There’s Still Time to Attend the OC Fair

Pig farms, arachnid observatories, deep-fried Twinkies, and live tribute band performances. Attend the 2014 Orange County (OC) Fair to experience all of this and more.

The OC Fair kicked off its annual event on July 11, and fairgoers still have time to catch the event at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa before it closes on August 10.

The fair, open Wednesday through Sunday, receives well over one million visitors each year and is the ninth-largest fair in the United States. The fair is famous for its four-acre demonstration farm, dedicated to agricultural education, which highlights California’s agricultural culture. More than 30 crops on on view as well as a wide variety of farm animals, including an area for sows which give birth to piglets throughout the summer.

“There’s just so much stuff at the fair that you can’t possibly ever run out of things to do, eat, or see,” local high school student and fair attendee Justin Lee told JSR. “Going with friends, you can easily spend the entire day there. I’d say that it’s definitely one of my more favorite summertime places to visit.”

The fair offers booths for games and carnival activities, from which many fair attendees have won prizes such as giant take-home stuffed animals. The fair also offers a variety of shopping opportunities, hosting different booths from over 40 companies and brands. Live performances range from individual singers, such as Kurt Hunt and Tini Grey, and groups, such as The Originalities and Kelly Rae Band.

The fair also offers a wide range of food tastings, with homemade dishes made by hobbyists along with the creations of professional culinary artists.

“My favorite activity was just trying out all the different foods,” high school student and fair attendee Nicholas Kim said. “The fair is known for how exotic the foods are, like the chocolate-covered bacon and deep-fried twinkies. I think every person should get to try these foods at least once in their lifetime.”

The general admission ticket price is $12, but prices vary for youth, seniors, veterans, and people in other categories. Special ticket prices are also offered for different times on different days. Tickets are purchasable at the fair location or via Ticketmaster.

“I like going on Fridays, particularly because there’s a decent amount of people–not too crowded, but not too empty,” college student and fair attendee Esther Kim said. “I always go with friends and make sure to bring enough money to try out the weirdly tasty foods there, like the fried Oreos.”

Although the Fair ends Aug. 10, there’s still time to attend it! Information on admission, parking, events, and more can be found at www.ocfair.com/2014.