Thursday, February 12, 2026 (9:31 am)

COSTA MESA (Feb. 12, 2026) – OC Fair & Event Center (OCFEC) earned 22 Achievement Awards from Western Fairs Association, including 21 first-place honors.

The annual program recognizes innovation and excellence among fairs and festivals in the Western U.S.

Eleven of the first-place awards were in photography categories including entertainment, carnival, first responders, exhibits, animals and people at the fair. Other top honors were for community outreach for OC Fair’s We Are OC! A Cultural Celebration, agricultural programming, volunteerism and sponsorship. Marketing and creative wins went to logo and program design as well as TV and radio ads.

OC Fair Radio also brought home a top award and OCFEC was honored for large-animal evacuation and for the new Ranch Discovery Days at The Ranch Community Center. OCFEC received one second-place design award.

“I am incredibly proud of the team here at OC Fair & Event Center and I am elated to see this industry recognition shine a spotlight on the work we do all through the year to provide wonderful experiences and service for the community,” said OCFEC CEO James Canfield.

Western Fairs Association sponsors annual awards programs to recognize excellence in the areas of competitive exhibits, communications and agriculture and to share successful ideas and programs with other fairs throughout the organization. More than 150 fairs throughout the Western U.S. and Canada are eligible to participate in this prestigious awards program.

The awards for 2025 achievements were announced following the organization’s annual conference last month in Reno.

OC Fair is the top fair in California and number nine in North American based on attendance. The 136th annual Fair will run this year from July 17 through Aug. 16.

Thursday, January 29, 2026 (3:04 pm)

Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Martha Sanchez Cannady, of Cypress, to the OC Fair Board, formally known as the 32nd District Agricultural Association, Orange County Fair Board.

She is a wealth management advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Seal Beach, having joined the firm in 2008. With more than 35 years of financial services experience, she began her financial career as a vice president and assistant branch manager of the Morgan Stanley Long Beach Branch.

Sanchez Cannady earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from California State University, Fullerton. She is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. She holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) designation and is a member of the National Association of Plan Advisors. Martha previously taught Successful Money Management classes at local community colleges such as Orange Coast, Rancho Santiago, Fullerton and Cerritos.

She and her husband, Bruce, live in Cypress  and have two daughters, Katrina and McKenna. She is an executive board member of Alzheimer’s Orange County and a current board member of the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Fluent in Spanish, Martha enjoys cooking, hiking, traveling and walking the Camino de Santiago.

View governor’s official announcement.

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 (1:44 pm)

COSTA MESA (Jan. 14, 2026) – Southern California’s most anticipated summer celebration will return July 17 through Aug.16 and the theme of this year’s annual OC Fair is “Your Adventure Awaits!”

The 136th OC Fair will celebrate the American spirit of exploration and discovery across 23 action-packed days.

From thrilling rides and creative competitions to live music, crave-worthy food and beloved OC Fair traditions, California’s top fair promises new experiences alongside the favorites fans look forward to every summer. Guests are encouraged to explore, try something new and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Tickets are now on sale for the first concerts announced in Pacific Amphitheatre, part of the extended Fair entertainment season. Performances in OC’s premier entertainment venue include:

• Iration with Tribal Seeds, June 26
• Midland, July 17
• Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Aug. 29

Concerts in The Hangar are also on sale with more to come:

• Twisted Gypsy – Fleetwood Mac With A Twist, July 17
• Coldplay USA – The Ultimate Coldplay Tribute, July 18
• Devotional – The Depeche Mode Experience, July 19

And adding to the current summer entertainment lineup is Brew Hee Haw Craft Beer Roundup on July 17-18.

Tickets and more information are available at ocfair.com/entertainment.

Fair admission tickets and Every Day Passports will go on sale this April. Every Day Passports allow guests to attend the Fair any day and unlock special perks, including exclusive two-for-one offers and more.

Follow OC Fair on social media and sign up for OC Fair newsletters for the latest announcements, entertainment additions, presale codes and insider updates. To sign up and learn more about competitions, special events and new features coming to the 2026 Fair, visit ocfair.com.

Monday, January 5, 2026 (12:22 pm)

Coming in at No. 9 on the list of North America’s top 50 fairs in 2025, the OC Fair ranked above all other California fairs in an annual list published this month by the industry site carnivalwarehouse.com.

Each year Carnival Warehouse ranks the top fairs, including Canadian expos and events, based on attendance.

In 2025, the OC Fair’s theme was “Find Your Happy” and 1,162,872 guests did just that. Attendance increased from 1,137,555 in 2024 when the OC Fair ranked No. 13 in North America.

The OC Fair has been using a limited capacity attendance model since 2021, with a cap on the number of admission tickets available each day of the 23-day event.

Six other California fairs were on the 2025 top 50 list:

• San Diego County Fair – No. 19
• California State Fair (in Sacramento) – No. 25
• Los Angeles County Fair – No. 26
• Big Fresno Fair – No. 35
• Alameda County Fair – No. 42
• California Mid-State Fair – No. 49

The 2026 OC Fair will be held July 17-Aug. 16 and the theme is “Your Adventure Awaits.”

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 (12:26 pm)

The International Association of Fairs & Expositions (IAFE) honored OC Fair & Event Center (OCFEC) with 13 awards for achievements in 2025. IAFE represents fairs and expositions worldwide, and handed out the awards at its annual conference in Denver last week.

OCFEC received six first-place honors, one second-place award and six third-place accolades.

The first-place awards were for achievement in agriculture initiatives, educational programs, competitive exhibits, marketing/communications, year-round facility usage and sponsorship innovation.

“OC Fair & Event Center had an amazing showing at the IAFE awards and I am so proud of the team that works all year long to serve, educate and engage our community,” said James Canfield, OCFEC CEO. “This recognition is significant and showcases our achievements in agriculture and beyond.”

IAFE, based in Springfield, Missouri, is a nonprofit corporation, serving state, provincial, regional and county agricultural fairs, shows, exhibitions and expositions.