Monday, April 16, 2018 (8:33 am)

The robots are being dismantled and packed away, the glue and glitter is being cleaned up, and the animals are resting after three days of visitors.

With record-breaking attendance, OC Fair & Event Center’s largest community give-back event, Imaginology, has come to a close. In total, Imaginology hosted more than 46,000 guests over the weekend of hands-on STEAM learning, up nearly 30 percent from 2017.

Several events took place within Imaginology, including Dia del Nino, an annual festival that was previously held in Santa Ana and featured several performances and artist workshops on Sunday. Throughout the weekend, Vital Link hosted its STEM Showcase, which celebrated tech and gadgets in a hands-on way, featuring robot competitions, 3D and VR demonstrations and more. Over in Livestock, 4-H and FFA groups competed in master showmanship events, and in Baja Blues, Academic Chess hosted its Tournament of Champions.

With tons of exhibitors, demonstrations and hands-on activities, the list goes on. Here are a few numbers to help digest the fun of Imaginology.

46,131 guests attended 2018 Imaginology
1,000 LEGO pieces were used by contestants in the Bytes and Bots MiniMAKEathon competition
400 paper airplanes flew across The Hangar during Aerospace Adventure
30 gallons of milk were produced from the cow-milking demos in Millennium Barn
16 community entertainment performances on Main Mall Stage
400 boys and girls participated in Fishing in the City
450 people took a ride on the tractor that circled the fairgrounds
6.5 pounds of wool was shaved off during sheep shearing in Centennial Farm
8 hats were entered into Imaginology’s first ever Steampunk Hat Contest
60 pounds of honey sold by OC Beekeepers Association
1,346 burgers and brats sold by Boy Scout Troop 339
 other vendors and local organizations provided delicious dining options for guests, including Boy Scout Troop 274, OC 4-H Tri-City, Cathy’s Cookies and Scooter’s Italian Ice

Finally, six scarecrows were entered into the annual Scarecrow Contest, including one made by Xander Leising, 9, of Long Beach. Leising didn’t let his severe allergy to hay stop him from entering the contest. Instead, he decorated his scarecrow while wearing a Hazmat-like suit and mask.

“He likes to participate and do the same activities that the others do,” Andrew Leising, Xander’s father, said. But if Xander is in contact with hay, “he gets incredibly itchy, suffers from a runny nose and is miserable for the rest of the day.”

Initially hesitant to enter the contest this year, Xander brought the idea to his parents that he could wear protective gear. The family purchased a protective coverall suit and mask on Amazon. In the end, his hard work paid off and Xander took home Best in Show, the top prize of the competition.

Imaginology 2018 was held April 13-15 at OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. In an effort to showcase S.T.E.A.M.-powered education, the event provided exhibits and demonstrations based on the facets of science, technology, engineering, arts and math. The event offered various educational hands-on activities designed to inspire and encourage academic and career exploration. Several arts-related competitions were hosted by OC Fair with participation from hundreds of local schools. Results for the competitions will be posted at ocfair.com/imaginology.

Posted in: Imaginology

Tuesday, March 13, 2018 (10:22 am)

With lots of hands-on activities and makeshops, Imaginology brings free, family-friendly fun with a focus on ST.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) to OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa April 13-15, 2018.

This exciting, three-day exploration of S.T.E.A.M. is open Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free and most activities are included. Parking is free on Friday; $8 on Saturday and Sunday. Friday is field trip day and is open to the public. Schools and large groups of 10 or more are encouraged to register, but it is not required. For more information, visit ocfair.com/steam.

Imaginology is the perfect place for curious people of all ages to discover the opportunities available in the science, technology, engineering, arts and math fields. Students are encouraged to explore the possibilities as they learn by doing at a variety of workshops and exhibits. Food will be available for sale at the event.

Family-friendly activities and competitions for Imaginology include:

• Workshops and makeshops: Students can participate in activities including woodworking, sewing, creative crafting, tech play, ceramics, sun prints and more. Local professionals and Imaginology staff lead the demonstrations and all necessary equipment and supplies are provided. Participants get to take home the crafts and artwork they create.

