Thursday, December 12, 2019 (11:47 am)

Michele Richards has been chosen as CEO to lead OC Fair & Event Center as it readies for its 130th annual fair.

The announcement was made at the Dec. 12 OC Fair Board meeting. Richards has served as Interim CEO since Oct. 28 and prior to that she was the agency’s VP of Business Development for more than seven years. She was also an organizational development consultant to OC Fair & Event Center (OCFEC) for 11 years and next year will celebrate her 19th OC Fair.

“I cannot think of a better person to move us forward. Michele is extremely knowledgeable and exudes enthusiasm for OC Fair & Event Center and the communities we serve,” said board chair Sandra Cervantes. “Michele is very well-prepared for this role and comes into the position with the full support of the board and staff. We are excited about the future.”

Richards has more than 30 years of leadership experience in a variety of fields including advertising/marketing, organizational development, sales and human resources, including more than 15 years managing her own consulting practice.

At OCFEC, she has worked in several leadership positions including overseeing marketing, communications, events, creative services, sales, exhibits and education.

“I believe that what we do here is special and important and I am honored to be entrusted to serve this amazing organization,” said Richards. “To lead such a talented and passionate staff is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Richards takes the CEO role at a time when the state agency, also known as California’s 32nd District Agriculture Association, is approving its yearly budget, working through branding assessment and planning 2020 events.

Friday, October 25, 2019 (11:24 am)

The OC Fair & Event Center Board of Directors named Sandra Cervantes as Chair and Andreas Meyer as Vice Chair at its Oct. 25 meeting.

Cervantes, former Vice Chair, replaces Robert Ruiz who served as Board Chair for the past year. She has been on the board since 2014 and has owned Miniondas Newspaper since 2013 and Cervantes Real Estate since 2012. Cervantes was vice president of the Century 21 Professionals REO Division from 1993 to 2011 and administrative director at the Women’s Choice Clinic from 1983 to 1993.

She is also managing director of the Sandra Y. Cervantes Scholarship Fund at the Hispanic Educational Endowment Fund of Orange County and a member of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals Advisory Board and the Heritage Museum of Orange County Board of Directors.

Meyer was appointed to the Board in 2018 and is University Counsel for Student Affairs at the University of Southern California. He previously served as Associate General Counsel at Chapman University from 2017 to  2019, and as University Counsel and Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees at USC from 2011 to 2017.

Meyer is also president emeritus of Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBT advocacy organization. He is also the founder and president emeritus of the Orange County Lavender Bar Association in Newport Beach. 

The Board thanked Ruiz for his service and presented him with a plaque at the meeting.

Board officers typically serve one-year terms and are nominated for office by a committee of fellow Board members. 

Monday, October 21, 2019 (1:11 pm)

When: Saturday, Nov. 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: OC Fair & Event Center – Heroes Hall
How much: Free for all ages

On Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, OC Fair & Event Center and Orange County Employees Association will host a free community celebration in honor of Veterans Day. The event will include free hot dogs for all attendees, family-friendly activities, entertainment and a Veterans Resource Fair. Opening ceremonies for the event will include a city address by Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley.

Emmy-Award winning newscaster Ed Arnold will help emcee a dedication and unveiling of the A-4M Skyhawk Aircraft at Heroes Hall, which was relocated last month from the Civic Center in Santa Ana.  The event will also feature a plaque dedication for Thomas P. Clark, Jr. in the Heroes Hall Walk of Honor, as well as a cake cutting ceremony with the United States Marines in honor of the 244th U.S. Marine Corps birthday.

While the event and parking is free, guests are encouraged to bring donations for the food drive for veterans. All donations will go to Disabled American Veterans, a group that distributes donations to various organizations that help homeless veterans. Please bring non-perishable food items such as canned and instant soups, pastas, canned fruits and vegetables, baby food, or gift cards to purchase food. Also accepted: toiletries such as toothpaste, soap, shampoo and toilet paper, as well as baby items like diapers, bottles and clothing.

During the event, Heroes Hall will be open to guests, featuring the newest exhibit, Fighting on the Home Front: Propaganda Posters of World War II. The veterans museum is open year-round and also features the exhibit The SAAAB Story, which chronicles the history of the Santa Ana Army Airbase.

The celebration will continue until 4 p.m. with free admission to the OC Market Place, located near Heroes Hall.

