OC Fair & Event Center

The OC Fair is a summer tradition in Orange County and one of the best county fairs around. It has something for everyone—rides, concerts, livestock exhibits, shopping, food, and endless entertainment. It’s begun to be a luxury as years have passed by as the cost has gone up significantly. Regardless , we’ve gone several times, and here are some things first-timers should know: Admission & Parking: • Buy your tickets in advance they will sell out especially over the weekend. General admission is $13 (Wednesday and Thursday) and $15 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). $9 for kids (6-12) and seniors. Kids ages 5 and under are free. • Parking is $15 for cars and more for larger vehicles. Arrive early if you want closer parking, otherwise be ready for a bit of a walk. Food: This is the main attraction for a lot of people. Expect oversized fair classics: deep-fried everything, turkey legs, giant corn dogs, BBQ, and funnel cakes. Most food items run $15–$30 each, with some specialty items higher. Drinks (like lemonade, soda, or beer) are around $10–$25. Pro tip: come on $4 Taste of Fair Food Thursdays, where vendors sell smaller portions so you can sample more without spending as much. Rides & Games: The carnival is huge, with everything from kiddie rides to big thrill rides. However, it’s gotten really expensive for a growing family of 4. Ticket prices range from: 8 tickets = $10 16 tickets = $20 40 tickets = $50 60 tickets = $75 80 tickets = $100 Fast pass = $30 (don’t wait in the line for rides) If you come midweek you could purchase a wristband for $54 and that is good until 8pm. Most of the rides range from 5-10 tickets. That add up really fast. Entertainment & Exhibits: The fairgrounds have plenty of free shows included with admission—acrobatics, live bands, petting zoos, pig races, and more. The Pacific Amphitheatre concerts cost extra, but fair admission is included with your ticket. Exhibits include art, photography, crafts, and livestock. Great for families and kids to walk through. Amenities & Services: • Restrooms are clean and spread throughout the fairgrounds. • There are water refill stations (bring a reusable bottle to save money make sure they are empty upon entry). • Shaded seating areas are available, but they fill up quickly in the afternoon heat. • ATMs are everywhere, but most vendors now take cards. • Stroller and wheelchair rentals are available at the entrance. Pro Tips: • Come early in the day to beat the crowds and the heat. • Bring cash for smaller vendors. • Wear comfortable shoes—you’ll do a lot of walking. • Weekdays are less crowded than the weekends. Overall, the OC Fair is a full-day experience but is it worth the rising cost?…only is you plan it right. Between the food, rides, music, and exhibits, there’s no shortage of things to do.

I love the fair. Its a little expensive buy you can get some bargains here and there. But what fun is that? I want to go big! Play games and win stuffed animals. Established fried food. See a pig thats not me looking in the mirror after a fried twinkle. The fair is awesome!

Really fun place with a good vibe/environment. It was just really expensive to buy tickets for the game booths and rides (40 tickets was $50 but average game cost was 4-6 tickets per round). I really recommend going during Monday-Wednesday because it was filled without being packed.

You have to like fair's. I had a Great time. Quick to get in . Lot's to see. I enjoy the animals, more food choices than you could ever eat. Lot's of commercial booths, Craft and cooking, of course carnival rides. Weather in Orange county is Great. Have fun

We went to the OC Japan Fair and enjoyed our visit. It was fun to walk around and see all the booths. We enjoyed watching the Taiko Drums and the Japanese comic. The food was good, although the lines were so long. We went to the Orange County Fair and thoroughly enjoyed the day. We visited Centennial Farms and saw the cow milking demonstration and saw the newborn piglets born July 16. We ate some great BBQ and sweet stuff.

Had a great time! Go during the week Wednesday or Thursday it's cheaper, go before 5pm the wrist band for the rides is well worth it especially with kids, and didn't get to try the $5 taste ?? Where you get to try different foods?? Something I read there would've been awesome because the food is on the expensive side but really delicious. Parking is $15 and kids under 5 years free pretty affordable and they allow in and outs with a stamp so if you come prepared with an ice chest and some lunch id say it's a great time! Especially on a family budget. They do offer fast passes for an additional $30 bucks but in my opinion they are already monitoring their ticket sales by pre-saling there were lots of people on a weekday but lines weren't unbearable maybe the fast pass is beneficial on a weekend??

