Category Archives: OC Fair & Event Center

  • Wednesday, May 1, 2019 (11:55 am)

    OC Fair brings the fun to Costa Mesa utility boxes

    Thanks to the graphics team at OC Fair & Event Center, the utility boxes at the corners of Harbor Boulevard and Wilson Street as well as at Fair Drive and Civic Center now have a new look!

    The staff received kudos from the Costa Mesa Cultural Arts Committee for your sponsoring the city’s Utility Box Art Program! #CityoftheArts

  • Wednesday, April 3, 2019 (9:57 am)

    ‘Apollo 11,’ an immersive 360-degree adventure, is coming to OC Fair & Event Center

    APOLLO 11 – An Immersive 360° Adventure touches down for its world premiere in Los Angeles at the Rose Bowl Stadium on July 5 with the next cities confirmed including OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa and Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas.

    OC Fair & Event Center dates to be announced soon!

    APOLLO 11 is a ground-breaking new theater show with an original story performed by a full cast and presented in the spectacular purpose-built, one-of-a-kind Lunar Dome with a jaw-dropping 40,000 square feet of 360° video projection.

    As we approach the 50th anniversary of man’s first steps on the Moon, the time has come to tell one of the greatest stories in human history. Los Angeles will be this exciting new, truly immersive, live show’s first stop of an 18-city tour over the next three years. APOLLO 11 will launch July 5th for a limited engagement, in the all-new Lunar Dome on the grounds of one of Los Angeles’ most historic landmarks, The Rose Bowl Stadium.
    APOLLO 11 is written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Scott Faris and brought to you by a world-class creative team.

    “This truly immersive experience takes you from the thrill of the countdown to the enormous Saturn V rocket launch and on an unforgettable journey to the Moon and back,” said director Scott Faris. “We are excited to tell this unique story to the world and thrilled to be opening in Los Angeles. It’s guaranteed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience audiences will never forget.”

    APOLLO 11 was written and created to tell some of the stories behind the 1969 Moon landing and to celebrate the incredible forces that came together to make history and inspire future generations.

    “This show brings back the excitement of a special time in our history. I was fortunate to be one of the 12 people to walk on the Moon,” said Charlie Duke, a former astronaut who in 1972, became the youngest person to walk on the Moon. “I was also privileged to be the Apollo 11 CapCom [Capsule Communicator] in Mission Control communicating with Neil and Buzz as they landed on the Moon. It was a historic moment for America and the world and this production captures the intensity of that time and all the incredible accomplishments leading up to that moment and beyond.”

    “Going to the Moon is something in your life you will never forget and an experience like the new APOLLO 11 – An Immersive 360° Adventure really takes you right back to that time,” said Gerry Griffin, Apollo Flight Director. “It was a different era back then, and the entire world was watching and rooting for us to get to the Moon. It’s pretty incredible to think if that was today, how many people would be watching it live and in color. This show really gives you the feeling as if you were there 50 years ago.”

    For more information about APOLLO 11 – An Immersive 360° Adventure visit apollo11show.com.

    APOLLO 11 is produced by Nick Grace Management, SwissApollo and Mat Churchill Productions in association with UnUsUaL Entertainment and Sliding Doors Entertainment. APOLLO 11 is written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Scott Faris. Creative Producer is Anthony Van Laast. Set and Costume Design by Leslie Travers. Video Design and production by Treatment Studio. The music is composed and arranged by James Seymour Brett. Lighting Design by Bruno Poet and Sound Design by Bobby Aitken. Original concept by Lukas and Bettina Viglietti. 

  • Monday, January 14, 2019 (3:09 pm)

    Branding assessment project

    Help us evaluate our brands:

    • OC Fair & Event Center
    • Pacific Amphitheatre
    • Heroes Hall
    • Imaginology
    • Centennial Farm

    We have begun to evaluate out family of brands to determine current value in the marketplace and whether or not changes are warranted. We have grown and it is time to reassess.

    In addition to our OC Fair & Event Center brands, the exercise will include discussions about our property partners: equestrian center, OC Wine Society, Orange County Market Place and Spectra.

    Public participation is being sought during this process – community input is important as the fairgrounds looks toward the future.

    The advertising firm IMW of Costa Mesa has been contracted to perform the brand assessment and to offer recommendations. They began with meetings with staff groups and a workshop with the board of directors. A meeting of property partners and stakeholders has also been scheduled.

    The public is invited to participate in a branding assessment workshop – options are:

      • Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2-3 p.m. at OC Fair & Event Center OR
      • Wednesday, Jan. 30, 6-7 p.m. at OC Fair & Event Center

    The OC Fair & Event Center is located at 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. These workshops will take place in the administration building.

    Those who are unable to attend one of the public meetings will have the opportunity to participate by completing an online survey that will be posted here following the workshops.

