Thursday, September 28, 2017 (3:39 pm)

Heroes Hall will be closed Oct. 2-13 in order to make room for a photography exhibit, Kimberly Millett’s Operation Iraqi Freedom, debuting Oct. 14.

September will be the last month to view The Things They Carried, one of the veterans museum’s first exhibitions since its opening in February 2017. 

The Things They Carried is loosely based on the book by Tim O’Brien and offers a glimpse into veterans’ personal experiences of war. Working in conjunction with local veterans groups, the stories of Orange County veterans are gathered and told through the personal objects they carried into conflict. The exhibition consists of objects that individual veterans carried with them as well as film, audio, photography, text and art.

Heroes Hall is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, except Oct. 2-13, 2017. Admission is free. For more information, visit ocfair.com/heroeshall.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017 (2:23 pm)

On Aug. 25, OC Fair & Event Center will officially unveil Table of Dignity, the newly renovated agricultural workers memorial. The public art piece commemorates the contributions of agricultural workers to the growth and prosperity of Orange County.

The memorial was designed as a restful place for guests to gather and celebrate the beauty and abundance created by those who have worked in the fields and on the farms of Orange County.

The memorial is comprised of three key design elements: two large-scale entry portals made of rammed earth (creating the impression of free-standing walls), a central sculptural table made of a large boulder and a single-cut tree slab (designed to commemorate agricultural workers’ contributions of food on our tables), and a perimeter bench constructed of large timber surrounding the landscape. A grape arbor stretching above the memorial is growing to create a shady place for visitors to pause and reflect.

New additions to the memorial include plaques explaining the meaning and intention of the Table of Dignity and the names of OC Fair board members recognizing their dedication to the project. The arbor and additional seating have been added to the original design and the rammed earth walls have been renovated and stabilized.

The unveiling of the memorial will be held on Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. at the east end of Centennial Farm. Admission is free. Please RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/table-of-dignity-unveiling-tickets-36801894457.

Friday, July 14, 2017 (12:06 pm)

Maybe you didn’t grow a blue ribbon tomato, perhaps your jam didn’t quite gel, or you missed the deadline to enter your most popular Instagram photos in the visual arts competition – don’t fret, you can still be a winner at the 2017 OC Fair!

Try your luck at our contests or just stop by to watch the hilarity. If you don’t win, you can always head to the midway and work on bringing home a giant stuffed gorilla.

OC Promenade contests

These contests in our culinary department are free to enter and winners will be awarded prizes and ribbons. Make sure to register starting at 5 p.m., before competitions begin at 7 p.m. in the OC Promenade Culinary Arts Building on the Mail Mall. Two age groups compete: 9 to 17, and 18 and up.

• Egg Toss Contest, July 14
• Spice & Utensil Guessing Game, July 16
• Cupcake Eating Contest, July 19
• Pie Dough Roll-Out Contest, July 20
• Milk & Cookies Eating Contest, July 21
• Fruit and Vegetable Culinary Contest, July 28
• Pie Eating Contest, Aug. 2
• Cheese Carving Contest, Aug. 3
• Watermelon Eating Contest, Aug. 4
• Chef Hat Decorating Contest, Aug. 9
• Orange Juice Squeeze Contest, Aug. 10
• Count Your Beans, Aug. 11
• Find the Worm, Aug. 12
• Cake Decorating Contest, Aug. 13

Kids’ contests

Over in the Explorium in the Family Fairway area, there are nightly Children’s Eating Contests for our younger Fairgoers, ages 5-18, at 6:30 p.m. Generous Fair vendors supply the food. Sign-ups begin at 6 p.m. – don’t be late, this is a standing-room-only event.

Seniors’ contests

One of the great things about the OC Fair is that there is something for everybody. Senior contests are open to Fairgoers 55 and older and take place each Friday at the Meadows Stage near Centennial Farm. The fun starts at 2 p.m. and contestants must sign up at 1:30 p.m. First-, second- and third-place ribbons are awarded in each category.

• Senior Hat Contest, July 21 – Categories include best all-around, funniest, smallest, biggest, prettiest, most colorful, most patriotic and best representation of the Fair theme: Farm Fresh Fun. After the winners are announced, the annual hat parade begins.
• Senior Friendship Contest, July 28 – Contestants will be asked a series of questions do discover how well they know their Fair companion.
• Senior Bowling Contest, Aug. 4 – Contestants are given three chances to knock down a set of bowling pins and the senior with the highest score wins. There are separate competitions for men and women.
• Senior “Minutes to Win It” Contest, Aug. 11 – Seniors will work to beat the clock while performing a set of skills.

