Saw the advertisement on TV that OC Fair is coming to the area between July 17-August 16. The minute I saw that, I told my son WE ARE GOING before the 16th of this month!! I love things like this..Amusement parks, arcades, rides etc.. So on July 29th at 3:05 pm, we entered their HUGE parking lot and parked our car very near to the Fair. Parking was $15.00 even. Which I thought was not too bad for parking. I have seen worse. Approached the Will Call window to pick up our tickets that we have purchased on line 2 weeks prior. $12.00 each. Prices are different for adults, seniors and kids. Once we got inside the Fair, my adrenaline was kicking SO bad out of excitement. My son was just standing there looking at me with a cute smile. I am more of a kid when it comes to stuff like this than he is. We decided to get a wristband for both of us. Each cost $54.00 for unlimited rides, few games and other attractions. We practically got on every ride and played few games. The place has 2 Amphitheaters. From which one was the Hanger that I did a different review on for Tom Petty's tribute. It has over 50 rides and 30 games to play. Also has little snack shops all around, but not an actual restaurant for people to sit down and have lunch/dinner.. It also has multiple restrooms inside and outside of the Fair.. Used 3 of them and were super clean with all the essentials fully stocked. Park was very clean, not too crowded and had a great vibe to it from everyone. 90% of employees were kind, sweet, and very helpful. They have a different section for Art exhibits that is really worth checking it out. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the park is open until 11pm for our convenience. We shot down the park and left 10 minutes before 11pm. I am so glad and happy that we went. If I lived close by, I would probably be there at least 3x a week. We were able to cover so much, but there was still a lot to cover/discover. Had SO much fun.... Thank you all very much, until next year...:-)))))) read more

See all

Came with my girlfriend and her meetup group for Japan festival, held at the orange county fairgrounds on Saturday April 4th. Parking lot was accessed by gate 10,and typical of the fairgrounds, Parking is seemingly always $15 for any event for the past few years. Some parking close to the entrance was available. This is in addition to the fees for the event you're attending. Id strongly recommend car pooling if possible. It's worth noting that the ground was recently slurry sealed so dark black which was fairly hot on an 80 degree day. Be prepared for quite a bit of walking, the fairgrounds are quite spread out so it can be something of a hike to get from one area to another. Japan fest was nice, lots of Asian food offerings leaning toward Japanese cuisine however there were Korean Vietnamese, and Chinese food available as well. Quite a few anime booths, clothing stands, toys, and knick knacks. Most of the festival was outdoors but there were 2 air conditioned buildings with booths that offered some respite from the sun and heat. The restroom facilities are actual permanent buildings, not port o potties which is great. Flush toilets and regular sinks for hand washing is a fantastic improvement over port a potties in my opinion. I'll be back. read more

Friday, 8-15-2025: Today is our 45th wedding anniversary. What better way than to spend it at the fantastic OC Fair! There was plenty of parking. We love the lay out and how they really make monumental efforts to keep the grounds & buildings neat & tidy! We loved seeing all the displays/exhibits/shows and indulging in less-than-healthy food. There were many sights & food vendors. I met with the friendly staff/faculty of the UCCE Orange County Master Gardeners and they gave me brochures & a plethora of information for my own upcoming garden. They advised since I live in Temecula that UCR would be closer & have a similar program. I love hummingbirds & captured one in a photo. We were able to catch an old favorite, master hypnotist, Mark Yuzuik. We used to see him quite regularly at the SD County Fair but sadly his performances became lackluster over time. We were overjoyed that he presented a hilarious & revamped show, which was truly entertaining! Of course, we needed to leave with a bag of kettle corn & a bucket of chocolate chip cookies from Mom's Bakeshoppe. This was a day well spent together! read more

