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

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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

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We apparently don't need to get there early because this place opens much later than ours does. The line to get in was painful in that sizzling sun. What is this place? It's certainly not a place full of dirt like our annual fairgrounds! The facilities are clean and comfortable. It looks like most of it are venues ready for private parties. The shock is the amount of air conditioned buildings! This luxury is sorely missed at home. We loved the selection of fair related events. My favorite was going into the food building. Chefs and other foodies are there to share their experience and encourage you to join in on the fun. Love how they display everything too! read more

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Oh my days! I've been there so many times as a kid and have enjoyed every ride and treat then! But we all grow up and change at some point! Last time I was at the fair was back in 2000 where my grandma and I saw Rick Springfield in concert. And that was it. I just decided that I had plenty of experiences going to the OC Fairgrounds each summer and am ok with not going annually anymore. I'll always cherish the memories! read more

The OC Fair is a great place to entertain yourself, whether you're in it for the food, concerts, to see animals, or to to shop at the Festival of Products, etc. This year's theme is Farm Fresh Fun! I try to go almost every year to check it out. I was here for the We Care Wednesday event, where different non-profit organizations host and collect donations (such as school supplies, canned goods, etc.) from fair-goers toward good causes. Fair goers received free admission for donating 5 gently used clothing items to Goodwill Industries this past Wed. I was definitely at the fair for the food and shows (By the way, you can come b/w 12- 4pm on Thursdays for Taste of Fair food, where you can get small bites for about $2-5 usually, which I do sometimes). I saw both a kid and adult pie eating contest at the OC Promenade culinary arts building, which was pretty awesome! I also swung by Plaza Pacifica for the Peking Acrobats show they have every year. They also have a ton of vendors where you can buy stuff. I got myself a cute Hello Kitty purse. I also headed to the games area, where after some attempts, I was able to win a Hello Kitty Hawaiian hula plush. So cute! Now on to the best part... what's a fair good for if not the FOOD?! I've eaten almost all the deep fried stuff, so I like going to the fair for some good bbq. I got a tray of pork ribs at The Chuckwagon for $14- 4 stars. Fresh and good for the most part. Only 1 of the ribs was a little dry. I also got an order of tri-tip sandwich without the bun at The Ranch for $12- 5 stars. The meat was tender and laced with bbq sauce- absolutely delicious! I also went to a corn stand that only sold corn. The corn on the cob was good. I asked one of the workers to dip it in butter for me... yum. You can also make your own elote and top it with cheese, mayo, chili, etc. For dessert, I had macarons from the baked goods stand inside the OC Promenade. ST (Stephane Treand) Patisserie Chocolat has a store location in the SOCO Costa Mesa center. Since I was so disappointed with the macarons I had just days before, I got the rose and passion fruit macarons- both 5 stars. Tasted like real rose and passion fruit. I got a bag of cookies to go. I finished the night with Dippin' Dots ice cream in cookies and cream and birthday cake flavors... then took a long walk to the car in an attempt to burn it all off lol. Come to the OC Fair for some Farm Fresh Fun! There's so much to see and experience. Weekdays Wed-Fri admission is $12, and Sat/ Sun is $14. However, you can come between 11am-1pm on Sat/Sun for 1/2 off admission... Only $7 to get in. If you have a family with kids, 12 and under is FREE all day on Thursday. Enjoy! read more

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Love this place! We bought 2 massage chairs, a swamp cooler and my fiancé's fav., cinnamon rolls. Our favorite shows are Mark Yuzuik and the Peking Acrobats. My niece is performing @ the Heritage Stage today! read more

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

Parking for the OC Fair the staff was pretty good in directing traffic throughout the day and night no bottlenecks too much. I actually prefer this fair over the LA one. I'll probably come back again hopefully the experience is the same as I experienced this time. Parking was 10.00 on Saturday not bad at all. read more

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

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What an amazing time for the whole family!