    Please continue to check ocfair.com/branding and @ocfair on social media for the latest updates on this project.

    A little about brands …

    Brands are not just logos. A brand is more than what a product does or what it might communicate. Brands are the total perception of the entity’s “persona” in the marketplace, including an implied promise to customers that the facility and service will consistently meet their expectations. Brands evoke emotions. They delight us and make us feel that they are familiar and reliable. Branding differentiates a product from its competitors and creates added value for partners.

  • Wednesday, November 28, 2018 (3:33 pm)

    Arlington Drive project wins improvement award

    News from the City of Costa Mesa:

    The city was selected to receive a 2018 Project of the Year award from the Southern California Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) for the Arlington Drive Improvements Project.

    The project included roadway improvements, a new concrete multipurpose trail along the south side of Arlington Drive, a new underground storm drain system and vegetated bioswale, and roadside beautification including new landscaping and water efficient irrigation systems.

    The APWA is the professional association of public works leaders throughout the United States and Canada, with the Southern California chapter covering Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

    The rewards program recognizes public agencies for their outstanding projects and programs and shares good ideas from such projects.

    Get more news and information from Costa Mesa City Hall.

  • Wednesday, November 21, 2018 (11:27 am)

    Gov. Brown announces OC Fair Board appointments

    SACRAMENTO (Nov. 20, 2018) – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:

    Natalie Rubalcava-Garcia, 39, of Anaheim, has been appointed to the 32nd District Agricultural Association, Orange County Fair Board of Directors. Rubalcava-Garcia has been chief operating officer at the Orange County Business Council since 2018, where she was vice president of investor relations from 2016 to 2018.

    She was associate publisher at the Southern California News Group in 2016 and held several positions at Freedom News Group from 2007 to 2016, including vice president of freedom sales operations and director of sales strategy and senior advertiser marketing and research analyst at the Orange County Register. Rubalcava-Garcia was audience insights analyst at ImpreMedia from 2006 to 2007 and held several positions at the Los Angeles Times, including market and planning research analyst from 2004 to 2006 and advertising operations lead coordinator from 1996 to 2004.

    She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of La Verne College of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Rubalcava-Garcia is a Democrat.

    Andreas Meyer, 35, of Irvine, has been appointed to the 32nd District Agricultural Association, Orange County Fair Board of Directors. Meyer has been associate general counsel at Chapman University since 2017.

    He was university counsel in the Office of the General Counsel at the University of Southern California from 2011 to 2017 and an associate at Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher from 2009 to 2011. Meyer is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, Orange County Lavender Bar Association and Equality California.

    He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Meyer is a Democrat.

    View official announcement.

  • Monday, August 13, 2018 (11:34 am)

    2018 OC Fair breaks records and gives back to the community
    COSTA MESA (Aug. 13, 2018) – The 128th OC Fair welcomed a record 1,470,636 guests who enjoyed 35 sold-out shows, ate hundreds of thousands of chocolate chip cookies and freed their inner farmers by greeting 11 new piglets at Centennial Farm.
     
    “2018 was a banner year for the OC Fair in so many ways,” said OC Fair & Event Center CEO Kathy Kramer. “We want to thank the community for coming out in record-breaking numbers to enjoy the best celebration of the summer. We’re proud that 87% of guests surveyed said they increased their knowledge of agriculture and gave us a 4.62 overall enjoyment rating (out of 5).”
     
    Through its community programs, the OC Fair collected 11,055 children’s books, 10,769 items of clothing, 8,849 cans of food and 8,229 school supplies for local charities through the We Care Wednesday program during which guests received free admission with their donation.
     
    The Friends of the Fair program welcomed 4,501 guests with special needs for a free VIP experience while the OC Fair Kids Club brought 1,150 children from local Title 1 programs to the Fair for a special experience that included free admission and rides, a gift card and bus service.
     
    The final audited attendance figures show an increase of increase 10% from the 2017 number of 1,334,753. Final revenue numbers will be released in October.
     
    “The annual Fair funds our community give-back programs, agriculture education and supports Centennial Farm and Heroes Hall, so a great year for the Fair pays dividends all year long,” said Kramer.
     
    This year the OC Fair offered more discounts and promotions than ever before to help make the event more accessible. New in 2018 was Overalls Day and 3,140 fairgoers received free admission on Thursdays when they wore the denim classics. And a new carnival wristband deal was added to Sundays.
     
    The most popular one-time promotion was the opening day “Free Till 3” admission and parking deal and 38,091 guests arrived early on July 13 to get the party started. Half-price early-bird weekend admission attracted 73,091 fairgoers. Some 16,610 veterans and active members of the military received free admission during the run of the fair and their family members purchased 22,647 discounted tickets.
     