See all

The Orange County Fairgrounds is huge! Such a great place to host the annual OC Fair. There's plenty of open space to roam, as well as some indoor places too. I love that the Orange County Fairgrounds offers both indoor and outdoor spaces. I've seen different events hosted here, like the OC fair and Winter Fest. There was another event too, I think it was a Halloween event, that I attended here once. It was a drive-thru Halloween event. Pretty cool really. These Fairgrounds are a really great place to have a huge event with tons of people. The area is always well taken care of and clean. Located in Costa Mesa, so it gets cooler at night for sure. Bring a sweater for when it gets chilly. Plenty of parking available, and easy to navigate parking. read more

See all

I enjoy that this fair is heavy on the crafts, amazing table settings. They have artists, wood working. The 4H kids show included llamas demonstrations, how they could move through an obstacle zone. That was fun to watch. We saw a magic show. We saw a food carver. We listened to them play taps on a trumpet at Heroes Hall. We heard 3 local wonderful bands. And ate so many foods! Pickle lemonade! It was a great visit. Can't wait to come back! read more

See all

I love the OC fair! I like it way more than the LA fair! We went on my favorite ride "Sky Tram" and also The Ferris Wheel. Someone sweet bought me $100 worth of ride tickets and we had a blast. We also played games. Didn't win but it was fun! We had ribs and briskets and Mexican corn! All good! Then we also saw Queen Nation! Omg if you had not seen them... Go! Super good! Skip the LA Fair... It's not as clean or as fun! Go to the OC Fair instead! read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Dole whip - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My girlfriend had never been to the OC Fair, so I brought her here on Saturday. For an event that I have been to many times, it is so refreshing to experience with a first timer. We started off by taking the OC Fair Express bus from Laguna Hills. A short 20-25 minute bus ride ($4 for adults, $1.50 for seniors round trip) and drops you off at your own private gate - no charge for parking. Our first choice was checking out and petting some animals (goats, sheep, donkeys), then watching a miniature donkey competition. Afterward, we walked around, taking advantage of the $5 Tastes from the food booths. After looking at all the Fruits/Vegetable entries and winners & visiting the Oxen/Cows, we headed for the Pig Races. My girlfriend absolutely loved this, as did I (my first time). We had a few more $5 Tastes, then perused the VHS exhibit, and then looked at the Art/Photo competition entries and winners. Such amazing work done by young kids this year. Next were the rides and my girlfriend convinced me to go on one (Twister). The things I do for love. After the ride we analyzed the games and prizes. I found the easiest one and kept at it until I got her a large stuffed animal (Pig). When we became exhausted, we took the OC Express Bus home. Such a luxury not to have to walk to/and find a car, nor battle the traffic leaving the lot or on the drive home. About $100 for a great day of entertainment for two of us. We'll most likely come back next year. read more

The OC Fair itself is a great place, but the price of the rides are a bit high for families. I'm glad they extended the $5.00 fair samplers to every day. Food is also expensive. Best deal is the weekday unlimited ride package. read more

Always a blast and a good summer time to look forward to when the fair is in town!!! Can't wait for next year!!! read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The Orange County Fair is always clean and filled with great food, great atmosphere, fun, and special gems. I love coming here for any type of event. Parking is easy and not too expensive. They have a great wine tasting section and Mexican food section, as well as great selections of eateries' desserts. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

The ticket prices and parking prices are reasonable for this classic summer fair. It's fun to check out the pig races, farm sections and other events. The food has gone up in price, they do have most booths offer a $5 special from 11am - 4pm which I found helpful. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We did our annual trip to the fair on a Thursday and had a great time ! A combination of perfect weather and the $5 tastes made it so much fun! We are not much into fair rides but we love to walk thru the exhibits and checkout the livestock. My favorite part of the fair are the $5 tastes since it allows us to sample more food fair eats without getting overly stuffed and without spending a boatload of money. I usually share the tastes with my hubby so it's perfect! All in all a great fair day! read more