We had a good time, the rides were fun and we walked around to see things. They have Taste of Fair for $5 every day until 4pm each food vendor has one item as you can see from the pictures.

We take our kids to the OC Fair Event Center every year, especially for Imaginology. It’s a great place for them to explore hands-on activities and learn something new each time. From art and science to farming and tech, there’s always something fun and educational for the whole family.

The BEST fair I've ever been to and it's not even close. The OC fair is like the Disneyland of all fairs, I can't believe this is my first time. It's really organized, especially the parking. They got it down. It's very clean. The rides, food concessions, and vendors are exceptional! No really-check out the photos. Our favorite was the BBQ Brisket loaded Nachos and of course the corn dogs, it's a must! Pro tip: Get your tickets in advance, parking is easier if you go early and download the App. Oh, and it gets very hot in the day, stay hydrated, and lastly, bring a sweater for the evening.

The good: I came right during opening hours so it wasn't crowded at all and it was very easy to navigate. It was fun to look at livestock, see winning baked goods on display, eat fair food and drinks, shop at local vendors and be surrounded by the summer atmosphere that fairs bring. There was plenty of parking. It was wagon friendly. They have a water filling station so you can bring your water bottles (empty). We saw peafowl, cows, goats, sheep, pigs and more. Food included a variety of international cuisines. I thought the event was well organized and lines moved efficiently. The bad: The food is pricey. The interesting: I loved looking at the table scape competition. There was one indoor area that sold basically Japanese and anime stuff. There were Japanese vending machines and lots of kawaii merchandise.

I always check out all the food and fun activities when I visit the OC Fair. Ticket prices for entry, parking, games, rides, etc. have increased. However, some discounts can be available on their website and social media. Entry tickets can sell out, so purchasing them early for your desired day is best. The OC Fair and FunPass mobile apps are fantastic tools to enhance your experience and keep you organized throughout the day. Free cold water is available, so bring your water bottles. PROS: One of the major attractions of the OC Fair is the incredible variety of food available. From classic fair treats to unique culinary creations, there's something to satisfy every craving. Also: The $5 Taste of Fair The games and prizes The rides The events and animals The music throughout the fair People watching OC Fair bus is available if parking is a hassle, especially on weekends. CONS: The Summer heat Parking later in the day and evening and weekends can be tricky When crowds pick up, and lines get too long for many popular food and rides Prices for some foods and drinks can be a hit on the wallet. $15 for a 16oz beer!! What?! Not all drink prices are the same; there are some decent deals if you can find them. Despite the cost increase, the OC Fair is still an excellent time for all ages.

Decided to check out the OC Fair on the last weekend and what was supposed to be a 1.5-hour drive turned into a horrendous 3 hour drive due to the insane traffic and parking situation! Not fun to sit in, however, our group managed to find parking and walk to the fairgrounds. In comparison to the SD County Fair, I believe parking is fairly easier with the San Diego fair. Admission fee for the fair is $15. The QR code for tickets made entering and playing games simple as workers will scan your ticket for entries. The prizes at the OC Fair are much better quality and more appealing to play for than the SD fair! We scored some cute plushies to take home! Food vendors were scattered throughout the venue and were open all the way until closing. As the venue is smaller, I did enjoy my time for the last few hours of the fair and got to walk around the entire lot. I enjoyed the nighttime experience of all the rides being lit up and late night eats since the fair closed at around midnight for Friday! I would revisit and plan more accordingly if I do go again though.

Can't say you're from the OC until you've made it to the OC Fair! As a long-term resident I honestly can't say I go every year - this was my first time in a while. But it's always a nice time. As I've gotten older (and Yelpier), food has definitely become more of a focus for me at events like this. When I saw TikToks about Chicken Charlie's hot honey funnel cake chicken sandwich, I KNEW I had to get one. It's not a fair without a greasy sweet and salty treat, and this did not disappoint. My tip is to always head there if you're looking for something gimmicky and fun. Blooming onion was also a must too. The ride and games experience was definitely more streamlined compared to what I've experienced in the past, now that there's an app. It's straightforward, but took a lot of time to create and verify the account. And a little bit pricey too. Bottom line - obviously it won't live up to the Texas state fair and I don't think I'd drive more than an hour to hear, but if you're in the OC, you need to go at least once!