I had a horrible experience at the Orange County fair wherein I purchased a comb flat iron that was fraudulent and did not work. The vendor was Eli Bashan for Enzo Milano Cigna products. When I contacted the vendor he threatened me and made racial slurs and scared me. When I contacted guest services and spoke with Jennifer she was very nice and called me back and gave me a number to calls to get my entire refund of 200.00. No one answered that call and I called Jennifer 3 other times and she was very helpful until today when I called she was not pleasant and said she would email me a copy of my complaint. I'm appalled that the Oc fair supports people who are racial and abusive to patrons. BEWARE read more

The OC fairgrounds are not just for the summertime's annual Orange County fair which runs during July each summer. I spend a lot of time on the weekends here during the winter months demonstrating Square Dancing to the area locals. Cool Note Tip: Save those water bottles you buy here. There is a free pass on the label which you can use next time. Sure, the hotdog you buy here is a little pricier than the one you can snag at CostCo, but the ambiance is more fun. Great swap meet quality level of stuff, flea market style. You can walk your kids' energy off and let them run laps while you stroll and shop. Super family friendly venue. Whatcha doing this weekend? See you @ the OC fairgrounds, that's what! read more

Honestly this is a pretty kewl fairground complex. The events that they hold here are sometimes great sometimes horrible and often in between. I have lost track of how many times I have been here. But they have wide open parking lots (for outrageous prices), grassy knolls, long hangers for events/shows, and a huge corral stadium. This place was built right on the edge of the freeway providing spectacular exit access. Definitely needed for a place that can host tens of thousands at a time. Overall its great for what it is. But I am very happy to not have to be there on a regular basis. Have fun at the fair friends... read more

I enjoy going to the OC Fair every year! The food does get pretty expensive but it's totally worth it! The admission is pretty cheap and I enjoy walking around. The concerts are great too! I saw Fifth Harmony here in 2014 and it was a great time! I also recommend checking out the butterfly exhibit. It's quite beautiful. If you're visiting California, more specifically Orange County, this is a must during your summer vacation! read more

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I came here for the Baby & Kids Experience expo and I really wouldn't recommend it unless you're in the area already. I drove an hour to check this expo out and there were no more than 30 vendors. It was pretty small and I was disappointed. I got free tickets so I didn't completely feel like I lost out but it was definitely not worth the $10 entrance for adults. It should be free. This expo was no bueno and I've been to many in the past. What made it up was that there was a swap meet on the same day so my family and I were able to walk around and ended up buying product there. They had blackberries 2 for $1!!! We ate them and didn't get sick. They were legit! The banana bread booth there was also really good. You'll recognize it with the aloha vibe. I'd highly recommend the walnut banana bread. Also, there was a cow barn that we were able to take our toddler to. She loved looked at the cows and one pig that was there. This area was free to enter. PARKING: $8 cash read more

!!!Review for the 2018 OC Fair only!!! -It is always fun coming here when the OC Fair is in town. Lots to do. Let's start by the greasiest, huge portions and weird combinations of food that they offer here. So many different vendors are here. The food is definitely not the best quality, but it is good enough to order and finish everything! You want not eat all day and save your calories if you are planning visiting the fair. -The carnival games are so much Fun! Beware, you might end up spending all of your life savings trying to win those stupid stuff animals toys. Worth trying and at the same time you will have a lot of fun making your significant other win all those prizes ;) The rides are great and fun, but they are expensive! If anything I recommend getting on the La Grande Wheel and Skyride. You get a great view of the fair and Costa Mesa! -They are other things you can check out, I have seen farm animals and shows inside the fair. You can also purchase stuff from the vendors around the fair. There is tons to do there depending how you want to spend your day. -Parking is 10 bucks on site. Although there are other lots and locations where you can park. I believe during the weekends only there is a shuttle you can take for free that will pick you up and drop you off. I recommend parking in the high school next to the fair. So much easier to get in and get out. -It is a good way to relax and eat! Weekends are hectic if you can come during the weekday...less crowded and less lines to wait. read more

I've been to this piece of property for multiple events. Orange County Fair Orange County Night Market and mutiple concerts I like that this place is easy to find, easy to maneuver into the parking lot, easy entrance and exit. Also that its all mostly pavement or cement, so its easier to walk and you don't have to worry about getting your shoes dirty. Overall, I'm from San Diego, and I do frequent this place maybe once a year. read more

Most important thing for me was that you could, bring in your own water. My son in law did without a problem. I had to pay $2.75 for a small water. Went early and had a nice time. Food was festive and good. Exhibits interesting. Games and rides fun to play and to watch. Very clean and organized venue. Will go again with my purse full of waters. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Went early and beat the crowds. - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We just visited the fairgrounds for The Big Train Show event this last weekend. The parking staff was efficient. Parking lots were very busy and full. And it was raining and lots of puddles. Once we arrived at the event some of the things we noticed were that the isles in the vendor section were so narrow that all the people with strollers blocked the area. They either need to make isles larger or make it a no stroller event. Also all vendors were in one building and the other building was train display set ups. Maybe they should make both buildings half and half. We felt badly for the train display building people. People just stuck their head in saw nothing for sale and walked away. The Bathrooms were clean. They had snacks available for purchase the Line was long entire time we were there. What we'd like to see at the next Big Train Show is more Big trains. G scale! read more