    On Thursdays, 25,158 children received free admission for Kids Day and more than 13,000 free carnival rides were provided to children who participated in the Read and Ride program.
     
    The previous attendance record for the 23-day event was set in 2011 when 1,400,280 fairgoers turned out for the “Let’s Eat” theme and watched sold-out concerts by Bob Dylan, Selena Gomez, Blake Shelton, Weezer, Chicago and more in Pacific Amphitheatre.
     
    The 2018 OC Fair also broke the previous single-day attendance record when 86,334 fairgoers arrived on Saturday, July 28. That turnout bested the record of 84,986 guests who visited the Fair on July 21, 2001, to see the Orange Crush Demolition Derby debut, the “I Love Lucy” 50th-anniversary exhibit and to ride La Grande Wheel and the Euroslide for the first time at the OC Fair.
     
    The OC Fair is currently the second-largest Fair in California by attendance, behind only the San Diego County Fair which runs three days longer. Nationally, the OC Fair ranks seventh by attendance.
     
    Here are some more wrap-up numbers:
     
    Guests
     
    Survey – Results of the 10-day patron survey showed that 48% rated food as their favorite part of the Fair. Of those surveyed, 25% were first-time fairgoers and 48% are OC residents.
     
    Super Pass – 15,518 guests went for the season’s best deal and received free admission to all 23 days of the Fair and express entry lines along with deals on shows and concerts.
     
    OC Fair Express – The bus service that picks up from nine different OCTA locations on Saturdays and Sundays brought 79,684 guests straight to the Fair. 
     
    Food
     
    RCS carnival midway concessions – Sold 1,000 pounds of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, 2,000 pounds of bacon-wrapped pork belly, one orchard of lemons, 5,000 chicken wings and 750 gallons of BBQ sauce.
     
    Cathy’s Cookies – Baked 300,000 chocolate chip cookies.
     
    Chicken Charlie’s – Fried 3,000 pounds of filet mignon, went through a truckload of vegetable oil, two pallets of cookie dough and an actual truckload of chicken.
     
    Bacon-A-Fair – Guests purchased some 400,000 pieces of bacon in all forms.
     
    Chuckwagon BBQ –Cooked 9,700 ears of corn, 3,112 cups of corn, 21,000 beef brisket sandwiches, 7,784 blooming onions, 11,000 pounds of pork ribs and 12,000 pounds of waffle fries.
     
    Noel’s – Sold 20,834 tacos.
     
    Juicy’s – Served 119,950 onion rings. 
     
    Australian Battered Potatoes – Sold 7,000 pounds of potatoes and 140 pounds of bacon.
     
    Ten Pound Buns – Cooked up 6,500 pounds of Ten Pound Buns.
     
    Hot Dog on Stick – Served 17,200 hot dogs on sticks.
     
    Entertainment
     
    Pacific Amphitheatre – The Toyota Summer Concert Series at Pacific Amphitheatre hosted 34 shows, including four pre-Fair shows and there are seven post-Fair shows coming up. There were nine sold-out shows including Trevor Noah, Steve Martin and Martin Short, Psychedelic Furs/X/The Fixx, Earth, Wind & Fire, Brett Eldredge, Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss, Rebelution (two concerts), Steve Miller Band and Peter Frampton and Stray Cats.
     
    Action Sports Arena – There was a spectacle every night in Action Sports Arena, plus five matinees, totaling 28 adrenaline-pumping shows. The Daredevils & Wheels motorcycle stunt show was new this year. There were 13 sold-out events including Speedway, Broncs & Bulls rodeo, five monster truck shows and all six demolition derbies during which 45 cars and trucks and 12 motorhomes were smashed.
     
    The Hangar – Tribute bands, classic rock bands and mariachi acts brought the fans to The Hangar where there were 12 sold-out shows in 2018: Rumours, Dead Man’s Party, Firefall with Poco, Elton the Early Years, Queen Nation, Hotel California, Journey Unauthorized, Zeppelin Live, Ozomatli, I Am King, Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez and Devotional/Hollywood Erasure.
     
    Community entertainment – There were 524 community entertainers performing throughout the day on five different stages and across the fairgrounds. 
     
    Rides and games – La Grande Wheel XL was the No. 1 ride and Bank A Ball was the top game. Ray Cammack Shows reports that nearly 2.5 million fairgoers enjoyed the rides this year.
     
    Exhibits and competitions
     
    My Fair Selfie – OC Fair’s first-ever pop-up palace of photo fun was open for 18 days and featured 11 backdrops made for photography. The limited-run exhibit was visited by 36,003 guests.
     
    Bounty of the County – Three large-scale murals honoring local agriculture enterprises were created by artist John Cerney and installed at the main Fair entry gates.
     
    Outstanding in their Fields – Life-size portraits of 29 people who play a role in California agriculture were placed throughout the fairgrounds and their video stories played for guests who scanned them with an app.
     
