Wednesday, April 17, 2019 (10:37 am)

Things will get wild at Centennial Farm when Goat Yoga returns on Saturday, May 18, giving participants the unique chance to do yoga with baby pygmy goats who like to frolic and climb on yogis.

OC Fair & Event Center is again partnering with Spectra Yoga and the Fountain Valley Cloverdales 4-H Club to offer three beginner-level sessions from 8 to 9:15 a.m., again at 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. and finally from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on the lawn in front of Centennial Farm’s Millennium Barn.

For those not ready to hit the mat with animal friends, there will be free playtime and photos with goats and the chance tour Centennial Farm.

In addition to being a viral sensation, yoga with goats has been credited with helping decrease stress and relieve the pressures of a perfect yoga practice. It’s free to come and watch.

The event will also feature a frozen fruit bar fundraiser, plus goat milk products and souvenir event T-shirts and tank tops for sale.

Space is limited for the three yoga sessions, and children who participate must be at least 9 years old and accompanied by an adult. The cost is $45 for each class, but free to observe and enjoy the farm. Participants should bring a yoga mat, towel and water.

Proceeds benefit the Fountain Valley Cloverdales 4-H Club and Centennial Farm. Tickets are available at spectrayoga.com/events.

Thursday, July 5, 2018 (2:12 pm)

Towering over guests at 16 feet tall, three gigantic murals celebrating three incredible farms will be hard to miss at each OC Fair entrance this year. Hand-painted by artist John Cerney and dubbed “Bounty of the County,” the murals focus on Orange County’s agricultural roots and truly speak to this year’s OC Fair theme, “Free Your Inner Farmer.”

The murals will introduce fairgoers to:

Tanaka Farms – Blue Gate (off Fair Drive)
Installed on Tuesday, May 29, the Tanaka Farms mural depicts Glenn Tanaka and his son, Kenny, with a special appearance by Kenny’s son, Landon, 2. Located in Irvine, Tanaka Farms is an authentic working farm established in 1940, featuring 30 acres of fruit and vegetables. For more information and tour details, visit tanakafarms.com.

Neff Ranch – Green Gate (north of Pacific Amphitheatre)
Cerney is in the process of hand-painting this second of three murals. Installation is planned for mid-June. Originally established in Yorba Linda, Neff Ranch is one of the county’s last orange growers, with a 20-acre orchard featuring 4,000 Valencia orange trees. Plus, in 2003, Neff Ranch took over a Hass avocado farm in Tustin. For more information, visit neffranch.com.

5 Bar Beef – Yellow Gate (north of the Midway)
The last of the installations, 5 Bar Beef’s mural will feature the very last cattle rancher in Orange County, Frank Fitzpatrick. This real-life cowboy has brought grass-fed beef to Southern California since 1979, and can be found at the farmers markets at Laguna Hills Mall on Fridays and Irvine’s Mariner’s Church on Saturdays. For more information, or to purchase beef online, visit 5barbeef.com.

About John Cerney

Anyone who has driven through Salinas, Calif., might recognize the larger-than-life farmers along Highway 68. Originally erected in 1995, the figures are the first in a long series by Cerney. The Salinas native has projects from California to the Midwest, including a 32-foot-wide race car in Monterey, a 16-foot-tall George Harrison in Benton, Illinois, and two different “Welcome to Roswell” alien scenes in New Mexico off Highway 285, one of which features a flying saucer with solar-powered LED lights.

This is the first time Cerney’s work has been featured in OC, though one of his murals can be found in Santa Monica. Since every project is so different, it can take anywhere from a week to several to complete each mural.

“I love painting and I’m totally committed to every (mural) I do,” Cerney said. “But I love that I’m hitting a new market in Orange County.”

More about John Cerney: johncerneymurals.com

Posted in: Exhibits, OC Fair, Centennial Farm

Sunday, April 22, 2018 (2:55 pm)

Adorable bouncing baby goats and yogis took over Centennial Farm as we kicked off Orange County’s first goat yoga event on April 21.

