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Thursday, December 3, 2020 (12:46 pm)
Fairgrounds activated for large-animal evacuations
OC Fair & Event Center has been activated for large-animal evacuations by the Orange County Office of Emergency Services due to local wildfires.
We are using vacant stalls at the Equestrian Center on the fairgrounds to house evacuated animals. If the need should arise, our staff has also constructed temporary stalls inside Action Sports Arena.
At this time, no volunteers or supplies are needed. Large-animal evacuation efforts are being coordinated through the OC Animal Care agency.
We hope everyone in the community stays safe.
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Saturday, November 21, 2020 (9:33 am)
UPDATE: Winter Fest OC’s Night of Lights OC drive-thru announces new dates, Dec. 10 – Jan. 10, and new hours
Winter Fest OC’s Night of Lights OC, an immersive winter wonderland drive-thru experience, has announced new plans to operate at the OC Fair & Event Center, with changes in place to safely meet all government guidelines. The previously postponed event is back and will run Dec. 10-Jan. 10 (excluding Christmas Eve), with sessions ending at 9:30pm nightly.
Guests can to enjoy more than 1,000,000 lights from the safety of their own vehicles. The guided experience through a mile-long route features themed holiday scenery, special effects such as snow flurries and bubbles and animated light shows and tunnels synchronized to music through a car radio or smartphone.
Entry to the event is through online ticket purchase only at NightOfLightsOC.com. Entrance begins at 5 p.m. with timed sessions available until 9:30 p.m. Limited reservations are available per session and guests are encouraged to buy in advance to reserve their date and session before they sell out.
Early bird general admission starts at $39.99 per vehicle (up to five people) on select nights. Larger vehicle tickets (six to nine people) start at $59.99 on select nights. Vehicle height is limited to eight feet or less, due to the light tunnels. Pricing will increase after early bird tickets are sold out.
Holiday favorite treats are available before entering the Night of Lights OC experience through pre-order when purchasing tickets. Seasonal favorites include hot cocoa, cinnamon sugar donuts, as well as Mom’s Bake Shoppe cookie buckets and brownies, tamales, holiday ‘Family 4 Pack’ meals, and more. Food is available to order online by 10am on the date of admission and will be available to pick-up prior to entering the drive-thru experience.
Every Monday, Night of Lights OC will honor local community heroes with a special $5 off coupon for teachers, military personnel, law enforcement, medical workers and firefighters.
For more information, visit NightOfLightsOC.com.
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Monday, November 16, 2020 (3:33 pm)
Heroes Hall interior temporarily closes to comply with county’s COVID-19 response
Heroes Hall veterans museum at OC Fair & Event Center will be temporarily closed starting Nov. 17 to comply with Orange County’s COVID-19 response.Outdoors, Heroes Hall’s Medal of Honor Courtyard and Orange County Walk of Honor remain open so visitors can learn about local veterans who served their country and see the Skyhawk aircraft what was installed outside the museum last year.The Heroes Hall Virtual Museum is also available for visitors to read the stories and see photos and memorabilia of Southern California veterans anytime online.Nearby Centennial Farm, the fairgrounds’ year-round working farm, is open by reservation for self-guided tours. Centennial Farm hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free admission and parking (donations welcome); masks and reservations are required and COVID-19 safety protocols are in place. To reserve a time to visit, go to ocfair.com/reservations.The new Heroes Hall exhibit, Private Charles J. Miller: WWII Paintings from the South Pacific, will reopen when the Orange County Health Care Agency deems it is safe for Heroes Hall to welcome back indoor guests.Featured is the visual diary of Miller, who chronicled his military service in the South Pacific theater during WWII. He was a self-taught artist who had been drawing throughout his lifetime, teaching himself perspective, anatomy and drawing and painting techniques.For more information, visit ocfair.com/millerexhibit.
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Monday, November 9, 2020 (10:26 am)
Heroes Hall’s Carol Singleton chosen as a Veteran of the Year
On November 11, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris will be honoring six veterans as 2020 Veterans of the Year.
Petrie-Norris said, “The opportunity to celebrate real American heroes reminds us that we have much more in common than we do at odds. The ties that bind us together are so much stronger than the forces that seek to tear us apart.”
The veterans were nominated by fellow community members from the Assemblywoman’s district and recognized for their service in the armed forces and in our communities. Their service records span from World War II to current active duty, and are reflective of the diversity and wealth of experience in our district.
Join in to watch a virtual ceremony on Veterans Day on Facebook live at 11 a.m.
2020 Veterans of the Year
Carol Singleton, Costa Mesa
US ArmyDavid Hayward, Huntington Beach
US Air ForceMohamed Omar Diab, Irvine
US Marine CorpsAnthony Michael Page, Laguna Beach
US ArmyGary Bain, Laguna Woods
US Air ForceNancy Ise, Newport Beach
US Navy
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Wednesday, November 4, 2020 (9:53 am)
OC Fair & Event Center now using goats as landscapers in challenging areas
They are quite the sight at OC Fair & Event Center, a herd of 18 Angora goats chomping away at weeds while their trusty miniature donkey guards keep watch.
The animals are hard at work solving problems by clearing weeds and improving the soil on the berm around Pacific Amphitheatre.
“The berm is a challenging area for our landscaping crew and the goats are the perfect solution, but we do have some coyotes around the property so the two miniature donkeys will help protect the herd,” said Barbara Gregerson, OC Fair & Event Center’s Landscape Supervisor. “Not only will the goats and donkeys eat the vegetation, they will fertilize and break up the soil, preparing it for planting.”
Gregerson developed the animal landscaping program to reduce erosion, maximize water filtration and improve the resilience of the soil. Once the soil improves, the ultimate goal is to create a diverse habitat of California native plants that invite birds, butterflies and other pollinators.
The berm has been divided into quadrants where the animals will be rotated to evenly work the land. In addition to the weeds and grasses on the berm, the goats will have shelter, water and supplemental feed to ensure they are getting a well-rounded diet. They will also receive regular veterinary care like the animals that reside year-round at nearby Centennial Farm.
The goats and miniature donkeys are on loan from Eureka Mohair Farm in Tollhouse, CA, a longtime competitor in the annual OC Fair livestock competitions. They will be on the property through December and will return in March and work until the annual OC Fair in July. The plan is then to have the animal landscapers back again in September through December 2021 and continue the pattern for a couple of years.
The annual cost of the program is almost the same as using traditional landscapers. There were fencing and shelter costs to get the program up and running and OC Fair & Event Center will cover feed and veterinary care for the animals in exchange for their labor. Gregerson says the expenses basically even out.
Centennial Farm and Heroes Hall veterans museum are reopening to the public tomorrow, Nov. 3. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free admission and parking; masks and reservations are required. To reserve a time to visit Centennial Farm and Heroes Hall, go to ocfair.com/reservations.
Visitors to Centennial Farm and Heroes Hall may catch a glimpse of the goats donkeys at work on the berm, but there is no public viewing area at this time.