The entry price is where it got me- weekdays $13 and weekends $15 Then you get to the ticket station - very pricey depending on how much fun you plan to have - we got the all day ride pass so that was an additional $49 each and the fast lane pass was extra. I loved seeing all the different rides vendors and food options it was crazy I tried a few items but got full super quick lol They had a lot of great vendors selling all kinds of stuff and games galore If I went back I would go at the same time- midweek early am when they open it's better because you find parking easily and additional $15 - and you are able to get on more rides without the wait and try more foods with less of a line

I go to OC fair EVERY year and it's always sosososo much fun !!! I feel like the food is a bit overpriced but it is the fair so it is expected. My friends and I bought our tickets the day of and paid $15 each. The lines weren't too bad and it was overall a nice experience just to hang out w my besties :-)

OC FAIR-ALWAYS A GOOD TIME Went to OC Fair on their last day and we went early this time before we saw Trevor Noah at 8pm. Parking was $15 and there was a long wait as we expected. We decided to eat first and since we got there at 3pm I wanted to check out their $5 deals. Went to Orange Julius first and I saw their 5oz drink and it was not a good deal, might as well just get the regular sizes. Then I was looking for Cantina for their nachos but couldn't even find it. So I headed over to Noel's Mexican and got the $5 nachos there. It was pretty decent. Wish I could add meat to it but no substitutions or additions were allowed. I honestly wish they would offer a $5 menu all day because everything is so expensive, nachos and orange Julius were all I ended up having all night. My bf got the cinnamon rolls from 2 places: Old West and Country Fair cuz it's tradition. I honestly can't choose a favorite, they're both yummy! One has a thicker cream cheese frosting and the other one doesn't. He also got the chicken kabobs and pulled pork brisket. We checked out the livestock and saw cute piglets and walked around the halls. It gets super crowded at the games and rides area. The show was awesome as usual, seats got a bit uncomfortable at the end and it actually got a bit chilly. Overall it's always nice to check out the fair once a year!

Correction on price of the shrimp cocktail. The tacos were 2 for $10 but the cocktail was $14.75(still a great deal with all those shrimp). Please forgive the error. Oh boy : (

This fair never disappoints me it's always fun with different types of food I for got to take pictures of some stuff cause I was to busy eating everything was so good and deep fried..lol

Pretty standard county fair. They have a farm to look at the animals. There are also fresh vegetables you can buy. Tons of food vendors. Pretty crowded on a Sunday. There are a few buildings that have AC which is a life saver. Not much in terms of shade otherwise. Don't waste your money to buy a ticket to the hangar because you can watch that concert and see the stage from outside! Parking is weird as some streets they don't let you turn right into the parking lot and you have to come from the other direction to make a left into it.

Always love the fair! Been a few times this season (2024) and I may be off, but if you want to go on a "mellow"-er night, go for a band that's not as popular... I know that is vague, but when Sublime with Rome was there the fair was sold out, Stray Cats were there- easiest night to move around the fair! Highly recommend going for an event- concert or demolition derby- it gets you a ticket into the fair as well as something to do and get a break, with a seat! Lots of new fair food this year, new jokes at the pig races, TONS of permanent jewelry booths (last year there was one and it was pumping), so gauge your prices. FYI- the beer garden infront of the Hanger has the biggest beers for the same price as you can get at any of the other places and they serve it smaller. Did y'all know the Ferris wheel is $20 per person? (They sell a wristband "midweek") Highly highly recommended going to AMAZON WONDERS! The parrots are so dang cute & it is a high quality photo to commemorate the fair- see attached photo hahah I am going to take away ONE STAR because- the michi beer spot in the beer garden area used to serve cups with ice! This year we asked and the nice person (not even going to hint who it was because I'm sure these people aren't getting paid well and scolded enough), gave us ice, we came back & the nice person was gone! And the helper said "they told us not to serve ice"... ice is an extremely $$$ commodity out there at the oc fair I guess.