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Cam here for the OC fair and have to say that it's not a cheap place to take your family to. In addition to the admission fee, there's a long line to get through security. The rides itself are not cheap; each ride cost anywhere between 8 to 16 tickets (average is about $0.50 per ticket depending on the package). Granted they had some great rides, but you can easily burn through $100.00 in game tickets in under 30 minutes. I also found the carnival food a bit lack luster; had real high hopes for the turkey leg and the cone of french fries but it wasn't anything special. read more

This review is for the fairgrounds itself and the parking staff. We came to the fair this year and brought the kids along. The traffic was a bit heavy heading into the fairgrounds. It moved along, but was slow and steady. The staff working the Parkin area were very pleasant. Surprisingly pleasant. They asked how we were doing, used please and thank you, and wished us a happy rest of the day. Which is what they should be doing, but customer service is usually lacking nowadays. Especially in the parking area. Well done. The staff at the ticket area and security were equally as polite. Great job employees. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Just a bit crowded today... - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Fun with my love. We enjoy this event each summer. The products the crafters make are so inspirational. read more

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Ferris wheels, fried food, mutant farm vegetables... YAY!!! The fair is one of those nostalgic events that celebrate the community, and this fair delivered. This was my first time at the OC fair and it was so much fun! My cousin and I got tickets to see Earth, Wind and Fire at the Pacific Amphitheater with fair entrance included (sweet deal). We arrived 3 hrs before the show to walk around and it was perfect timing. Parking was a breeze. ($10 for general and $30 for VIP). We got to see all the animals, arts and crafts, county competition winners, go on rides, eat a deep friend Reese (I don't recommend it - funnel cakes are the OG way to go), and see a concert to end the night. It was perfect. I like the OC fair better than the LA County fair because it's the perfect size. Things are closer together, yet it's still big. It's also located closer to the ocean (Costa Mesa) and is much cooler than the inland deserts of Pamona (where LA is hosted). Go! It's fun for all ages. read more

Home of the best Fair I've ever been to. Which is only one month of the year. Don't miss it; it is great. Meanwhile, what happens the rest of the year? The Orange County Antique and Flea Market; that's what happens. Not at the grand scale of the Fair, but still quite large, you will find hunderds of vendors with tons of products that you can't find in stores and mostly things that you really don't need but really want. If you plan on a return trip, then it's worth to buy the book of 10 tickets for $10. Be prepared to spend a minimum of a few hours and spend some cash. Not all the vendors take credit cards, so make sure you carry some cash with you. Food vendors suck. But such is life. Get a good lunch to eat before arriving and have some fun perusing the market. read more

Good times at the fairground since earlier this afternoon. Different types of foods to try, rides, prices, free stuff, all types of ages celebrating Chinesse New Year's. Family fun enjoying this festival, and a lot of things to do and see in here. I really enjoying and have fun with family. read more

Great events with great food, rides, events especially with great company. Eat all the fried food with Margarita or beer along with it. The only downside is it's expensive. Expect to spend hundreds on food alone, if you're a foodie. Also, if you're into rides expect to wait in line. As always, games are somewhat rigged. However, test your luck and win wonderful prizes. read more

Fun times at the OC Fair grounds! I attended a Costa Mesa Chamber event in the Millennial Barn. We were served a delicious farm to table lunch. You could taste the freshness in every bite of the frittata and fresh greens salad. Then we had a tour of Centennial Farms to see all the animals and growing things. Plan to visit during the fair! read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Flying miz daisy vintage market - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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MY first time there went this past Sunday around 4.00pm. We drove in circle trying find parking space that was a joke finally found space in city hall. ANY way in park walking around nice breeze it wasn't that much to see it seem like u walking in circles. My favor buying the Turkey drumsticks which was awesome got some popcorn omg that popcorn was so hot with sriracha pepper I eat it with something else. THe funnel cake was great. Stay til 9 it do but I won't return. My favor the Pomona fair. read more

Attended a wonderful market this morning only to be met with obnoxiously rude OC Fairgrounds personnel. If I were managing the fairgrounds this young woman would have been fired on spot dealing so treacherously with the public. Customer service at its worst. Tall heavy set lighter colored hair. Deal with her OC Fairgrounds read more

