Category Archives: OC Fair

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.”

Wednesday, August 7, 2019 (9:00 am)

The OC Fair respects so much the first responders, emergency personnel, law enforcement and those who assist that we’re devoting an entire week to them!

Active-duty and professional staff of the police, sheriff, fire and emergency services departments will receive free Fair admission from Wednesday, Aug. 7 to Sunday, Aug. 11. Those will also have the opportunity to purchase up to 4 half-price general admission tickets for guests. Respective agency ID is required.

In addition, active-duty military and veterans get free admission each day of the OC Fair. Members may purchase up to 6 half-price, general admission tickets for guests. Military ID is required.

For all the latest OC Fair discounts – including carnival ride and wristband deals – visit ocfair.com/deals.

Thursday, August 1, 2019 (2:30 pm)

OC Fair & Event Center is excited to announce a groundbreaking ceremony for the relocation of a Vietnam-era A-4M Skyhawk aircraft from the Santa Ana Civic Center to Heroes Hall. 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 ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 8 before the OC Fair opens. Refreshments will be served immediately following the ceremony.

The aircraft is expected to be transported to OCFEC by the end of September and to be installed prior to a Veterans Day dedication ceremony in November.

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

RSVP to rsvp@ocfair.com

Note: This event will take place before the OC Fair opens. You will receive instructions for parking and entrance upon submitting your RSVP.

Heroes Hall is a free, permanent, year-round museum and education center with exhibitions, performances and educational programs that celebrate the legacy of Orange County veterans and others who have served our nation. The museum is located next to Centennial Farm on the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa and is open to the public year-round Wednesdays through Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and featured in school tours on Mondays and Tuesdays. Parking and admission for Heroes Hall is free except during the OC Fair and select year-round events.

Wednesday, July 31, 2019 (3:25 pm)

A baby calf and baby piglets were recently born at Centennial Farm during the 2019 OC Fair.

On Tuesday, July 23, a baby calf was born and currently can be seen in the Century Barn in the Centennial Farm area.

On Wednesday, July 31, a Yorkshire mix sow  gave birth to several piglets. The mother will get a day to rest and get used to the little piglets before all will be on display at Centennial Farm.

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. 

Friday, July 26, 2019 (6:06 pm)

The results are in for our Concessionaires Cup competition, which awards the best of this year’s OC Fair food.

Here are the category winners:

• Best-of-the-Best and Best New Flavor Winner: The Smokestack from Tater Twister’s
• Best Fried Food Winner: Puffy Taco de Carnitas/Asada from Papi’s Puffy Taco
• Best On-a-Stick/Bun Winner: Big Daddy Cheetos & Cheese Corn Dog from Biggy’s
• Best Specialty Food Winner: Shrimp Cocktail from Pepe’s Mariscos
• Owner’s Favorite Winner: Maui Chicken from Pineapple Express 
• Best Dessert Winner: Cinnamon Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting, Bacon and Maple Syrup from D&D Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls
• Best Beverage Winner: Dole Soft Serve Slush Float from RCS Nitro Treats

(12:36 pm)

When “Taps” gets played at 6 p.m. nightly at Heroes Hall during the 2019 OC Fair, there’s one man standing there who has an especially direct attachment to the song.

Mitchell Butterfield, who works at Heroes Hall during the Fair, is related to Daniel Butterfield, the Medal of Honor-winning Civil War Army general largely credited with composing the song. 

Daniel Butterfield, along with bugler Oliver Willcox Norton, wrote “Taps” as a new way to establish the military call for the end of the day. It wasn’t until after the Civil War that it became the official end-of-day call.

Nowadays, it’s most associated with being played at military funerals.

Mitchell Butterfield’s fellow workers at Heroes Hall had no idea about the connection.

“When we had the first kid who played ‘Taps,’ I went up and told him, ‘You know, my great great grandfather wrote that song,’ Butterfield said. “And (Heroes Hall Supervisor Carol Singleton) heard that and said, ‘Really?’ And then it just went from there.”

Taps has been played at Heroes Hall for the OC Fair since the military museum opened in 2017.

Mitchell Butterfield, 72, from Orange, is also an Army veteran, while his father was a Marine who was stationed at El Toro, lived in Tustin and later moved to Orange.

While Butterfield is proud of the historical connection — “I feel proud that he had something to do with it. I tell it to anyone who wants to listen” – he’s also reluctant to mention it when he introduces the playing of “Taps” at Heroes Hall.

“When I do the announcement, I don’t mention the family part of it,” he said. “It’s not relevant. It’s about the vets. It’s about the servicemen.”

During a recent night at Heroes Hall, “Taps” was played for the first time with the correct musical instrument: a bugle.

And the bugler playing it? Another OC Fair connection: Richard Grogan, a Centennial Farm volunteer as an oxen teamster.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019 (6:06 pm)

Every year, the OC Fair hosts a Barnyard Fashion Parade in which breeding animal exhibitors dress up and and parade their barnyard animals around the Livestock Show ring for fashion review and judging. 

This year’s event was on Wednesday, July 24 and the photos speak for themselves!

Photos by Mike Goulding

Sunday, July 21, 2019 (10:15 am)

One of the new features of the 2019 OC Fair is the agricultural-themed lounges set up throughout the fairgrounds.

The lounges represent four California commodities — avocados, strawberries, oranges and beef — and tie in with the Fair’s agricultural theme, “Acres of Fun.”

These photos show more details of The Avocado Pit. Grab some shade and enjoy! 

Friday, July 19, 2019 (9:25 pm)

Have you seen our new Polynesian dance troupe, Tupua? Here’s just some of what you’ll see during their daily shows.

Tupua performs at 5:15 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. every day at Heritage Stage in Plaza Pacifica.

The group will have a special performance for kids on Aug. 1. Come check them out and dance along!