Went to the OC fair this past weekend. It was cool. For some reason it seemed smaller this year than usual. Seemed like I was able to walk all over pretty quickly. I bought the sale tickets prior to the sale starting. That was a bonus. I tried to purchase their famous chocolate milk but it was all sold out. I think next year I will attend LA Fair or San Diego as I have heard they are bigger. Some of the food we tried was cool. I wouldn't say it was really good. Everyone in my group said they have had better. I had the zucchini fries and they had too much batter.

I hadnt been here since BEFORE Covid and forgot how nice it was compared to that other fair ! I came for 2 reasons : a concert and CA Lottery Live to spin the wheel ! The food delivered as always and ingress was easy . Only 1 negative: No water refill stations on a 90 degree day, and the employees we surveyed didnt know if they existed or not !

Always a fun time at the fair. Wish the prices were a little bit lower because you can quite literally spend a ton in a short amount of time. We were there for the Brew Hee Haw event and had a blast trying a variety of breweries. They also had great band performing. Overall a fun but HOT day at the fair

Took a trip to the OC Fair & Event center on Sunday & celebrated my first day as a free woman (newly divorced). Very nice place for a GNO..... The drinks were flowing and the company was fantasticA pig bit my friend but it didn't kill our spirits. Thanks for another great review. Vicky M is signing off #VickyNation

The Alameda County Fair in the East Bay is typically my go to fair since it's closer to home. I was visiting Orange County and noticed the OC Fair was happening, so we ended up just going to see what the hype was about! We bought tickets a few days in advance. This came in clutch because on their Instagram, we noticed posts of them selling out of tickets night after night. From their Instagram, we saw a few tips about how hectic the parking situation could be... so we went straight to their overflow parking over at Orange Coast College! Found a spot instantly with no wait or issue at all. We paid for parking using the app that was being shown on the stands in the lot. RIDES/GAMES - we were disappointed to find out that they didn't have the unlimited ride wristbands on weekends, but eh guess that makes sense if they're trying to get a bang for their buck. The tickets to play and ride were on the pricy end so for $50, we only ended up doing 3-4. FOOD - lots of classic fair food, like corn dogs, funnel cakes, etc. available! OVERALL - this fair is SUPER expensive compared to the ones in the Bay Area, but we enjoyed the vibe of the fair here. Super lively, lots to do and eat!

Saturday, August 5, 2023. Our mission today was to seek out funnel cakes and all the other "bad" carnival food that we were unable to get from previous fairs this year. Parking was plentiful although we came a little later in the day. The weather was perfect. Thankfully, we purchased our tickets in advance because tickets were sold out for the day. This fair is nicely laid out and they set up numerous tables (many with umbrellas/shades) and seating throughout. The LA and SD Fairs can take a cue from OC because OC does it right! LA & SD hardly had tables or seating making it inconvenient to relax (especially when handicapped) and difficult to enjoy the meals, dessert, etc. There were huge tents with tables with seats protecting fair goers from the sun. It was fun looking at the exhibits and watching various shows. The Alaskan Racing pigs was a cute show. Never knew that pigs could run that fast! We were surprised to see Mark Yuzuik, hypnotist, performing here. He had shows at the SD Fair for many years. It was entertaining as usual. We ended our time at the fair watching all the talent at the Rock and Roll Experience Live Karaoke Band Show. We were amazed at the amount of great talent that sang well known hits. We ate popcorn (free refills), pizza from Garlicky's, a funnel cake, and dinner from Eddie' Asian Cuisine. Their combo plate is the best value at all the fairs! We ordered orange chicken, teriyaki chicken with noodles and fried rice, which sold for $12+ with huge portions that easily fed both me and my hubby. Their food is delicious! We enjoyed this fair more so than the 2 previous fairs due to the set up and the abundance of not only tables & seating but for the atmosphere and availability of a variety of entertainment!