The Goat Yoga Experience & Fun Farm Day offered a unique opportunity to be part of the latest viral sensation. It was a traditional yoga class with goat kids invited in to frolic, nuzzle and climb on class participants. We had two sessions – they sold out immediately – of 60 yoga students each.

In addition to the classes, there was a free Fun Farm Day and visitors had a great time at the goat selfie station, chick petting and Centennial Farm exploration.

Spectra Yoga of Costa Mesa teachers led the beginner-level sessions on the lawn in front of Centennial Farm’s Millennium Barn. The Fountain Valley Cloverdales 4-H Club supplied cuddly baby goats to make it a memorable experience and hosted a bake sale that featured goat products.

In addition to being a trending topic, yoga with goats has been credited with helping decrease stress and incite laughter while getting in those down dogs and cobras.

“We’re excited about introducing agriculture to the community in a unique and fun way, as well as partnering with two great Orange County organizations such as the Fountain Valley Cloverdales 4-H Club and Spectra Yoga,” said OC Fair & Event Center CEO Kathy Kramer.

See more photos from the event

Posted in: Centennial Farm

Tuesday, October 17, 2017 (3:01 pm)

On Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, Centennial Farm at OC Fair & Event Center will host The Red Barn: Fire-and-Ash Wine Dinner, a unique dining experience featuring talented chefs, special guests and, best of all, a scrumptious multi-course farm-to-fork wine dinner.

To start, the exclusive event will feature live-fire exhibition-style appetizers, sparkling wines provided by Orange County Wine Society (OCWS) and tours of the farm and garden at 6:30 p.m. The Millennium Barn doors will then open at 7:30 p.m. for a multi-course family-style wine dinner featuring California’s bountiful produce and artisan meats cooked exclusively on an open fire in ash.

The live-fire cooking style is not a new trend, but it has become more popular in the last year or so as restaurants throughout the country are swapping out gas for wood. Bon Appetit wrote in June: “It’s funny to call this return to cooking with fire a trend. If it is, it’s certainly the oldest trend in the book. And yet there is no arguing that the burning hearth has of late gripped the restaurant world, seeming to bestow the imprimatur of ‘serious chef’ on anyone who embraces it.”

Cracklin’ wrapped porchetta will be served with blistered fingerling potatoes, and a grilled, split Cornish game hen will go well with fall succotash straight from Centennial Farm’s own garden. An ash-roasted autumn squash trio will feature rosemary, garlic and honey, while lemon-wilted spinach sides beef steak Portobello.

Need more to get your mouth watering? View the entire menu at ocfair.com/redbarn.

The menu will be prepared by Executive Chef Jesse Lopez, of Spectra Food Services, and has been curated by Chef Annie Morgan, of KOCI Radio’s Pots and Pans with Jack and Annie

Honored special guest for the evening is French-American artist Guy Buffet, whose restaurant-themed art has been featured in Food Arts and Wine & Travel magazines.

Speakers for the evening include:
Michele Richards, VP of Business Development, OC Fair & Event Center
Dan Kohler, food scientist on Hallmark Channel’s “Home & Family”
Melissa Cortina, butcher and owner of Bavette Meat & Provisions
Thom Curry, owner of Temecula Olive Oil Company
Irv Wnuck, wine expert and COO, Seize the Vine Wine Brokerage

Featured local farmers, artisans and wineries include:
Melissa’s Produce
OC Baking Company
M.O.F. Chef Stéphane Tréand of The Pastry School
Angeline Vineyards
Martin Ray Vineyards
Courtney Benham Wines
Orange County Wine Society

Service provided by Buena Park Future Farmers of America, and Orange County School of the Arts Culinary Arts & Hospitality Students.

Tickets to this exclusive event are $125 per person (available on Ticketmaster), which includes dinner, wines, gratuity, tax and parking. 