See all

I always have a good time at the OC fair. There's usually lots to see. My personal favorites are the animals and farm area. I usually try the fried sweets like the Oreos, cheesecake, cookie dough, etc. The art exhibits are really interesting to see. I've never had a bad experience here yet. read more

See all

"Fair Food" for $5 before 4pm... at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa, California... We had a great plan to meet at 11am when the Fair opened. Parking was $15 and there was no line to enter! We did pass through a metal detector. I brought my charger, mister, visor, car keys, wallet, and plushies in a clear bag - just in case. If we were faster, we would have gotten more $5 deals than the following: 1. Shave ice (one flavor) 2. Pretzel log 3. Chicken nachos 4. Vegetable tempura with white rice 5. Cheese pizza 6. Dolphin Breeze soda 7. Half of a chili dog 8. Cup of corn (elote) 9. Kettle corn I think we did quite well! We shared some of the food (pizza, nachos, and tempura) and had our own portions of shave ice, corn, chili dog, etc. We walked through the awesome The Art of Music Experience exhibit... which album covers do you remember? and the vendors... so many... And Heroes Hall, where we heard "Taps" live right outside... And inside, there was an exhibit of Vietnam art by Ed Bowen... And upstairs, there was an exhibit about the Santa Ana Army Air Base! Thank you, Veterans! We originally were going to the UB40 concert, but one of the band members was ill. Instead, we saw English Beat, Commons Sense, and Smoke & Mirrors Sound System. They were all quite good! Restrooms were clean and plentiful. Dining areas were available - some had shade from trees while others had unbrellas... and we sat in The Hangar to eat our shave ice... We did a lot in almost 12 hours together! We didn't have time to see the Livestock nor visit the Petting Zoo... Maybe next time! read more

See all

I'm going to keep it real. I used to come here for the rides and games in my 20's. Now, I come for the funnel cake and dole whip!!! They are both delicious. read more

Fairs are expensive- we know. But visiting once a year is not a bad idea. The pig races are a must! We loved the exhibits and the food was tasty. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Exhibit - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Had an immediate craving for good old fair food and nostalgia this summer and a quick search led me to the OC fair during the month of July/August. Tickets on the weekend sell out (which was my first red flag for someone who doesn't love crowds of a mess of folks) but decided to snag some tickets for Sunday evening, early on am Sunday, we were just going to get some food and see the animals this go around for my one year olds first time at a fair so how bad could it be? To be honest it wasn't terrible but it wasn't great. There were SO many people on a Sunday night (which I suspected for summer time but was also hoping it might be palatable for a Sunday night.) It was very overstimulating and I wouldn't come back on a weekend again but would try to for a weekday to also snag the $5 food before 4pm deal. The traffic had us waiting for over an hour on the highway then into the parking lot. They did try to keep it running smoothly but would be cool if you could prepay parking and there were better signs directing folks, esp for their first time instead of just random cones in random lanes. I did read up on taking and uber or a bus to save money but then we thought they would both end up in the same traffic? So not sure how much quicker it would be but that's an option also not sure if they have seperate entrances/routes than general traffic. We caught the tail end of the monster truck rally- these tickets cost extra but there is a "Free seat line" although the usher didn't tell us or realize that it was nearly over so by the time we parked the stroller, paid $10 for headphones for the baby and walked over to the seats it was done- but it was the wildest show I have ever seen from the outside, the trucks were huge! The animals at the fair were cool to see, but left me wondering about animal treatment, they looked very well taken care of and maybe just tired after a long a day but after becoming a new mom it was both adorable and heart breaking to see a one month old baby cow away from it's mom, however after doing some research on my own, it's actually better for the mom and baby to be seperated due to differences in weight, so I am glad I learned that! Next time I would try to prepare by downloading the app ahead of time and just doing some more research where the food stalls are but it is totally possible to just show up if you're going for food and things that don't need tickets/ rides. The wait for snacks was never very long, ended up with curly fries, fried oreos, dole whip and lemonade and by then I was very full and wishing I had saved more room in my stomach but I am sure my wallet was grateful. All in all I would go again but would try to find more off-peak times and figure out a plan before heading in! read more