The OC fair definitely out did LA County Fair! They have so much better food vendors and shopping. The art music exhibit is so insane! The art was so futuristic and perfect to resemble the celebrities to the T! :) this really stood out because I've never seen art and music exhibit quite like this one at a fair. They had some fun exhibits, the culinary one was super fun and they had so many contest and a funnel cake contest so many could compete. I like how it was definitely adult friendly and great activities this year! However, the food and drinks provided were very unique and different. They had a wine tasting section to taste and buy wine by a glass. This nonprofit organization Wine Society donated money to many colleges and universities in the Orange County area. It was very reasonable starting off with two 1oz cups for only $5, and $8 for 8oz in a cup. They had some very good wine selections to choose from and they were so tasty and great for my palate. Also, they had so many cocktails from frozen margaritas, spiked lemonade, spiked aqua freskas, whiskey bar area, micheladas, and hard seltzers bar sections to enjoy. I feel this is what is needed to make it well rounded for peoples preferences. So now with the food! It was a lot of new food spots here and I made sure to try the puffy tacos, corn, Cinnabon with maple bacon, and hot dog on a stick! All was very good and tasty! I wish I had more room to try the wing shack that they had that caught my eye. They def added some good and better good options than ever before. Now let me get to the games, they have way better games this year and different games. They had one game that was very difficult to sit the glass bottle up from a ring attached to a string. This game was very intriguing for sure, I will say try it it was challenging. They also had a game where you can throw a ball at glass bottles. Unfortunately, If you play basketball you will have to make two shots in a row to get a teddy bear. Overall, it was very nice and clean with plenty of seating areas to eat, and restrooms to use. They had cute decor at some of the stands, especially Pink's hot dogs :) it's lots of parking. However, it was a bit of a headache to find how to enter to park, and it was lots of traffic! Furthermore, I'm happy of all the innovative ideas OC! I had a wonderful time with my fam. I will def come back next year if I don't return before it's over :) this year it was very worth it.

So much fun! The OC Fair never disappoints. It is far superior over all other fairs. Lots of food, rides, shows and animals! The food was a little disappointing- only because he wanted fried mac and cheese and they didn't have it. Or we just didn't find it. We found fried everything else basically; fried orders, cheesecake, twinkies, shrimp and fried cheese. But no fried mac and cheese. Sadness. The cheese pizza was actually my favorite at the fair. My partner enjoyed the fried shrimp wrapped in bacon. He also tried the hot Cheetos tots with cheese and said it was just okay. The fried Oreos were a bust for me. They tasted like pancakes. We loved the horchata!! We went on the sky lift, and I just about had a panic attack. lol Heights really scare me. He had fun on that though. We did the creep show and haunted house ride. Both were just okay. Wouldn't do them ever again lol Overall, fun experiences.

We paid $30 to get in and an extra $15 for parking. We also spent $50 on game points. Unfortunately, each game cost $5-8, so we quickly ran out of money. It seemed like people who won big prizes probably spent a lot to get them. The game stations were tricky and didn't explain the rules well. You'd think you were about to win, but then they'd say you didn't do it exactly right, so no prize. It was frustrating and shady. However, aside from the games, there were other fun things to do like watching pig races, visiting the animal farm, checking out the art show, and attending the outdoor concert. If you wanted to see a big bang play, it was an extra $30. Overall, I'd give it 2 stars because the games were too shady for me.

My family goes to the OC fair every year for my cousins bday. The fair is always pleasant and clean. This year they had several new food and alcohol vendors. The added new additions made us stay longer and have more fun. They added wine tasting, whiskey tasting, boba tea, chocolate chips cookie place sushi, and various others. :) It's small, not too big , which is good if you do not like walking much. I only wish they would add more shopping exhibits. They had a "Virgin" record exhibit that was amazing. Parking was reasonable $12.

I enjoy going here yearly moreso over the LA county because it's closer and smaller The vibe is always so much better and the layout is easy The only negatives are that I wish they had parking people out off the 55 to direct that hot mess that happens or has been happening for years to better direct traffic into the parking lots Prices are insane for food but that's not the centers fault

This place is a spacious event center great for the fair but with limited parking space as impacted as it is. I love coming here at least once a year or for the 626 night market for food, great set up and easy to navigate but I wish the parking would be a little more organized as to maybe a structure or something that does not back up the street filled with traffic etc. the food here is great in variety, love the usual baby animal farm, rides, and the butterfly net cage to walk in. Everything is usually customary but eventful.