    Heroes Hall – Open for its second OC Fair, Heroes Hall welcomed 19,375 visitors and 11,450 of them experienced the new Bravemind exhibit’s VR technology. Taps was performed every evening of the Fair, five times by bugle and 18 times on the harmonica.
     
    Competitions – Overall, there were 5,554 exhibitors with a total of 14,530 entries. The OC Fair presented a total of 1,189 first-place ribbons. There were 4,866 entries in the Garden & Floral competition. There were more than 1,300 tomatoes entered and more than 2,000 cut flower entries. At this year’s Junior Livestock Auction, 312 animals were sold for a total of $301,854.
     
    Explorium – During the daily eating contests, 23 Fair food vendors donated food for the 1,035 contest participants. Frank Thurston performed 66 magic shows and 5,616 water balloons helped keep little fairgoers cool. There were 210 entries in the kids’ art competitions.
     
    Arts – Two tons of clay was used in Muddy’s Pottery Studio during demonstrations and 1,104 hours of volunteer time were logged. In visual arts, there were 6,194 competition entries and 4,465 were in the photography category. 
     
    The OC Fair Fun Run – Celebrated its 10th anniversary with 2,923 registered runners.
     
    The 2018 OC Fair was held July 13-Aug. 12 at OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, and offered 23 days and nights of entertainment, food, rides, shopping, exhibits and more. OC Fair & Event Center is also home to Centennial Farm and Heroes Hall – both open to the public year-round.

  • Saturday, May 5, 2018 (6:16 pm)

    OC Fair & Event Center Master Site Plan update

    At its April meeting, the OC Fair & Event Center Board of Directors reviewed a draft master site plan concept from CH Johnson Consulting and heard input from the public. At the conclusion of the meeting the board voted to table the matter until May, choosing to slow the process to allow for further study and input.

    Next steps include the board continuing the dialog with representatives from the fairgrounds’ equestrian center about future plans for horse facilities and how to more closely integrate equestrian uses into the property. The board will also review cost projections and financing options, delve into assessments of existing buildings, determine additional uses of the fairgrounds for educational purposes and consider the potential use of green technologies.

    The board discussed taking time to work through the best plan and future options, rather than moving forward with the current plan as presented. When further plans and direction have been communicated by the board, meetings will be slated for the full board and the public.

    Links to related documents:

    • Master Site Plan draft concept April 2018

    • Master Site Plan cost estimate*

    • Equestrian Center cost estimate*

    • Northeast corner plan detail

    * A note about cost estimates from the Master Site Plan consulting team: “A rough order of magnitude cost assessment is an assessment based on generalized area take offs and anticipated construction costs for similar facilities. It establishes the anticipated cost for demolition, site preparation, new construction and site improvements including utility and infrastructure upgrades. It should be noted that none of these facilities are engineered, therefore cost can vary. Therefore it should be considered a generalized order of magnitude. In addition to the base cost, the methodology assumes a design-bid-build, single-prime contractor delivery method, and includes the costs associated with overhead, profit, general conditions, as well as a design contingency that is consistent with industry practices for this level of project definition.”

    For more information, and to comment on the Master Site Plan using our online form, please visit the Master Site Plan page.

     

    Posted in: Master Site Plan

  • Wednesday, April 25, 2018 (5:35 pm)

    First students graduate from Hatch Culinary Lab

    Armed with knife skills learned at a new cutting-edge cooking academy, the first students graduated the free culinary education program housed in our commercial kitchen on the.

    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.

    This community program will provide up to 50 students with training in everything from cookery basics and making healthy meals to safety and sanitation. The spring session will 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.

    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 career positions.

    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.

     

    Posted in: Community Programs, OC Fair & Event Center

  • Monday, April 23, 2018 (3:07 pm)

    Public comment sought on fairgrounds draft site plan

    This Thursday the OC Fair & Event Center’s board of directors will review a draft of a new master site plan concept and the public is invited to share comments and ideas.

    Johnson Consulting will present the latest draft version of a new roadmap for the future of the fairgrounds, home to the annual OC Fair and some 150 events throughout the year. Public comment on the master site plan draft concept will take place following the presentation.

    The meeting is Thursday, April 26, at the OCFEC administration building, 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and the draft master site plan is the main item on the agenda. The agenda and supporting documents can be viewed here: https://ocfair.com/publicmeetings/board-directors-meeting-april-26-2018/

    Public comment on the master site plan is always accepted online at www.ocfair.com/public-information/master-plan/. A May public meeting will be set in the evening to review the next version of the plan.

     

    Posted in: Master Site Plan, OC Fair & Event Center

     

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

    Grab the best summer job ever! We’re hiring for 1,500 seasonal positions

    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

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