The Orange County Fair Grounds had the Art of Music Experience Indoors that show cased musical talents read more

See all

I am so hurt and saddened. I wasted my car mileage to come to the OC fair on a Saturday just for them to put up a sign that says all admission tickets are sold out!!! read more

This is my first time at the Orange County Fairgrounds attending the OC fair. Be prepared to wait in long lines for rides and getting into the fair. We had to wait about 15 minutes to get inside and about 15 to 30 minutes for the rides. A few things I really like about the fair is that they display everybody who's competed in the various competitions. It was so much fun to see all the talented people in the OC. I also really loved the food! Who doesn't love fair food?! I got a generous amount of fried lobster and it was delicious! The fried cookie dough just melted in my mouth. Definitely take the opportunity to go check out all of the animals that are at the fair. They also have a pig cam you can check on the pigs online. The goats and chickens were so much fun to see! It also looks like the team there does a really good job of taking care of the animals. Overall, I would definitely go back to the fair and get in earlier. I would also buy the fast pass the next time I'm there. read more

See all

Art, Music, Rides, Games, Shopping, Delicious Food and Great People. What's not to love about The Orange County Fair! In my opinion this is the best version of fair in the entire southwest of our great nation. It's clean, safe and the people are so nice. You'd think you're in small town America. So much fun. That being said it can get very expensive, at the same time it's worth it once a year. So much to do, explore and experience. Family fun to last the entire year. Did I mention the food is fun n yummy? Alcoholic drinks are pricey but delicious too. This is the first year of The art of Music exhibit, which entails album cover art. Lthe wood carving contest is next level. So many talented people presenting their works of art. I ove walking through the novelty products to shop for cool fun stuff. Try your skill at some fun carnival games win prize. Weekend hours are extended to 12am. Wear good walking shoes or prepare to blister your feet. There are free water bottle filling stations. No outside food or drinks are allowed. You can view the official website for rules on what's allowed inside the park. Enjoy and thank me later. read more

See all

Even though I am closer to the LA Fairgrounds, I like the OC county fairgrounds better. I like it better because it is smaller and cleaner. Not too small , there is a lot of bang for your buck packed in. The fair is located right off the FWY, so no wandering around and getting lost. Parking is centralized and easy ($10). It was only $7 to get in. Normally $14 but I bought 2 senior tickets for my parents and they gave me the cheaper price too. There was tons of rides and lots of yummy food all over . There were demonstrations on the hour like pig races , cow milking, and camel talk. The horticulture was very nicely displayed. There are concerts and events at night. Tips*** Wear a hat it is hot Sunscreen Bottle water Comfortable shoes is a must. read more