This fair is so much better compared to the La fair which is half the size. There are so many rides, games, food vendors, and activities. PETTING ZOO This was a great experience. You can buy food to feed to the animals. The animals are all very well trained to stay calm RIDES There are bumper cars and Ferris wheels and more. We did the Ferris wheel in the very back. This one has windows so it was pretty dirty. The one at the beginning was very nice. There is also a very cute art gallery inside the fair. FOOD Be prepared to spend a lot. A lot of the food prices are a little bit unreasonable. The funnel cake was about 15 or $16 for the cheapest and if you wanted strawberries or fruit on the funnel cake it was about $20. I also noticed a lot of the vendors had different pricing for the same foods.

This fair was fun! Hot but restrooms had AC, food lines were fast. Drinks were cold and everyone I encountered were pleasant. We visited the farm animals which were adorable. The goats were full of milk, or it seemed like it hahaha I'm no expert you be the judge from pictures. My son was so brave and went on sling shot the ride that is so scary! That ride cost 35$ no tickets. I recommend wristbands if you have kids or like rides we bought 100$ worth for 80 tickets and $20 more those tickets went fast. Each ride was 6-9 tickets. Wristband are 49$ unlimited, bummed I didn't get that. Next time! Parking was easy, not too busy. We arrived around 1pm it was perfect considering it was a school night.

What a fun way to spend a summer day. Admission is $15 per person and parking is also $15. They have this great special where tastings are $5 before 4pm. A lot of the vendors have these tastings so my friend and I had fun going around and sharing all these different tastings. Food is usually pretty expensive and this way we got to try a lot of small things without committing to a decision on one or two large portions of food that we may or may not like. We got the grilled corn, small teriyaki chicken plate, turkey chili cheese dog, frozen banana, slice of pizza, kettle corn, dip n dots, fried Twinkie, chicken kebab, and cinnamon roll. When it got really hot outside we went into the buildings with art or things to buy to cool off. This fair runs right in the middle of summer. LA fair is in May so the weather is much cooler. I also recommend that fair too.

I give the fair about a 4.5. There's been a lack of vendors this year compared to the years before covid but it's still a fun venue. The place has gone through digital tickets through Ticketmaster, and perhaps it's for the better to control the crowds and to anticipate parking. Games and rides are done through a ticketing system prepaid or purchased through the ticket booths. Fair food prices are high, but so has been all foods since covid, so expect to pay $13 bucks for an exceptionally sized hot dog, or $12 for a funnel cake, pick your poison, it's an experience for the family/kids. There was a music exhibit, art exhibit, and winners of cakes, pies and cookies. Future farmers of America had their agriculture on show where pigs, sheep and goats were available to pet. I would still go back if I lived closer, fun times with my boyfriend and the kids.

Games' price 2024 starts increasing. Traffic was very bad on Saturday & Sunday, I recommend OC fair bus. On week day nights the parking line was ok, about 20 minutes wait. These reasons make me give OC fair 4 stars in 2024. I bought Camila 2024 album xoxo vinyl record, 3D puzzles Ferris wheel with music, cute clothes :D OC fair is always fun, look like every year we win big prices :) I & my daughter attended destruction cars show, Michael Jackson Tribube concert, watched sheep, goat, llama in 2024 :D

Attended a concert at the Amphitheatre on August 3rd, Saturday 7:30pm. (MonkeeMen & Fab Four). Arrived about 6pm and the traffic (Google Maps) was a solid red line to enter and merge into the parking lot. It was chaos! Parking is $15. As we drove further west within the parking lot, there were available spaces near the "Blue Gate" Entrance (This is near the area for shared ride pick up too). It took about 25 minutes to maneuver through the traffic mess from Newport Blvd. entrance to parking our vehicle. I think they offer "preferred parking". The fair was SOLD OUT, so you would want to purchase tickets online ahead of time. Concert tickets includes admission to the Fair. Staff were friendly and helpful. SOLD OUT means LOTS of people. We left the concert early about 9:30pm, there were a lot less people and it was easy to get out of the parking lot without the hassle of the excessive traffic. The Amphitheater had (older) clean restrooms with plenty of toilet stalls. There are a set of restrooms on each side. There are also food/beverage/snack vendors near the restrooms. Alcohol is available (many drunks dancing in the aisles during the concert. LoL!) 3 Stars for the parking, which was a HOT MESS.