Tuesday, July 11, 2017 (2:25 pm)

The OC Fair & Event Center is bursting with Farm Fresh Fun – and it’s free admission and parking for the first three hours on Opening Day from noon to 3 p.m. July 14.

The midway is bustling with set-up activity, exhibits are being spiffed up, competition judging is under way and the Fairgrounds have been transformed into the summer’s best party.

Here are some highlights:

New OC Fair rides

The OC Fair is adding three new rides this year and one new funhouse, making the carnival bigger and more exciting than ever before!

The new La Grande Wheel XL is so big that it was transported on 22 semi-trailer trucks to get to the Fairgrounds. It is 130 feet tall, weighs 616,000 pounds and features a half-million LED lights. The 36 cabins are climate-controlled and hold six to eight people. It takes the Ferris wheel about three and a half minutes to make a full circle and can carry about 2,000 passengers an hour.

La Grande Wheel XL cost $6 million to build and is one of the largest traveling observation wheels in the western hemisphere. This giant new Ferris wheel was manufactured in Europe and is known as the Mercedes Benz of carnival wheels.

But two is better than one! For the first time ever, OC Fair will feature two giant Ferris wheels to whisk riders high into the sky for a panoramic view. La Grande Wheel XL will be joined by the Big Wheel. Standing more than 108 feet tall, the Big Wheel features the newest technology for a smooth ride. It’s equipped with LED lights and 24 open-air gondolas.

Also making its debut at the OC Fair is Endeavor – an open-air ride in which passengers are suspended in their seats and experience 3G acceleration. Riders will feel the sensation of flying 60 feet through the air at 25 miles per hour.

A new funhouse, Rockin’ Rodeo, will be coming, too, with zany twists and turns around every corner.

These are all from Ray Cammack Shows, and join returning favorites such as Big Top Swinger, Cliff Hanger, Cyclone, Insanity, Mach 1, Speed, Wild River and more.
View a full list of carnival rides.

Opening weekend entertainment

Friday: Comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias kicks off the Fair in Pacific Amphitheatre at 8:15 p.m. Tickets start at $45. The David Bowie tribute band Space Oddity is performing in The Hangar at 8:30 p.m. and tickets start at $17.50. It’s X-treme Freestyle Mo-X in the Action Sports Arena at 8 p.m. with tickets starting at $17.50.

Saturday: Lynyrd Skynyrd and OC’s own Jeramiah Red perform in Pacific Amphitheatre at 7:30 p.m. and tickets start at $37.50. In The Hangar, the Pink Floyd tribute band Which One’s Pink? takes the stage at 8:30 and tickets start at $17.50. It’s Speedway Fair Derby in the Action Sports Arena at 8 pm; tickets start at $17.50.

Sunday: The Happy Together Tour starts at 8 p.m. in Pacific Amphitheatre with tickets starting at $22.50. Blue Oyster Cult takes the stage in The Hangar at 8:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20. In the Action Sports Arena, it’s SummerFist 10 at 6 p.m. and tickets start at $15.

All tickets include OC Fair admission. Get your last-minute seats at Ticketmaster.

Fun for everyone

OC Brew Hee Haw brings the best in craft beer to the Fair and fans can sample more than 80 brews. Saturday the taps are flowing from noon to 4 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets are $65 at the door, if available, and $55 in advance at ocbrewheehaw.com and include Fair admission.

If you prefer wine, visit The Courtyard for wine tastings, vino by the glass and assorted nibbles.

There is plenty for children, too. Check out the Kids Can Cook show at Centennial Farm and while you’re there, catch milking demonstrations, look for new baby animals and visit the honey-tasting bar.

Returning favorites for the whole family include the Peking Acrobats, Russell Brothers Family Circus, All-Alaskan Racing Pigs and kids’eating competitions every evening in the Explorium. Don’t miss Crafters Village, Carnival of Products and Parade of Products – tons of special shopping deals for Fairgoers.

OC Fair deals

Super Pass – Enjoy all 23 days of the Fair for the best price! Super Passes are $35 for general admission and $28 for seniors and youth ages 6-12. New this year: Super Pass holders who come to all 23 days of the 2017 OC Fair will win the Perfect Attendance Award and receive a free 2018 Super Pass.

Veterans and active-duty military personnel – Admission is always free with ID and their guests can purchase up to six half-price tickets.

Read and Ride – Kids ages 5-11 can read two books to earn three free carnival rides. Download book report forms at bit.ly/ocfairread and redeem them at the Centennial Farm information booth.