See all

THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 2018 OC FAIR Run, don't walk, to Costa Mesa and keep going when you pass South Coast Plaza. Proceed directly to f-u-n at the OC Fair, it is a hit! Check the website (ocfair.com) for all sorts of discounts on everything from parking ($10 in the crazy-busy lot that adjoins the fair; free or almost free at a million other places with shuttle service) to admission (some days and times are free or almost free, depends on the day) to activities (concerts every day, some days have reduced carnival rides or games or food promotions). For city slickers like me, the Livestock Pavillon is interesting and bittersweet -- the animals (cows, pigs, sheep and lambs, rabbits, turkeys and chickens) are showcased by students through their school's FFA (Future Farmers of America) clubs. The students have raised their animals, almost from birth (most animals at the fair are between 9 and 18 months old), and understand that, by the fair's last day, all animals will have been sold at auction for "processing." For their efforts, students are rewarded with the auction proceeds, but you can tell there's more to it by the way the students protect their animals. I'm not crying, you're crying. On to fair fun with rides and carnival games ($$$$$, top rides are $8 to ride). There are rooms and rooms of "best in fair" displays for baked goods, artwork, furniture and crafts, and my favorite "tabletop display." An actual heir to the Irvine fortune got married in June, and there are many displays from the wedding. Finally, the food, yes it's as bad for you as everyone says, but in a good way. My favorite is the bacon double cheeseburger which uses two Krispy Kreme donuts for the bun. Yes, I got one. See you at the OC Fair. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - He's giant all right. - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My number 1,000 review is totally all about one of the most entertaining and fun places you can find in the county of oranges as it's packed full of all sorts of things to do year around when the summer fair Midway has traveled away! The grounds for the fair are pretty large so you can find lots of random things here at any given time some of my favorite events to take place here have to be OC Marketplace which runs year around except when the fair is here during the summer as that takes up most of the space here but at the marketplace you can find just about everything you could ask for at a huge swap meet. The other awesome and totally good one is Night Market as you find sooo much yummy good food that you really don't know where to start and always find yourself getting stuffed so much so that you can't wait tell it rolls back for another fun food filled night in the grounds! The fairgrounds is also home to many structures as well as a farm that's growing all kinds farm fresh goodies there are multiple different areas of the fairgrounds that play many different roles in music shows as well as festivals for all kinds of different things from gems to animals you will find some type of cool activities going on here most of the year! Most of my time that's spent here has to go for the fair as I'm usually there most of the days enjoying all that is summertime so you know it's all that's what's good! Overall OC is my home and I always enjoy what good things come to our fairgrounds as they are kept up very well providing a clean and always fun environment for all to enjoy which is why I know I'll always be coming back here for just soo many awesome different events! read more

See all

I love the Orange County fairgrounds I try to go once or twice a year to the events The fairgrounds are not as big as San Diego Del Mar fairgrounds but they're really fun and it's a nice layout with plenty of rides plenty of good food, barbecue beer, music so many things to do, They also have really fun festivals throughout the year at this park The Scottish Festival is huge and it takes over all of the Orange County fairgrounds, I highly highly recommend it and if you go make sure you wear either plaid pants a plaid shirt or traditional kilt, about 85% of all people will be wearing their kilts, super fun so much to do and see, They also have talented border collie shows throughout the day, They also have pipe band competitions, They also have traditional Scottish games from the 1700s and 1800s competition Just so much to do and see highly worth it super affordable read more

The 2022 O.C. Fair was back up as in previous years. The attendance was good as were the very low percentage of mask-wearers. It was great to see so many living their life free from fear. Although the food prices were just as high as always, there was no shortage of options! There was, however, a real shortage of seating for those needing to simply take a break. The Fair needs to plan for more seating all over the place. Benches should be spread out all over the grounds (preferably under trees or other shade providing locations). So, in planning for 2023... SEATING, SEATING, SEATING! Trust me, A LOT of people would really appreciate it! read more

Good old fashioned fun where you can eat all the junk food till you drop or throw up whichever comes first. You know, like deep fried battered oreo cookies, bacon, even a cube of butter, crispy creme triple cheese burger, deep fried peanut butter pickles, bacon fried s'mores. Well I didn't eat any of that since I have high cholesterol & my agIng body can't ingest any of it without painful indigestion. I will let younger people abuse their bodies into obese indescribable blobs. Saw cute piglets race down a track. So adorable that it makes me feel a twinge guilty eating a Japanese Kurobuta pork chop, but I'll get over that I'm sure. They should allow you to place bets on those cute critters for a win, place, show. Kids really like this, but I got a ringside seat sitting on the ground along with the rug rats. You gotta be quick on the draw to catch the race since the little pigs are fast & the track is short. The Chinese acrobats were entertaining. Some acts were segregated by gender. The women seemed to specialize in contortion & sensuousness while the men monopolized sheer strength & bravado. The mixed sex routines also followed stereotypical gender roles that seem to be prevalent world wide. I mean, why not have an Olympic class heavy weight lifting lady tossing some guy around, or have a guy do a slinky, sexy contortionist act? Think out of the constraining box and live a little. I came primarily for the county fair wine tasting venue. Compared to the Los Angeles County wine tasting which features a great selection of wine & Japanese Sakè (sah keh) as well as informative wine tasting classes, the Orange County version is limited in variety as well as quality. The wine servers didn't seem to know much about wine & seemed unenthusiastic about what they were pouring. For these faux pas, this county fair was demoted to 3 stars. Good news: Why drive in heavy to the OCCF and get driven straight to the gate on Saturdays & Sundays? Take the special OC Fair Express bus that runs the duration of the fair & can be ridden from about 10am to 12am. $4 roundtrip and $1.50 for seniors 60+ or people w/ disabilities. Also includes a coupon to get into the fair for $3!!! If you ride Metrorail and transfer to the OC Fair Express, present your train pass to get a free ride to the fair. More details on their website: http://www.octa.net/Bus/OC-Fair-Express/Overview/ read more

