December 27, 2021 (8:03 am)

Congratulations to OC Fair & Event Center CEO Michele Richards on being named one of the most influential people of 2021  in Orange County by the OC Register.

“Michele Richards

As CEO of the OC Fair & Event Center, Richards helped shepherd the return of the OC Fair during the coronavirus pandemic with several sold-out dates. Even with caps on attendance, the fair turned a profit in 2021.”

Read the full article:

Most influential: Meet Orange County’s 125 top influencers for 2021

December 16, 2021 (11:30 am)

Today the OC Fair announced that “Feel the Sunshine” will be the theme of the 2022 annual event which will be back July 15-Aug. 14 and tickets are on sale now.

Advance ticket purchase will again be required with limited capacity for summer’s best party, which will be open Wednesday through Sunday. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“We are excited to invite everyone to come out to the 2022 OC Fair and ‘Feel the Sunshine,’” said OC Fair & Event Center CEO Michele Richards. “Our limited capacity, advance ticket sale model worked out so well last year that we are bringing it back so fairgoers can have more great experiences.”

Fair officials kept the ticket prices at the same as the past several years, $12 general admission on weekdays (Wednesday, Thursday) and $14 general admission on weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Tickets for seniors 60+ and kids 6-13 are $7 all days. OC Fair will absorb the online admission ticket transaction fees. Parking is $10 for cars and motorcycles and $20 for buses and limos.

Tickets are also on sale for the first OC Fair concerts announced for Pacific Amphitheatre and The Hangar. Live music performances include Steve Miller Band, ABBA LA and Bee Gees Gold, Which One’s Pink?, 24K Magic and the brand new show, LA Sound Machine.

“The annual OC Fair is a wonderful opportunity to provide fun and education to the community,” said OC Fair Board Chair Doug La Belle. “Our guests get to experience agriculture, our competitions, Centennial Farm and Heroes Hall along with all the excitement of the carnival, food and entertainment.”

Returning OC Fair favorites include magician Frank Thurston, Brew Hee Haw craft beer fest, monster truck races, Dragon Knights stilt walkers, Russell Brothers Circus, hypnotist Mark Yuzuik, demolition derbies, All-Alaskan pig races and, of course, crazy fair food.

The OC Fair returned to an in-person event during the summer of 2021 with attendance at 1,055,770 after a virtual Fair was held online in 2020 due to the pandemic.

(11:15 am)

FAQs about the 2022 OC Fair

The theme of the 2022 OC Fair is “Feel the Sunshine,” and we can’t wait to celebrate from July 15 through Aug. 14.

When will tickets for the 2022 OC Fair go on sale?

Tickets are on sale now at ocfair.com/oc-fair/buy-tickets. The 2022 OC Fair will be July 15-Aug. 14, open Wednesdays-Sundays. 

Do I have to purchase my tickets in advance?

Yes. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster; you will be able to select a date between July 15 and Aug. 14 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Dates may sell out. Bonus: no transaction fees for Fair admission tickets! 

What if I buy tickets for the wrong day?

Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster and are non-refundable and non-transferable. Please select your ticket date carefully before purchasing. 

Will tickets be available at the gate?

No. We cannot guarantee tickets will be available for purchase at the gate during the run of the OC Fair. Please purchase your tickets online in advance. We’d hate to have to turn you away if we are at full capacity, and parking fees are non-refundable. 

Is it safe to buy tickets online?

The only authorized seller for OC Fair tickets online is Ticketmaster. OC Fair & Event Center is not affiliated with any other vendor for the purchase of OC Fair admission or concert tickets. 

I am fully vaccinated. Do I have to wear a mask at the fair?

Information about Covid precautions, vaccination and mask requirements, etc. will be updated as we get closer to the event, but please expect to follow state/county regulations as OC Fair & Event Center is a state agency.

What are the other restrictions?

We have a limit on the number of tickets available; when days sell out, no more tickets will be added. Information about Covid precautions, vaccination and mask requirements, etc. will be updated as we get closer to the event, but please expect to follow state/county regulations as OC Fair & Event Center is a state agency. 

Will you be selling a season pass this year?

No. The Super Pass will not be for sale for the 2022 season. Super Passes from past years will not be valid. We so appreciate our loyal fans, but with limited ticket sales, we aren’t able to offer an unlimited pass. We hope you’ll still be able to Feel the Sunshine a couple times next summer ! 

Will you offer free or discounted admission days?

No. We are sorry that we will not be able offer admission options that were available in the past.

Will Opening Day be free?

No. We are sorry that we will not be able offer admission options that were available in the past.

Can military/veterans get in free?

No. We are sorry that we will not be able offer admission options that were available in the past.

Will you offer any ride or food promotions?

This information has yet to be determined but will be posted here as it becomes available.

Will you have unlimited ride wristbands?

This information has yet to be determined but will be posted here as it becomes available.

When can I buy carnival tickets?

This information has yet to be determined but will be posted here as it becomes available.

When will concert tickets go on sale?

Some performances in The Hangar and Pacific Amphitheatre are on sale now; visit ocfair.com/entertainment to plan your summer. More shows will be announced. 

Does my concert ticket include Fair admission?

Yes, if the concert takes place during Fair-time. Tickets to concerts in Pacific Amphitheatre or The Hangar that occur during the 2022 OC Fair, July 15-Aug. 14, include same-day admission to the OC Fair. Parking is not included. 

Will there be Action Sports Arena performances?

Yes. A schedule will be announced soon, and tickets will include same-day Fair admission. 

Can I be a vendor?