• Youth competitions: Budding scientists and artists will showcase their talents in photography, videography, fiber arts, fine art, poetry, science and engineering divisions. Competitions include 3-D printing, computer-generated art, fashion design, drawing, kinetic art, clay crafting, wood and metal art and more. All competitions are free to enter and open to Orange County students. The deadline for online entry submissions is March 9. Project delivery day is April 5.

• NEW cultural celebration: Día del Niño, which translates to Day of the Child, joins Imaginology this year on Sunday, April 15, bringing a day of interactive arts workshops and performances by professional guest artists, arts organizations and members of the creative community. Día del Niño celebrates the artistic richness and cultural heritage of Orange County’s Latino community through engaging arts experiences, connects residents to local arts organizations and provides access to new artistic disciplines. This celebration will be presented in collaboration with Arts Orange County and Media Arts Santa Ana. 

• Free on-site creative contests: Family members and friends can team up at Imaginology to compete in an onsite contest to decorate the best scarecrow on Saturday, April 14. Kids can enter the steampunk hat contest on Sunday, April 15. There are awards and prize money. It’s free to enter and basic materials will be provided but people are encouraged to bring their own decorations to make their entry unique. Visit com/steam for details.

• Centennial Farm: Guests can check out animals and crops on the three-acre working farm and enjoy free tractor rides, an oxen exhibit, blacksmithing, sheep-shearing demonstrations, radish-seed planting, terrarium-making and the OC Beekeepers exhibit.

• 4-H competitions: Local youth are judged on their abilities to raise small livestock, their understanding of animal and veterinary sciences and their projects on community service, aerospace, electricity and more.

• Vital Link STEM + the Arts Career Showcase: Vital Link provides resources to help students discover and consider professional careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) with exciting competitive displays, workshops and competitions.

• More free activities: Exhibitors will offer things to do and see including Wild Science Activity Area, AG-Ventureland kids’ area and family-friendly entertainment.

Imaginology is easily accessible from the 55, 405 and 73 freeways and from the OCTA 47, 55 and 178 bus lines. 

Posted in: Imaginology

Monday, March 12, 2018 (10:17 am)

Posted in: Heroes Hall

Wednesday, March 7, 2018 (11:51 am)

There is a lot of work that goes into putting on the annual OC Fair, and hiring is now under way to fill about 1,500 seasonal positions. 

Jobs include everything from selling carnival tickets, parking cars and building exhibits to working as an accounting clerk, mechanic or audio assistant.

“We are looking for smiling, enthusiastic people to help our guests make wonderful memories,” said OC Fair & Event Center CEO Kathy Kramer. “We have the best summer jobs ever – and there are terrific perks. These are perfect positions for educators, students and anyone who wants to have a great time while earning a paycheck.”

There are also a handful of year-round civil service jobs available, including a Community Engagement Director and a Heroes Hall Supervisor. Most positions that are currently open fall into the seasonal part-time category with opportunities available for department leads and specialists. 

With only about 150 year-round employees, the OC Fair & Event Center staff works hard to gear up for the busy summer season. Most seasonal jobs have been posted at ocfair.com/jobs and positions are available for people 16 and older. Hiring has begun for key jobs, with other start dates staggered toward the OC Fair, July 13-Aug. 12.

There are jobs available for those who have always wanted to be a costumed character, sign language interpreter, data analyst, auto mechanic, dispatcher, lighting technician, farm attendant or a safety and security representative. 

Perks include free admission to the OC Fair, the option to purchase up to 20 Fair tickets for $1 each for friends and family and the opportunity to win a Fair employee scholarship.

For more information and to apply online, visit ocfair.com/jobs or contact the OCFEC Human Resources Department at 714-708-1563, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Posted in: Latest news about the fairgrounds, OC Fair & Event Center

Wednesday, February 28, 2018 (11:45 am)

COSTA MESA (Feb. 28, 2018) – A new cutting-edge cooking academy has opened at OC Fair & Event Center to empower underserved youth through free culinary education and mentorship. A commercial kitchen on the fairgrounds has been transformed into Hatch Culinary Lab.

The new education program is a partnership between OC Fair & Event Center (OCFEC), CulinaryLab Cooking School, Anaheim’s Innovative Mentorship Experience program (AIME) and Spectra, the Fair’s master concessionaire.