See all

I miss my Saturday/ Sunday orange county swap meet new management takes over and screws up a 40 year old tradition so sad. It was the one weekend thing you could count on in orange county to get some fresh air , sunshine,listen to music and get great deals and support local small businesses. Like the old saying goes if something is working don't change it by raising vendor fees, moving vendors from spots they have had for years, breaking up the old fashioned swap meet section when you 1st walk in now it sits empty almost every weekend great job bean counters. read more

Im leaving my stars right in the middle because... Its really just ok. This year, I attended the fair the day after opening, which was a Saturday. She is a military family, and military gets 50% off fair admission. What they dont tell you, is the service member has to be present to get the discount. So all families trying to do things with their kids while a parent is deployed, is out of luck. My friends husband is deployed, so no discount. I find that horrible. I really do. He is active military, deployed... the immediate family should still get the discount. This really bothers me. Tickets on Saturday were half off anyway, so that ended up working out the same, but thats not the point. If you offer a military discount, in my opinion, if the service member is deployed, it should count for their family. Moving on. The fair is about average in my opinion. There is everything fried imaginable, for a hefty price... and quite a few games and rides to enjoy. The prices for everything just about requires a loan for a day of fun... so I tend to go for a short time, with others, share food, and head out. Throw beer or wine into that, and you may need two small loans. Its nice to do once a year, sometimes twice... and thats about it. The Saturday of the weekend the fair opened this year had 1/2 off ride prices as well. My friends boys were able to walk onto every single ride the first two hours the fair was open, and got on so many due to them being half the price. Pretty much the way to do it. This year I skipped the animals and the vendor booths... but did see a Monster Truck type area set up, didnt get a chance to check it out, but it looked awesome from afar. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Surprised with the OC Fair. My friends decided to use OC Fair Express from Fullerton where you can ride the bus for $4 round trip, and get $3 admission. What a steal! We parked at the Park N Ride Fullerton station (and there is multiple locations) and waited for the OC express. The times are listed on the website and run every 20 mins. We went on a Saturday and we went early so the crowds were not big. We were able to find seats quickly. The fair opened at 11am on weekends, and we got to the fair around noon. We got dropped off right near one of the entrances and purchased fair tickets for $3. Stood in another line for security and we were in! Super smooth process. At first, I felt as though the Fairgrounds were were small, but looks were definitely deceiving. There are many areas and routes to venture out to. There were so many food booths in each section, so happy there was so much variety. Just a lot of fried foods. We got the aussie potatoes, maui hawaiian, and the large funnel cake. I was totally fried out afterwards. It was hot so definitely bring a hat, wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and lightweight clothing. Some had umbrellas so may be helpful to bring that as well. You cannot bring open water bottles - they need to be sealed. My friend has a kid, so her son was able to bring in his water bottle container. The shopping area is a bit crowded, so pack your patience. A lot of vendors to see! I didn't expect to be at the fair until 5pm, and it was at this time when it started to get even more crowded, esp at the Park N Ride. What bumped my review up to 5 stars is how clean and very well kept the fairgrounds are. They do a very good job in cleaning up after people, wiping tables down, picking up trash, and cleaning/ refilling condiments. There was always an employee in each designated area keeping the area up and clean. The bathrooms got gross throughout the day, but glad there were ample bathrooms within the fairgrounds. The rides and games are standard but I noticed that there is a "kiddie" zone and then an "adult" zone for older kiddos. I like that and appreciate how they segregated various areas within the park. Enjoyed the Fair this year and looking forward to coming back next year! read more