Thursday, September 26, 2019 (5:07 pm)

The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) recognized the most outstanding examples of quality and creativity in the festivals and events industry on Sept. 25 at the IFEA’s 64th Annual Convention with the presentation of winners of the 2019 Pinnacle Awards.

Sponsored Haas & Wilkerson Insurance, the professional competition draws entries from some of the world’s top festivals and events. Winning entries came from organizations as diverse as the Dublin Irish Festival in Dublin, OH; the OC Fair in Costa Mesa, CA; the Des Moines Arts Festival, Des Moines, IA; the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC; and the Philadelphia Flower Show.

Awards were handed out in 69 categories and OC Fair & Event Center won 13 awards including eight gold, four silver and one bronze. The awards were for the annual OC Fair as well as year-round events on the fairgrounds. Gold winners included Best Event Within an Event, Best TV Promotion, Best Promotional Poster and Best New Event.

Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) is The Premier Association Supporting and Enabling Festival & Event Professionals Worldwide. In partnership with global affiliates under the umbrellas of IFEA Africa, IFEA Asia, IFEA Australia, IFEA Europe, IFEA Latin America, IFEA Middle East (MENASA), and IFEA North America, the organization’s common vision is for “A Globally United Industry that Touches Lives in a Positive Way through Celebration.” The Association offers the most complete source of ideas, resources, information, education and networking for festival and event professionals worldwide.

Monday, September 16, 2019 (4:00 pm)

The Vietnam-era A-4M Skyhawk aircraft will be relocated from the Santa Ana Civic Center to Heroes Hall late on Sept. 26. The plane has been a part of Civic Center Plaza for more than a decade, but has to be moved due to construction plans.

The aircraft will be transported to OC Fair & Event Center overnight and will be lifted onto its new display pedestal which is surrounded by hardscape and seating areas. The Skyhawk will be officially unveiled at the annual Salute to Veterans event on Nov. 9.

Preparations for the move will begin at 8 p.m. as the plane is detached and removed from its current mounting and loaded for transport. The aircraft will begin its move from the Civic Center at approx. 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 26. Bragg Crane and Rigging will carry the Skyhawk north on Broadway, then down Civic Center Drive to Fairview Road, and on to the fairgrounds at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa.

The California Highway Patrol will escort the plane on the approx. 15-mile journey to its new place of honor at Heroes Hall. The move is expected to be completed by 5:30 a.m. or earlier on Sept. 27.

The aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla.

Saturday, August 10, 2019 (10:45 am)

When: Saturday, Aug. 10, at 1 p.m.

Where: In front of Millennium Barn during the OC Fair

The winning couple of our Love is in the Fair wedding contest have been chosen and they’ll say “I do” in front of 20 of their guests — plus the entire OC Fair! The wedding will take place at 1 p.m. on Aug. 10 and will include the ceremony, special entertainers and an unforgettable OC Fair experience.

Meet the couple!

Names: Leslie Leong and Michael Nguyen

Professions: Leslie is a veterinary assistant/nursing student; Michael is a behavior analyst for children with autism 

How/when did you meet?

“In 2002, we met online in a music chat room, where Michael was trying to promote his high school band. We were internet friends for a long time. We didn’t meet in person until college. We lost touch for awhile but reconnected through social media and started dating four years ago.”

What do you like to do as a couple?

Camping, traveling, visiting national parks and laughing uncontrollably. 

Tell us about your engagement.

Michael: “I had several plans since January of this year, but our vacation plans kept getting cancelled for various reasons. On July 1, the day before our 4th anniversary, I decided I didn’t want to keep postponing it because it didn’t matter if we were on a mountain or by the ocean, as long as we were together. I cooked her dinner. Afterward, I let her “open her anniversary gift” early. Leslie collects rocks and crystals, so I hid the ring inside of a geode. After a short engagement, we finally got to take a short camping vacation. When we got reception, we learned we had won the contest!”

Why is the OC Fair special to the two of you?

“Our anniversary is July, so the OC Fair was one of the first public places we attended as a couple. We’ve been every year since 2015.”

What was it like trying to pull this all together in just a week? 

Michael: Vows are “til death do us part” and we managed to not kill each other. 

Leslie: It’s been stressful trying to get everything put together in a week, there’s so much to do and so many phone calls to make!