Beatles Tribute - 50th Anniversary of Yellow Submarine. Great fun! Such a good venue for all ages! read more

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

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"Discrimination" against the disability community my child applied she has a learning disability they said they would call her back to find a suitable position for her never did didn't email us did not give us any type of response I had to email Human Resources and the only thing they had to say "sorry on behalf of the human resources department" It also took them a very long time to respond if I wouldn't of called they would've never contacted me pitiful pitiful pitiful read more

OC Market Place - It's a great atmosphere here. Tons of local vendors, plenty of good deals. People often come here just for the fresh fruit and vegetables. Best deals in town for produce. Find clothing, furniture, niche shopping, and more. Market Place is usually open every weekend, bring down the family. Food and drinks available, come hungry. Fairgrounds often hold a verity of events, this review is strictly on the OC Market Place. read more

Sat in traffic over and an hour and fifteen min just to get to parking. Missed at least half of hour Of concert. Never ever will i come back!!!...four lanes merging to on for at least a mile. Hate it!!! read more

I went to the fair and it was boring , same old crap from years back and very but very expensive...the food inside is insanely overpriced..omg $12 dollars for a sausage dog..give me a break...will never go again ...the place was empty for a Friday .. and to spend this much money just to see carnival rides and overpriced food vendors I rather go to knots .. People should stop going and send a message to them that is too much and needs to lower prices ...nothing in there is free ..the rides are stupid and expensive...people can't afford it like years back...they won't do anything until they see that nobody goes there anymore read more

Had a great time at the OC fair. Wasn't too crowded and the kids got to ride a lot of rides on a Sunday. Prices of course are high, but you know that coming in since it's a fair, so no complaints there. We will continue to buy the pass were you can come as many times as you want. We live super close. Great deal! read more

Honestly the OC Fair is pretty great. It usually marks the official midway point of summer for me and it's a great way to cap it off before the fall weather comes. Sure it's a little expensive but I think it's worth it for a once a year affair. Riding the ferris wheel during sunset and getting an overview of OC just spectacular. The food is indulgent, yes, but that's why you come to the fair right? Parking can be a tad difficult, especially during peak day/hours but it's organized very well and around ~$10 which isn't bad at all compared to other cities (I'm looking at you LA...). read more

I always spend way too much money when I go to the OC Fair, but it always manages to bring me back. Parking: It seems to be much better organized this year. Parking was free at Orange Coast Community College, which was right across the street from the entrance. I had no problem pulling in and getting out. Admission: Tickets are $10 to get in for general admission, but veterans and active duty military get in for free! Just wave your ID at the front, and they let you in. Inside: This year, the big craze was getting the "it's so fluffy!!" unicorn from Despicable Me. Too bad it was only available at the hardest games at the fair! Lucky for me, I was able to get a lucky toss on the ring toss and snagged me a unicorn pillow pet for my girlfriend! Food: The food has not changed since the first time I went to the fair. Deep-fried everything! I think the garlic fries and the bacon-wrapped pickles are a must, but the zucchini fries, deep-fried hamburger, and hotdogs are good choices as well. Don't forget to grab a lemonade! I wouldn't recommend the Aussie potatoes though. Good luck! read more

Attended a Blink 182 concert and the fairgrounds (The Hanger) with VIP tickets. Can describe the VIP experience very simply: ripoff. Maybe it's me though - does VIP mean Vile, Intoxicated, Puke festival? That might be expected on St. Paddies Day, but maybe a 1,000 people and one food truck, the lounge is closed before the headliner even goes on - note sure what we are paying for here except the joy of wearing a $0.01 cent wristband. I think general admission is a much better seat, let alone far less money. read more

Orange County Fairgrounds - Look at these seats! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Love the OC Fair!! Come every year faithfully.. Great music and food, can't beat it. The only thing I hope to see in the future is a large enough tarp for the heritage stage audience bc it gets really hot and they only cover the first 5 rows of seats. My favorite act is the hypnotist and the Peking Acrobats read more

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

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Nothing mind blowing. Food was ok and was very crowded. My biggest concern was the security wasn't checking bags. Strange considering you had to go through a metal detector. Why even bother. Did make my wife and I feel safe. They should have considered that a stabbing had happened a few days prior. Please make sure you address this considering the times we live in. You have a lazy team that's not putting safety first. Very disappointing. read more

Had a issue with a vendor and Aron Manzo with fair guest services personally went to the vendor and expressed that my high dollar purchase was in disarray. Received a call that same day and a resolution is in the works, once again 5 star service from guest services :) read more