Wednesday, April 10, 2019 (5:27 pm)

Vital Link – OC is a big part of Imaginology! They’re returning this year with Bytes and Bots workshops, engineering competitions, a speaker series, drone flight demos and so much more.

Make sure to stop in at the two Vital Link buildings, each full of STEAM-related creations from local students.

Imaginology is a three-day free family event centered around S.T.E.A.M. education, offering hands-on activities, workshops and more. Stop by Imaginology at the OC Fair in Costa Mesa, April 12-14. Hours are Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., and Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more info, visit ocfair.com/steam

(3:27 pm)

OC Dia del Nino is coming back for its second year at Imaginology!

Celebrate the arts with tons of hands-on workshops, including papermaking, mural painting, stop-motion animation, several different types of dance, circus and puppetry and so much more.

The children’s festival, presented by Arts Orange County, will take place Saturday and Sunday during Imaginology (find them in Nino Village, just north of Centennial Farm)

Imaginology is a three-day free family event centered around S.T.E.A.M. education, offering hands-on activities, workshops and more. Stop by Imaginology at the OC Fair in Costa Mesa, April 12-14. Hours are Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., and Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more info, visit ocfair.com/steam

Tuesday, April 9, 2019 (3:23 pm)

“There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres.” – Pythagoras

Elements of music – like rhythm and tempo – can be directly related to math. At Imaginology, we’ll have plenty of music, including choirs, high school and college bands, and even ballet folklorico!

You can check out a list of entertainers at ocfair.com/imaginology/exhibits-entertainment, or go to ocfair.com/imaginology/information for a complete schedule of events.

Imaginology is a three-day free family event centered around S.T.E.A.M. education, offering hands-on activities, workshops and more. Stop by Imaginology at the OC Fair in Costa Mesa, April 12-14. Hours are Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., and Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more info, visit ocfair.com/steam

Thursday, February 14, 2019 (5:19 pm)

COSTA MESA (Feb. 14, 2019) – Kids will have a blast at Imaginology learning about STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) at the annual free event at OC Fair & Event Center, April 12-14, 2019.

This exciting, three-day exploration of STEAM-related topics and careers features hands-on learning and 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; $9 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 where curious people of all ages go to discover the opportunities available in 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:

• NEW e-sports gaming: Imaginology’s new e-Playground will feature an e-sports tournament for high school students, free-to-play PCs with STEAM games, and a parent and educator panel with industry professionals to discuss misconceptions about video games and share facts. Careers in the esports/gaming field will be emphasized.
• 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 can 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, jewelry making, 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 22.
• Cultural celebration returns: Día del Niño, Day of the Child, will be back for a second year at Imaginology on Saturday and Sunday, bringing an additional day of interactive arts workshops and performances by professional artists, local arts organizations, schools and community groups. Dia Del Nino is 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 on-site contest to decorate the best scarecrow on Saturday, April 13. Kids can enter the steampunk hat contest on Sunday, April 14. 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 special. Visit ocfair.com/steam for details.
• Centennial Farm: Imaginology visitors 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 with exciting displays, workshops and competitions.
• More free activities: Exhibitors will offer things to do and see including Wild Science Activity Area and family-friendly entertainment. Also new this year is Fort Blisters Boot Camp, located near Heroes Hall, where kids can enjoy fun physical activities.

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

Please see OCTA’s traffic advisories for information on impacts of the I-405 Freeway construction project:

Maps & directions

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, May 8, 2017 (3:44 pm)

Imaginology rocked STEAM activities

Almost 36,000 people attended Imaginology, the free three-day celebration of imagination and learning, at OC Fair & Event Center last weekend.

The festival focused on STEAM activities: science, technology, engineering, arts and math. The family-friendly event featured hundreds of hands-on workshops, shows and exhibits for youth from preschool through high school.

As an added bonus at this year’s Imaginology, one of Centennial Farm’s ewes gave birth to two lambs during the event – a real-life lesson in biology. 

The farm also hosted milking demonstrations, blacksmithing, planting activities and more science in action.

There was live entertainment, food and many make-and-take projects for kids to bring home. Attendees could participate in aerial fitness classes, pet pythons, see horse vaulting demonstrations, enter robotics competitions and play chess with kid-sized game pieces.

 “Families, classes and kids of all ages had an amazing time,” said OC Fair & Event Center’s VP of Business Development Michele Richards. “The fun was really all about learning about STEAM subjects and exposing everyone to the possibilities of careers for these budding engineers, artists and rocket scientists. We want to show them that their dreams can come true.”

Imaginology also hosts student competitions in categories including crafts, fiber arts, fine arts, photography, poetry, video, science and engineering. This year, more than 3,000 students entered the contests and their entries were displayed at Imaginology. A full list of winners will be published soon on ocfair.com/steam.

This is the 38^th year that OC Fair & Event Center has hosted a community event aimed at providing fun, hands-on learning experiences for students of all ages.  The long-running Youth Expo was rebranded as Imaginology in 2014 and the focus was shifted to STEAM.

The free event is underwritten by OC Fair & Event Center and sponsors and also offers 4H and FFA students the opportunity to sharpen their skills with early competitions and get ready to show their animals at the 2017 OC Fair, July 14-Aug. 13.

For more information, visit ocfair.com/steam.

Friday, May 5, 2017 (3:45 pm)

Imaginology judge is a community arts leader

Trinh Mai is not just a judge for Imaginology, she’s also an arts advocate, educator and community leader.

Through Cal State Fullerton’s Grand Central Art Center (GCAC) program, which helps bring art to low-income communities, Mai works with Heninger Village Senior Apartments in Santa Ana to help facilitate workshops that focus on sharing residents’ stories through visual arts.

The goal of the workshops is to help residents to not just create art, but to help heal them as well. 

“My aim has been to help them get involved outside of their environment, since the elders are often isolated,” Mai said.

Since starting in February 2016, Mai has been able to get her students’ work displayed at the Bowers Museum, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Grand Central Art Center and, most recently, Coastline Gallery in Newport Beach. 

Through Community Engagement, a nonprofit that is funding Mai’s residency, GCAC also provides artists-in-residents with housing, studio space and support.

Mai was also a featured artist in The Artist Odyssey’s award winning documentary Honoring Life: The Work of Trinh Mai. The film went on to be the Audience Choice Award winner for Best Short Film at the 2016 Viet Film Festival in Orange.

With the help of Mai’s influence, some of the “Villagers” have started taking life drawing lessons at Q Salon in Santa Ana. Even some of their family members have taken inspiration from Mai.

Parker Cupa, 8, is the son of one of the villagers, and he had a painting on display at Imaginology.

“It’s amazing how they’ve been growing and are now so excited about getting involved in the art scene,” Mai said.

Imaginology is an annual educational and entertainment event focusing on activities related to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math held at OC Fair & Event Center.

Visit ocfair.com/steam for more information.