OCFEC has invested an initial $54,000 in equivalent value in this community program that this year will provide up to 50 students with training in everything from knife skills, cookery basics and making healthy meals to safety and sanitation. The spring session started Feb. 28 with the first 20 students from Kennedy, Savanna and Western high schools working for eight weeks. A summer internship program and fall certification series will follow, culminating in an event to feed the local homeless community.

“We have an opportunity to change the lives of students through Hatch Culinary Lab and it is important for us to step in to help,” said OCFEC CEO Kathy Kramer. “Here at the OC Fair we love food, so this program is close to our hearts and ties in perfectly with our community give-back mission. I look forward to growing this program to include training for both kitchen staff and front-of-the-house positions.”

The team from CulinaryLab in Tustin is donating staff and time to the program and has created new curriculum tailored to provide students with the basics on how food works, healthy cooking skills and simple recipes they can practice at home with minimal cost and prep time. The goal is to excite students about cooking and food service and empower them to be confident individuals ready to secure employment.

“At CulinaryLab, we do everything we can to immerse students in the world of cooking with experimentation, tons of repetitive hands-on practice, and by involving local chef partners in the teaching process,” said Chef Ryan Wagner. “The goal of the Hatch program is to bring that same high-level culinary education to high school students who might otherwise not have access to it.”

The OCFEC commercial kitchen has been revamped from a solely commercial facility to a fully equipped teaching kitchen with additional cooking stations, appliances, storage, tables and cookware. The approx. 6,500 sq. ft. facility is operated by Spectra and manager Juan Quintero says the company will also donate kitchen labor, such as dishwashers, to support the program.

“The Spectra team is excited to be part of this community education program. This is really a win-win situation for us,” said Quintero. “Not only do we get to work with the student chefs and see their transformation, but we want to hire program graduates to work at the OC Fair doing kitchen prep and cooking for special events.”

Students from Anaheim Unified School District’s AIME program have been selected to participate in the first Hatch Culinary Lab sessions. More than 70 percent of AIME students come from economically challenged backgrounds and spend their time outside of school assisting their families, either at home or by working. The program will provide transportation and additional supervision for Hatch students.

There are plans for the program to expand through partnerships with Costa Mesa and Santa Ana school districts to serve up to 80 students annually. Wagner estimated that students will gain up to $20,000 worth of culinary education through the Hatch program and he is seeking to secure restaurant partners to help further students’ training.

About CulinaryLab Cooking School
CulinaryLab is a forward-focused cooking school where timeless techniques meet cutting-edge curriculum and real-world training to cook up bold, contemporary cuisine. CulinaryLab seeks to reinvent culinary training with programs that harnesses the power of today’s innovations to train tomorrow’s culinary arts and management visionaries. CulinaryLab is the first school of its kind that combines community-built curriculum, tech-savvy training, hands-on learning and a 1,000-hour apprenticeship in high level local restaurants.

CulinaryLab’s Chef Ryan Wagner is a Certified Executive Chef with 23 years of food and beverage experience, including running restaurant kitchens, high-profile event catering and various leadership roles in culinary education.

More at https://www.culinarylabschool.com/

About AIME
AIME’s mission is to partner with businesses and community organizations to provide students in the Anaheim Union High School District with mentoring experiences that will enhance their college, career, and life-readiness skills, as well as build lasting connections within the community.​​ AIME, a comprehensive mentorship program that also includes opportunities for paid summer internships, holds the promise of transforming the lives of our students as they prepare for the demands of college and career and make connections in the community.

More at http://anaheimhs.org/Anaheim/72681-AIME-Internship.html

About Spectra
Spectra by Comcast Spectacor is an industry leader in hosting and entertainment, partnering with clients to create memorable experiences for millions of visitors every year. Spectra’s unmatched blend of integrated services delivers incremental value for clients through several primary areas of expertise: Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality, and Partnerships.

More at http://www.spectraexperiences.com/

About OC Fair & Event Center
OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa is home to the annual OC Fair. Year-round attractions include Centennial Farm, Table of Dignity, Heroes Hall and Pacific Amphitheatre. Throughout the year events ranging from recreation shows to cultural festivals are held at the fairgrounds.

Posted in: Community Programs