The application deadline to be a vendor, sponsor or platinum partner is available at ocfair.com/oc-fair/be-a-part-of-the-fair

Can I perform at the OC Fair?

The application deadline to be a part of the community entertainment program is available at ocfair.com/oc-fair/be-a-part-of-the-fair

Will there be competitions this year?

Yes. Competition guides will be posted by March 2022.

We will continue to add information to our website at ocfair.com/oc-fair as it becomes available.

Other frequently asked questions are below, or go to ocfair.com/about-us/faq/. For a list of upcoming events at OC Fair & Event Center, go to ocfair.com/events.

Is the swap meet open?

No. The OC Market Place, also known as the weekend swap meet, is no longer operating at OC Fair & Event Center. The company that was contracted to operate the OC Market Place through a formal agreement with OC Fair & Event Center has opted not to reopen. 

However, a new event, the Original O.C. Swap Meet, will likely welcome many of the same vendors as the former swap meet. More info on our event calendar.

Why can’t the OC Fair run the OC Market Place?

As a state agency, OC Fair & Event Center is not permitted to operate a swap meet business.

Is the farm open?

Yes. Centennial Farm is open daily for visitors and is currently accepting reservations for school and group tours. See hours and more info at ocfair.com/centennial-farm/calendar-hours

Got another question? We are working hard to plan for the 2022 OC Fair. We appreciate your patience as we work out the logistics! If you have a question regarding a specific issue, please use our contact form. 

December 6, 2021 (2:32 pm)

The OC Fair is ranked No. 7 in North America – and top in the state – based on attendance in 2021, according to the list of top 5o Fairs released by  carnivalwarehouse.com.

Even with daily capacity limits in place, the 2021 OC Fair, which ran from July 16-Aug. 15, attracted 1,055,770 guests during the 23-day event. 

Fair officials are proud that the annual OC Fair guest survey results showed that attendees ranked this year’s festival as rating 4.20 out of 5 for overall enjoyment, and a 4.52 for the new advance ticket sale process.

Guests rated their favorite aspects of this year’s OC Fair as food, animals and exhibits. Some 16 percent of attendees were first-timers while the average years attended was 4.5.

See a full list of top fairs by attendance here, as  reported by carnivalwarehouse.com.

November 29, 2021 (10:00 am)

Costa Mesa, Calif. (Nov. 29, 2021) – OC Fair has announced its first shows to go on sale for the 2022 summer season at Pacific Amphitheatre and The Hangar. Live music performances include Steve Miller Band, ABBA LA and Bee Gees Gold, Which One’s Pink?, 24K Magic, and the brand new show LA Sound Machine.

Tickets for these shows will go on sale Saturday, Dec. 4, at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.

COMING TO PACIFIC AMPHITHEATRE
Steve Miller Band
August 25, 2022, 8:15 p.m.
Tickets are $55-$100

The classic rock band will headline at Pacific Amphitheatre in a special post-Fair performance on Aug. 25, 2022. The beauty and immediacy of Steve Miller’s work, whether at its most playful or most serious, is palpable. Steve Miller Band’s most recent performance at Pac Amp was in 2018; it was a sell-out show.

ABBA LA and Bee Gees Gold
July 23, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
All seats are $20!

ABBA LA is a Los Angeles-based tribute band that celebrates the timeless music of ABBA. They’re pairing up with Bee Gees Gold, the ultimate experience of seeing the Bee Gees in their prime, live once again. This combo tribute performance is being dubbed “The Greatest Show That Never Was,” and all seats are just $20.

COMING TO THE HANGAR
SOLD-OUT SHOW IN 2021
Which One’s Pink? – A Tribute to the Music of Pink Floyd
July 23, 2022, 8:15 p.m.
Tickets are $20-$25

Los Angeles-based Which One’s Pink? offers a live performance of classic Pink Floyd music with a stunning display of vocals and visual effects. This fan-favorite tribute show sold out during the 2021 OC Fair.

NEW TO THE HANGAR
LA Sound Machine – #1 Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine Tribute
July 24, 2022, 8 p.m.
Tickets are $20-$25

LA Sound Machine is an eight-member band that has great stage rapport, attributed to their experiences together in other projects. This brand new show comes to The Hangar to bring you the multi-Grammy Award winner’s greatest hits in high-energy style. The lead singer embodies Gloria Estefan in vocal quality and stage persona, while the backup singers and rhythm section expertly recreate the moves and enthusiasm of the Miami Sound Machine in concert. LA Sound Machine highlights all of Gloria’s mega-hits from the 80s to today.

SOLD-OUT SHOW IN 2021
24 Karat Magic! – The #1 Bruno Mars Tribute Band
July 28, 2022, 8:15 p.m.
Tickets are $20-$25

24K Magic’s high energy show will have you singing and dancing to all the hits you know and love, like “Uptown Funk,” “Locked Out of Heaven” and, of course, “24K Magic.” The musicians of 24K Magic have worked with the music industry’s best. Together they deliver the ultimate Bruno Mars concert experience, which sold out during the 2021 OC Fair.

Tickets to these shows go on sale to the public Saturday, Dec. 4, at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster. Tickets to concerts occurring during the OC Fair include same-day admission to the OC Fair. The 2022 OC Fair is July 15-Aug. 14 (tentative dates), open Wednesday-Sunday. Advance tickets are required. More information about the 2022 OC Fair will come early next year, and additional shows will be announced through June.

RESCHEDULED SHOWS ALSO ON SALE
These shows were originally scheduled for 2021 and rescheduled for 2022 at Pacific Amphitheatre. They are on sale now.

Trevor Noah
July 16, 2022, 8 p.m.
Tickets are $45-$75