See all

My first time at the Orange County fair. It's a foodie heaven lots of great food. I had several things wish I could have eaten more. All in all it was a lot fun all types of people. Parking is fairly priced 10.00 for cars 20.00 for limousines. It's worth the drive..... read more

See all

The fair is a fun place to bring the family. There's games, rides, exhibits, and lots and lots of food. If you come on weekends take the OC Bus from several locations. It's a non-stop ride and only costs $4 round trip. They give you a voucher for $4 fair admission. There's also deals on Wednesdays to get in half price just check out the website. The fair is smaller than the one at the Del Mar race track but it's still lots of fun. read more

See all

I will never go back to the orange county fair... ever ... again. Who is running OC Fair, is my question? Whomever is in charge of parking, traffic control and security for the fair is a nincompoop (halfwit). All entrances are closed... there is no way to know this until you're stuck in a gridlock and never see a lane to turn into. You would think the city of orange would be better prepared for parking since the fair is going on...every year....traffic around the area is so congested it's ridiculous and for sure some sort of fire code violation but since the fair provides the city with so much money things are clearly over looked.... SHADY. As we entered the gate, I looked around and saw no one waiting in line for any of the rides..... that's because the rides are unreasonably expensive. You can but passes but it's heavily restricted and not available all days. I usually only come for the concerts, this year I attended a cover band concert where the crowd was being rushed out by security to clear out the venue and started pushing the crowd.... Nothing about rushing a crowd out while some of them are intoxicated is a good idea .... again this is something law enforcement should look into... I'm sure someone is paying someone off. I can almost guarantee this event causes more disturbances to law enforcement than its worth considering half the cases get dropped due to event negligence and overall unprofessional-ism by the event staff. You should check with Pomona and LA to get your sh*t together. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Gotta do it annually! See the farm animals - goats, birds, chickens, cows, one giant ox! Piggy races, acrobats, live performers, and of course.....fair food . The parking here is nuts so if you want to avoid the crowds and park for free get off freeway at Harbor and drive around to park in the Coast College parking lot on Miramac. You will enter the green gate of the fair near the amphitheater entrance. The food is bigger than life so bring someone to share food with (it's expensive too!). The turkey leg alone is $12 and if you want a combo it will set you back $21. The funnel cake is $9 and that's just with powdered sugar. You can bring in your own bottled water which can help costs and for a hot day it's nice (it gets hot during the day). Bring a light sweater if you're going to stay for the evening as there is a cool breeze that picks up when the sun goes down. There are games, music and lots of crafts to check out too. Great fun for family and even just for couples. read more

See all

This Yelp review is for the Crossroads of the West gun show. Yes, held at the Orange County Fairgrounds. $9 to park. $18 entrance ticket price. Not too many vendors at the show this year. Sad. I believe our delusional politicians and the California gun/ammo laws have affected vendors and attendees. Low turnout this year. I am thankful for the Crossroads of the West gun show and for those vendors and attendees who were present today. Venue is spacious and clean. They offer a variety of beer including craft beer. Staff was friendly. Pretty long walk from the parking lot to the entrance. read more