Support of The Red Barn dinner provides year-round educational opportunities through Centennial Farm, Heroes Hall and Imaginology, and helps fund our community give-back programs.

Friday, September 29, 2017 (3:01 pm)

Whether you’re just getting started or have been gardening for years, Centennial Farm will be hosting a few gardening classes you’re sure to love. 

All classes begin at 9:30 a.m. and require pre-registration. 

Here’s a look at what’s coming up: 

Growing an Herb Garden – Oct. 21 & Nov. 25

Learn general identification, care and propagation techniques of the most popular herbs grown today. Then, design and create your very own herb container garden to take home. Leah Matsuoka of Laguna Hills Nursery in Santa Ana will be the guest speaker.

$15 includes materials and handouts. Tools, pots and herbs will be provided. 

Backyard Beekeeping – Oct. 28

Learn the basics of beekeeping from Christine Ferrian, president of the OC Beekeepers Association. Ferrian, who is also involved with OC Local Honey, will help you learn about the role beekeepers play in maintaining the health of their hive, producing honey and in gardening and agriculture. $5 includes materials and handouts. 

Succulent Container Garden – Nov. 4

Learn general identification, care and propagation techniques of the most popular succulents grown today as well as basic principles of design. Then, design and create your very own succulent container garden to take home! Centennial Farm’s own Adam Waugh, a long-time succulent enthusiast, has nursery and arboretum experience, and has been creating succulent and mixed-plant container gardens for years. $20 includes materials and handouts; tools, terracotta pots and succulents will be provided. 

Pruning Fruit Trees: The Basics – Nov. 18

Learn the best time to prune stone fruit trees, citrus trees and avocado trees in Southern California. Isabel Barkman, who has been a UCCE Orange County Master Gardener since 1999, will cover the basics of pruning and discuss why the pruning season in Southern California is different than the rest of the country. $5 includes materials. 

Make It, Take It: Food Preservation –Holiday Pepper Jelly – Dec. 2

This workshop is an introductory hands-on lesson teaching waterbath and steam canning methods and safety standards of canning high acid foods. OC Fair & Event Center’s Culinary Supervisor Pam Wnuck will demo how to make a holiday pepper jelly to enjoy later, give as a gift or enter in the 2018 OC Fair competitions. Each participant will take home what they make in class. Ages 9 and up are welcome in this class, but children must be accompanied by an adult. $25 includes materials, but participants must bring three half-pint (8 ounce) canning jars with lids and bands. 

Make It, Take It: Winter Wreaths – Dec. 9 & 16

Nancy Claxton will demo how to make a winter wreath from fresh greens. $20 includes materials and handouts.

To register for any of the garden classes offered at Centennial Farm, use the form at http://ocfair.com/community-programs/centennial-farm/garden-classes/. Classes are intended for participants 16 years and older unless otherwise noted. Each class is generally about 1.5 to 2 hours and take place in the Silo Building at Centennial Farm, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. 

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.

Monday, May 22, 2017 (4:41 pm)

A little olive oil goes a long way to enhance food. In California, and specifically Orange County, a bit of olive oil drizzled over a bed of bright green lettuce and fresh, juicy tomatoes with a side of perfectly ripe avocado makes the kind of meal summers are made of.

So with that freshness in mind, the 2017 OC Fair held its inaugural California Olive Oil Competition, and winners will be featured this summer during the Fair. The competition focused on the Fair’s theme of “Farm Fresh Fun” and was open to all California olive oil producers.

Fairgoers will be able to enjoy complimentary tastings of these decadent olive oils, as well as learn a few tricks of the trade at food pairing demos hosted by the olive oil makers. The award-winning products will be available for sale in the OC Promenade.

The olive oils were divided into two divisions for the competition: extra virgin olive oils (EVOO) and flavored olive oils, which could either be co-milled or infused. Gold, Silver and Best of Show medals were awarded.

The four-member OC Fair Olive Oil Tasting Panel tasted 33 olive oils.