Seniors Day – Those 60 and older get in for $5 every Friday.

$2 rides and $2 games – On Fridays noon-4 p.m. rides and games are just $2 in the main carnival and the kiddie carnival.

Best Deal Ever – On Saturdays and Sundays, Fairgoers can take advantage of this promotion featuring half-price admission and carnival rides for half the usual number of tickets.

OC Fair Express – Take an OCTA bus from one of nine locations direct to the Fair and receive a coupon for $3 general admission, one coupon per person. Bus fare is $2 each way on Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-midnight. For more information and locations, visit ocfairexpress.com.

Free offsite parking on weekends – Park in the Experian structure at 475 Anton Blvd. (near the Bristol exit off the 405 Freeway), in Costa Mesa and catch a free shuttle to the Fair 10 a.m.-1 a.m.

View a full list of deals and promotions.

Friday, July 7, 2017 (4:53 pm)

Farm to fork. Artisan crafted. Locally made. Small batch. These words don’t just define a food revolution, they hint at what you’ll find in the culinary exhibits and demonstrations at the 2017 OC Fair.

Steal away from the midway for a little while to discover artisans who bring the “Farm Fresh Fun” theme to life. Taste award-winning California olive oil. Sample locally made kombucha. Learn how butchers, bakers and local booze makers are changing the way things are crafted in Orange County and beyond.

The culinary team at OC Fair & Event Center has curated a lineup that showcases top local chefs, TV celebrities, cookbook authors and local businesses to help Fairgoers get a taste of what that food revolution is like.

Let’s take a look at what and who you’ll find at the Fair in the OC Promenade Culinary Arts Building:

Pies: Karen Uyeda is a passionate fair attendee and previous OC Fair Blue-Ribbon Winner for her pies. She launched Sweetcie Pie and her business has flourished. Learn her pie-making secrets. July 19, 3 p.m.

Spirits: Brian and Robin Christenson launched the very first craft distillery in Orange County, Blinking Owl. These locavores and grain nerds will teach how they mill, ferment and distill barrel aged whisky and more. They have a great local story to tell. July 22, 3 p.m.

Paella: Junior chef Isabella Vegh is a member of 4-H and a previous triple Best of Class Winner in Preserved Foods and Winner of the Youth Spam Competition. Isabella will demonstrate how to make authentic Paella Valencia. July 20, 5 p.m.

Butchery: Chef Noah Blom of ARC Restaurant, Restaurant Marin and The Guild will give a primal cut butchery demonstration and he’ll share his best tips. Aug. 2, 5 p.m.

Meat: Executive Chef Melissa Cortina, of Bavette’s Meats and Provisions, attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and learned at the hands of master Italian butchers. She will answer questions about buying, using and preparing meat. Aug. 13, 5 p.m.

Bread: Cortina will be joined by former Blue Man Group performer Don Kohler who will demonstrate how to make unique Icelandic geothermal rye bread in your home kitchen. Kohler is now star of Hallmark Channel’s The Home & Family Show. Aug. 13, 5 p.m.

Beer: The first and only non-GMO, vegan-friendly beer, Dr. Jekyll’s Craft Beer, is produced by Tom Costa, an avid home brewer of more than 25 year. Learn how to bring craft beer into the kitchen and onto the plate. Aug. 6, 3 p.m.

Fermented food: Fairgoers can learn about the health benefits of lacto-fermentation from Dr. Yasmine Mason of Fermentation Farm, and try a free sample of kombucha. Daily

Seasonal: Chef Ernie Alvarado, pictured above, of Urbana is bringing Farm Fresh Mexican-inspired dishes to the table. Find out how he has mastered the use of seasonal produce in his creations. July 22, 7 p.m.

Sweets: Chef Stéphane Tréand will showcase his incredible talents by creating a highly technical sugar sculptor showpiece. July 30, 5 p.m.

Produce: Robert Schueller of Melissa’s Produce is known as Produce Guru. Become one of his followers and increase your knowledge of fruit and vegetables. July 21, 2 and 4 p.m.

Here’s a list of featured culinary events and demonstrations.

The 2017 OC Fair is July 14 through Aug. 13 and will offer 23 days and nights of entertainment, food, rides, shopping, exhibits and more. The Fair is open Wednesdays through Fridays from noon to midnight, and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to midnight.

2017 OC Fair media guide: bit.ly/17ocfairmedia
2017 OC Fair promo photos: bit.ly/2OCFair17photos
Food photos: bit.ly/17ocfairfood
Promo videos: bit.ly/17ocfairpromovideos

Press credential requests: bit.ly/ocfairpress