Press Release

OC Fair announces theme for 2018


COSTA MESA (Dec. 14, 2017) – The 2018 OC Fair theme invites Fairgoers to embrace simple joys, get back to basics and “Free Your Inner Farmer.” The theme was announced today for the Fair which will run July 13-Aug. 12, 2018.

This is the second year of a three-year initiative to focus OC Fair themes on agriculture. The 2017 theme was “Farm Fresh Fun,” a nod to agriculture products. “Free Your Inner Farmer” salutes all the people involved in raising and enjoying the fruits of agriculture. The 2019 Fair theme will focus on land and the environment.

“We are going to have a great time with our ‘Free Your Inner Farmer’ theme,” said OC Fair & Event Center CEO Kathy Kramer. “It really speaks to what we all love about the annual OC Fair – animals, uncomplicated summer fun, making memories and reconnecting with our agricultural roots.”

The official theme was presented today to the OC Fair & Event Center Board of Directors. Michele Richards, VP of Business Development, shared artwork and the creative brief on the theme at the board meeting.

Year two is all about people – the farmers who raise our food, the workers who harvest it, the folks who cook and bake and the people like us who enjoy eating.

Whether you’re a backyard gardener, a culinary experimenter or a farmers-market fan, there’s a farmer in all of us. And the OC Fair gives us the opportunity and permission to let our farmer flag fly.

Whether you have a curiosity about where food really comes from and people who bring it to our tables, or a desire to disconnect from the artificial and reconnect with the natural, or maybe an appreciation for timeless joy in the great outdoors, the OC Fair frees that inner spirit and connects us as a community.

It’s about back-to-basics family fun and making lasting memories. The OC Fair is a place where joy has no age limit. It’s where we can roam free under the sun, moon and stars – no matter who we are.

So whether you want to shake hands with a working farmer, watch kids clamber on farm equipment, feel the earth between your fingers as you learn to plant your own garden or enjoy the simple pleasure of learning to cook a farm-fresh meal, the 2018 OC Fair invites you to “Free Your Inner Farmer.”

Hooray for the farmer in all of us!

OC Fair admission and parking prices will not increase in 2018. General admission will remain $12 for Wednesday-Friday and $14 on weekends, senior and youth tickets are $7 every day. Parking is $10. Military service members and veterans always get in free and can purchase up to six half-price general admission tickets for friends and family.

Popular discounts and promotions will also be back for the 2018 OC Fair including the opening day Free ‘Til Three deal, the Read and Ride program for children and We Care Wednesdays offering free admission and a carnival ride to Fairgoers who bring donations for local nonprofits. There will also be seniors days, kids days and discount days for carnival ride wristbands. Admission for children age five and younger is always free. A full list of deals and discounts will be posted on ocfair.com.

The Fair will be open July 13-Aug. 12 and hours are Wednesdays through Fridays from noon to midnight, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to midnight and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The 2017 OC Fair attracted 1,334,753 Fairgoers and brought in $34.5 million in revenue. This year, 1,456 seasonal employees worked at the Fair and a similar number will be hired in 2018. Employment opportunities are posted at ocfair.com/jobs.

OC Fair Super Passes, which provide admission to all 23 days of the Fair, are on sale now at the lowest prices that will be offered, $30 for general admission and $23 for youth and seniors. Prices will increase on March 1 and again on June 1. Super Passes come with two-for-one discounts on select shows at Pacific Amphitheatre, The Hangar and Action Sports Arena along with discounts on food and an offer to purchase additional Fair tickets for only $10. The passes are sold at ocfair.com/superpass.

Announcements and ticket sales for Fair entertainment will start in January.

Concessionaires are now cooking up new concoctions to reveal at the 2018 OC Fair; details to come.

OC Fair photos and video are available for media use at flickr.com/photos/ocfaircm/albums.

OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa is home to the annual OC Fair. Year-round attractions include Centennial Farm, Table of Dignity, Heroes Hall and Pacific Amphitheatre. Imaginology, a free three-day family event focusing on S.T.E.A.M.-related activities will take place April 13-15, 2018. Throughout the year events ranging from recreation shows to cultural festivals are held at the fairgrounds. For more information, visit ocfair.com.

Support of OC Fair & Event Center provides year-round educational opportunities and helps fund community give-back programs.