I can't figure out why I've never been to the OC fair before, or any fair at that. This place was amazing. Tons of people, tons of food, tons of animals and lots of fun. I'm not too sure about rides that you can easily pack up and wheel away though. I'll pass! However, everything else was great. I think I'll have to make my way down to the Pomona Fair this year. Since I have a bit of experience now, I'll go closer to 6pm and take something to spice up that fire lemonade they sell (if you know what I mean ;)). Let's turn things up a notch and make it an adult night. Who's rollin??? Message me if you're ready to live a little. Lol read more

I have only come to the OC Fairgrounds for the fair. Always super clean and well kept. Not as big as the Pomona Fairgrounds but it is a lot nicer. They have a stadium. Plenty of restrooms. Easy to navigate. Parking is always easy. I've never gotten stuck trying to exit. Located right off the freeway. read more

My family and I did not go to Del Mar fair this year but decided to go to OC fair in Costa Mesa. It was our first time to come here. There's fun, games, tons of animals, exhibits and entertainment . Don't forget the food... lots of turkey legs and corn on the cob. Although it is smaller than Del Mar fair, we had lots of fun. We went on the opening day were the entrance and parking were free from 12-3 pm. We want to experience another fair on another county. LA County Fair is another fair that comes into mind. We just love to have fun! :) read more

See all

I was so happy the fair returned this year. This fair is honestly one of the best I've ever been to. If you go into it knowing it's expensive it will make your experience much better. There is so much to offer at the fair and one of my favorite attractions is the petting zoo. They have a wallaby inside the petting zoo which was really cool. My only complaint is that once the sun had set and it was about 10 pm, I noticed there was a ton of kids ranging around middle to high school ages. I was with a group of girls and a few young men around those ages were harassing us. It made me very uncomfortable and I immediately left after this. I know Knott's Berry Farm starting enforcing a curfew for minors, maybe the OC Fair should begin contemplating enforcing something similar since these kids are rowdy, disrespectful, and probably not great customers either since they are simply there to socialize with one another. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Petting zoo - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! I KNOW PEOPLE ARE REALLY STARVED FOR LIVE ENTERTAINMENT. WELL, CONCERTS ARE BACK @ THE OC WITH A TWIST! The Motto of the Summer of 2020 amid the Coronavirus is going to be "The Drive-In Saves The Summer"! The Movie Theaters are Closed but the Drive-Ins are reopening. The Orange County Fair has been cancelled this year but they are going to have Drive-In Concerts in your Car. On JULY 31 & AUGUST 1, 2020 there will be 2 SHOWS @ 7PM & 9PM. This is all part of Retro Mania, Old School & Nostalgia Movement that is sweeping the nation. The Fab 4 - a Beatles Tribute Band is performing. The price goes from $75-$150 a carload. General Admission is $100. If you have 4 in your group it's $25 a person but if you have less people it starts to get a little pricey. If you have more people in your party than 4 contact them directly. There are no on site tickets. The Front Row for $150 in one time slot has already Sold Out.There are no Parking Fees & you bring your own Food & Drink, so you can save a little money that way. The Concerts are 60 minutes long. There are 2 shows each night, 7pm & again @ 9pm You can read all The Do's Don'ts & Rules & purchase tickets from www.autosonicconcerts.com You will then be redirected to Eventbrite to actually purchase the tickets from them. You Tune-in through your FM radio & you will hear audio directly from the stage! I recommend you bring an extra Radio so you don't drain your car's battery. Once you buy tickets you will be forwarded a QR Code & they scan your code on your phone @ the gate. There will be no food or drinks for sale on site. What you bring in, you have to take out. No trash collection. You must stay in your vehicle. Marks & Social Distancing Protocols are to be followed. Gates will open 1 hour prior to the show. Entrance is @ Main Gate 1 on Fair Dr. There will be 199 vehicles in the venue. They are asking people to visit the restroom prior to leaving your home. But there will be a restroom open too. Well Live Music is Back in 2920. Yup, "The Drive-In Saves The Summer"! It used to be, you had to have mega bucks & be really rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget! read more

See all