agricultural and horticultural displays.
In the 1949 competition handbook, the Orange County Fair Board President wrote:
 “Greetings to Fair Visitors and Exhibitors
This 1949 Orange County Fair is our second one, and the first to be held on the 175 acres of land formerly part of the Santa Ana Army Air Base, which is being purchased from the War Assets Administration. The Fair section is of necessity, a temporary one, to serve until time permits us to build permanently.
We feel fortunate in having the opportunity of acquiring such spacious grounds, so well located, toward which plans can be made to build one of the finest Fair Grounds in our State for the use of all of us in Orange County and our friends from elsewhere.
This is your Fair and your grounds. Join us now and in the years ahead, to secure the maximum of enjoyment from them.
Board of Directors, 32nd District Agricultural Association, H. Clay Kellogg, President”
The greatest joy in reading these words comes from both their resonance and relevance today. In 2009, we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first Orange County Fair in its current home of Costa Mesa. Of course, sticklers will note that these 150 acres were originally part of Santa Ana, until the incorporation of Costa Mesa in 1953.
Also in 2009, like 1949, fairgoers will flock to the exact site of the former gymnasium to see the newly constructed Hangar exhibit building and enjoy the world premiere of the “Al’s Brain” feature exhibit. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Balancing tradition and innovation is the hallmark of fairs and the foundation upon which all future OC Fairs will be built. |
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