What do your friends and families think of this unusual wedding?

“Our family is more traditional so they think we’re crazy. Our friends say it’s a perfect fit.”

Thursday, August 8, 2019 (2:00 pm)

It’s official! The groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the incoming arrival of the A-4M Skyhawk happened on Thursday, Aug. 8 and featured several OC Fair, state, county, city and veterans leaders.

Former news and sports anchor Ed Arnold served as the program’s emcee.

The aircraft will move from the Santa Ana Civic Center by the end of September, and will be installed and dedicated outside Heroes Hall on Nov. 9.

The plane had been a part of Civic Center Plaza for more than a decade, but has to be moved due to construction plans.

The plane is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla.

Click here to see more photos from the event.

Saturday, July 27, 2019 (9:00 am)

To highlight the 2019 OC Fair’s agricultural theme, “Acres of Fun,” and its connection to the environment, the OC Fair went all out to bring fun and useful sustainability to the  best party of the summer. 

Some of those ways included:

• There are four agricultural-themed lounges spread throughout the fairgrounds where fairgoers can sit, relax and learn more about these California commodities: avocados, strawberries, oranges and beef. The lounges also feature recycled OC Fair banners re-purposed into cushions along with re-purposed palettes made into sofas, chairs, tables and stools. 
• In addition to the lounges, there are areas sprinkled throughout the fairgrounds that were turned into decorative vignettes using items that would have normally ended up in landfills: Old bicycles, old tires, watering cans, empty 2-liter bottles, glass jars, cabinets, denim jeans and more.
• Look up and all around to spot the festive pennants that were re-purposed from vinyl banners and signs.
• Solar- and wind-powered stations in Plaza Pacifica allow fairgoers to recharge their phones without using electricity from the power grid.
• Watch where you step because there are drought-tolerant plants found throughout the fairgrounds that use less water and require less maintenance. 
• Fairgoers are encouraged to use and re-use special OC Fair souvenir cups. After purchasing these reusable cups the first time, fairgoers can then get discounted refills at vendors. 
• In addition to reusable cups, the OC Fair is free of most plastic straws with vendors and concessionaires offering paper straws.
• The Culinary Arts area in OC Promenade has edible spoons that come in two flavors: a sweet, chocolatey variety and a savory option. 

Thursday, June 27, 2019 (11:11 am)

Effective Aug. 31, OC Fair & Event Center Director Gerardo Mouet will leave his seat at the board of directors’ table.

After serving two full appointments totaling eight years on the board, Mouet says it is time to give another member of the community an opportunity to serve.

“It has been an honor to serve on the Board with you and my fellow Board Members and (I’ve been) most proud to support our efforts to protect the fairgrounds to continue being a benefit for the public,” Mouet wrote in a letter to Board Chair Robert Ruiz.

“I am also very proud to have been a part of the Board in our efforts to cheer on our wonderful staff to be professional, accountable, and to keep being guided by our mission, to celebrate interests, agriculture and heritage for all our communities in Orange County,” Mouet wrote.

Monday, June 3, 2019 (5:26 pm)

 APOLLO 11 – The Immersive Live Show touches down in Costa Mesa for a limited engagement at OC Fair & Event Center on Thursday, October 10, with tickets on sale Sunday, June 23. Groups of 10 or more can purchase their tickets now by emailing groupsales@apollo11show.com or calling 1‐833-9MOON11. Costa Mesa is the second stop of this exciting new production’s 18‐city tour over the next three years.

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. Staged in the groundbreaking, purpose‐built lunar dome, Apollo 11 is a truly immersive live show performed by a full cast under 40,000 square feet of stunning 360° video projection and brought to life by world‐class theater design, a full orchestral score and life‐size rockets.

The show invites audiences to go on an epic journey to the Moon and back. The story of the 400,000 individuals it took to accomplish this mission told through the eyes of Ben, a retired NASA aerospace engineer, as he recounts those heady days to his granddaughter, Sydney. She then finds herself turning her eyes away from her smartphone and up to the sky as she dreams about the endless possibilities of space. 

This celebration of one of man’s greatest achievements takes audiences of all ages on the ride of a lifetime and inspires future generations to imagine what comes next.

Shows at OC Fair & Event Center begin Oct. 10. The length of the show’s Costa Mesa run has not yet been released. For more information, visit https://apollo11show.com/.