Thursday, July 29, 2021 (1:47 pm)

OC Fair admission tickets for Saturday, July 31, 2021, are SOLD OUT. But there are still a few tickets left to see Pepper at the Pacific Amphitheatre or No Duh / Red Not Chili Peppers – Tributes to No Doubt and Red Hot Chili Peppers at The Hangar. These tickets get you into the OC Fair AND a reserved seat at a great show.
Limited supply and first come, first served. Buy concert tickets or purchase Fair admission for a future date.

(9:57 am)

The OC Fair opens this year at 10 a.m., two hours earlier than in the past, and there is so much to do.

Coffee drinks, java bars, cinnamon rolls, breakfast burritos, smoothies and fancy bowls are waiting for fairgoers who answer the rooster call to rise and shine for an early start to a great day at the OC Fair.

It starts with parking – with no crowds in the morning, parking is a breeze. Drive right up and get ready for fun!

Begin a morning adventure with a visit to Centennial Farm. It’s breakfast time for our resident animal educators, so visitors can watch the farm babies and their friends wake up and feed. Piglets, baby goats, lambs, bunnies and chickens are ready to welcome fairgoers and it’s a terrific time to get an uncrowded view of the antics. Pro tip: This is the best time to get a view of our new piglets – they are popular!

More animals are starting their day in residence during the Fair at the Great American Petting Farm and exotic critters like llamas, wallabies, pygmy pigs and goats are ready to greet fairgoers as are the sheep and goats on display in the livestock area.

Since morning dawns with no lines at entry gates, rides, games, food booths, shopping stalls and exhibits, it’s prime time to start your OC Fair excursion. Grab carnival tickets, hop on and off rides with no lines and play to win a giant stuffed prize in the uncrowded carnival midway and in the Kid Land carnival area for tots.

That also means you can get your morning coffee drink of choice without waiting. Maybe a mocha, iced latte, or concoction of your choosing with anything from whipped cream and chocolate drizzle to a cherry on top. Fairgoers can even grab a dragon fruit and granola bowl at Hawaiian Chicken Bowls stand. Right across the way is Terri’s Berries with fresh fruit, smoothies and more for a fresh and healthy start to the day.

The scent of cinnamon rolls baking is coming from at least two spots on the fairgrounds, Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls in Livestock Lane and JP’s Old West Cinnamon Rolls in the Carnival of Products. There are plenty of choices and fairgoers can bring their favorites home to make or bake with frozen rolls to pop in the oven from Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls or custom mixes from JP Old West Cinnamon Rolls. Pro tip: Pack an insulated bag to bring home fair treats.

If breakfast burritos are on your morning wish list, stop by Noel’s in the Main Mall and order up a savory meal, maybe to be enjoyed with some juicy augas frescas. If you prefer an early lunch, concessionaires are ready to serve up everything from giant turkey legs to mac-and-cheese burgers with no waiting.

Morning is also an excellent time for fairgoers to get their shopping fix with lots of room to roam and browse in Carnival of Products, Parade of Products, Festival of Products and Crafters Village, along with the shopping booths throughout the fairgrounds. Visitors look forward to finding their Fair favorites and custom-made products each year.

Guests can get up-close views of exhibits ranging from award-winning woodworking, sugar arts, table setting, quilting and produce and floral displays before others arrive. The arts exhibits are always popular with lots of fine art, photography and jewelry and there is unobstructed viewing early in the day.

Fairgoers can check the daily schedule on ocfair.com or on the 2021 OC Fair mobile app to plan ahead and make the most of their day at the Fair.

Wednesday, July 28, 2021 (11:22 am)

(9:09 am)

The OC Fair is proud to present for the first time ever the California Fresh Exhibit: Celebrating the Bounty of Our Counties.

This special exhibit, which debuted at this year’s fair, was created by OC Fair staff and is aimed at educating consumers and highlighting the state’s diverse specialty crops. The exhibit was developed as part of the California Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. At the end of the fair, the California Fresh exhibit will be on tour educating the public.

WHAT GUESTS CAN DO IN THE EXHIBIT

• Learn about everything from almonds and strawberries to ornamental plants.
• Play the County Bounty Treasure Hunt augmented reality (AR) game – Discover the state’s varied array of agriculture! Just look for the signs with the California Bear and use the QR code to get started or download the app (Apple or Google)
• Coloring sheet for kids – Dress the California Bear for a trip to the OC Fair! The special app also brings the bear to life and he shares information about the state’s many specialty crops.
• There are recipe cards located throughout the exhibit to help fairgoers discover delicious was to enjoy the bounty of specialty crops available.
• A special map in the center of the exhibit illustrates the diversity of the state’s specialty crops by showcasing each county’s key commodity crop.
• Selfie spots – Find all the different and colorful areas to snap pics with your friends, and tag #ocfairfun to be featured!

STAGE DEMONSTRATIONS

The exhibit will feature chef demonstrations and culinary experts sharing information on the benefits of these healthy and tasty crops grown in the state’s 58 counties, along with preparation tips.

Michael Marks will demonstrate on stage and introduce the culinary guests on stage. He will discuss the California crops and benefits of eating healthy.

MORE ABOUT SPECIALTY CROPS

Would you guess that Orange County is known for its variety of ornamental plants? California is called the Golden State for many reasons, one being the bountiful specialty crops produced here. These crops include fruit and tree nuts, vegetables, herbs and spices, floriculture and horticulture crops.

Specialty crops are grown and used for food, medicinal purposes and/or aesthetics or beautification in landscaping and more. These crops include the nutritionally delicious almonds and celery in school lunches, olives on your pizza, garlic and ginger that flavors your dinner, cut flowers in holiday centerpieces, trees in the park, and herbs in your medicine.

California produces more than 400 different commodities, many of which are specialty crops. They’re all around us! The goal of the exhibit is to educate consumers about the many benefits of these amazing crops, to promote healthy eating habits and to teach fairgoers about finding locally sourced produce and more.

Sunday, July 25, 2021 (2:06 pm)

The OC Fair does not condone hate or racist symbolism on our fairgrounds. Our security staff and the OC Sheriff’s Department routinely patrol the fairgrounds to monitor threats to the community. We have reviewed our procedures and security will continue to take all necessary action in the future.