Nancy Ash, of Strictly Olive Oil, served as head judge and adviser. As a professional olive oil consultant, she has been a frequent judge at various fairs including the California State Fair, the Big Fresno Fair San Joaquin Valley Olive Oil Competition and the Los Angeles County Fair.

This year’s competition was coordinated by OC Fair & Event Center’s team of Evy Young, agriculture education supervisor; Barbara Gregerson, garden and floral program coordinator; and Pamela Wnuck, culinary arts supervisor.

Meet the OC Fair Olive Oil Tasting Panel

Thom Curry – proprietor, Temecula Olive Oil Company; member, California Olive Oil Council Tasting Panel; professional olive oil taster; sommelier and wine tasting judge
Lawrence Jacobs – conventional and specialty grocery buyer, Oliver’s Markets; member, California Olive Oil Council Tasting Panel
Arden Kremer – organic and biodynamic grape grower in Sonoma County; member, California Olive Oil Council Tasting Panel
Kathryn Tomajan – Oleologist; miller; educator; olive grower; expert taster and trained sensory panel member; and member, California Olive Oil Council Tasting Panel

The OC Fair Olive Oil Tasting Panel received intensive training from members of the California Olive Oil Council pursuant to the guidelines of the International Olive Council.

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE 2017 OC FAIR CALIFORNIA OLIVE OIL COMPETITION

Extra Virgin Olive Oils division winners

Best of Show – Lodi Olive Oil’s Ascolano

Silver Medals – Tyler Florence Test Kitchen (Blend), Fandango (Blend), Calivirgin Premium (Arbequina), ENZO Ranch 11 (Arbosana), ENZO Ranch 20 (Arbosana) Fandango (Arbequina), San Miguel Olive Farm Pristine (Italian blend), Macala (Blend), ENZO Ranch 11 (Koroneiki) and ENZO Ranch 20 (Koroneiki)

Gold Medals – Lodi Olive Oil (Ascolano), San Miguel Olive Farm Nectar (Italian Blend), ENZO Ranch 11 (Arbequina) and ENZO Ranch 20 (Arbequina)

Flavored Olive Oils division winners

Best of Show – Calivirgin’s Hot Virgin Jalapeno

Silver Medals – ENZO (Clementine), Calivirgin (Rosemary), Calivirgin (Basil) and ENZO (Basil) and Calivirgin (Garlic)

Gold Medals – Calivirgin (Blood Orange), Calivirgin (Hot Virgin Jalapeño), Calivirgin (Jalapeño-Garlic), Calivirgin (Lemon), Calivirgin (Habañero) and ENZO (Fresno Chili)

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 (6:45 pm)

Every year during the OC Fair, we host a nightly show in Main Mall and at The Hangar.

This year, that show can include photos of YOU!

During the 2018 OC Fair, our Main Mall show will highlight our theme, “Free Your Inner Farmer.” To be included, share photos of you, friends and family freeing your inner farmer by doing things like working in the garden, planting crops, cooking your harvest, working with farm animals, or even just mowing the front lawn! 

Here’s how to submit:

Facebook: Tag OC Fair and use #freeyourinnerfarmer

Instagram: Tag @oc_fair and use #freeyourinnerfarmer

Twitter: Mention @ocfair and use #freeyourinnerfarmer

Snapchat: Send a snap to @ocfair

Sharing through social media requires us to be able to see the photo, so make sure your privacy settings are set to public. 

OR, submit online: Go to wetransfer.com and upload your photo. From wetransfer.com, email to freeyourinnerfarmer@ocfair.com, and make sure to include your name, the city in which you live, and a description of your image. Please do not directly email your image to the address mentioned as we cannot guarantee receipt through our spam filter. 

The fine print: Photos and videos shared with us should be highest resolution possible. By  submitting a photo via any of the instructions above, you are giving OC Fair & Event Center permission to use the image in the nightly show and in any related marketing efforts. Submitting a photo does not guarantee inclusion in the nightly show.