This was my second time coming to the OC fair and will definitely come back again. This is probably one of the cleanest fairs I've been too. The food was all really good, but a little overpriced. I also like their ticketing system. Games and rides share the same tickets and all you have to do is scan a qr code. It was also fairly easy to find parking, but make sure to get tickets beforehand because they usually sell out fast.

Waste of money. The food there is horrible and the prices are outrageous for a none existent quality. Save your money.

Probably the last time I'll come here for a while with my kids since they're too small to get on much. I have a 1& 1/2 year old and a 4 year old, my 4 year old only got on about 3 rides since he's only 40" tall, he didn't meet the height requirement for most which is a bummer. The petting zoo was not what I was expecting, you couldn't pet the animals ‍ The only animals they had were llamas and goats which were locked up and you just walked past them. We basic paid $150+ for 5 stuff animals lol but I guess the gratification of winning them makes it feel worth it. I only ate a corn dog, it was pretty good. Tip: The have this Mexican themed bar/dance area and it had the best drinks !!!

I recently attended the OC Fair and was met with absolute chaos from start to finish. We spent nearly two hours trying to find parking, only to discover that every entrance was closed, and every sign we could find said "full." The lack of organization was astonishing. The staff was no help at all, and the traffic management was non-existent. After driving around in traffic with no guidance or assistance, we eventually had to give up and head home. We didn't want to spend another hour or two stuck in traffic. To make matters worse, they make your ticket non-refundable, knowing full well how disorganized their system is. It's incredibly frustrating to have spent money on tickets and not even be able to enter the fairgrounds. I'm extremely disappointed with the entire experience and will absolutely not be returning. From now on, I'll be sticking to the LA County Fair, where things are far better managed.

03/25/2023 Have been coming here for the OC Fair a long time. Been here another time for the Neon Run. Today, we are all here for the Bubble Run. You start in waves so you aren't crowding each Bubble Gate area. This one is all contained in the parking lot where other runs go through the fair grounds. It was like all switch backs on hike but on this run where you go back and forth for 3.2 miles/5K. I swear the website showed parking for $10 and at the gate, Sign for parking are $12. These events should already include parking. That's why I'm giving this 3 stars for the event and venue.

Had a fun day at the OC fair. The weather was a bit on the hot side, but there are cooling stations and the buildings have AC. The fair was kept clean with lots of people to assist if needed. I went during the week so it was not very crowded and parking was easy. Will be back again before it closes for the year

I mean it is the best orange county fair we will see all year so 5 stars? Let's be honest for a second tho, parking total sh*t show amirite?? Once you finally get inside and up to the ticket counter you've probs already been there an hour. The fastpass thing is legit, but you'll need alot more than 40 tickets (for two ppl) to really take advantage of it. Ferris wheel is always a good time. Funnel cake was a funnel cake and all in all best fair I'll go to all year. Also the only fair I'll go to all year

My favorite day looks like going to the fair! I love going to fairs and amusement parks, always a good time and so I love OC Fair! I would go out of my way to come here. Always something I look forward to every year! My favorite things to have there are a Chili Cheese Dog at Pink's Hot Dogs, Beer and Funnel Cake. It's a lot of food so I always share everything with friends. I love going on rides and playing games for those cute stuffed animals. I am a bit older now so I don't really have a use for the stuff animals, if I do win them I usually give them to other kids that might want them. I buy tickets ahead of time in case they sell out for the day I want to go. Most likely, you'll have to pay to park at the fairgrounds. It does get very crowded on the weekends so give yourself a lot of time. Traffic around this area is insane on the weekends to get in. Everyone is always friendly. The layout of the fair is pretty much the same every year and since I've gone so many times I always know how to get around.

Oh the OC Fair. When this comes around, you know it's getting close to the summer season ending in SoCal. I'm excited we got to go during the day this year. The team on site was super organized during the day! We got to ride six rides and play games and didn't have to wait in long lines. I wish there was a pass for rides during the weekend, so we could have gone on more rides. Now... the food.... At the OC fair, you can find just about anything! I like that it's not just fair food. My favorite thing to eat was the flamin hot pot stickers! DA BOMB! My least favorite was the lobster nachos. They were bland. Now we know for next year to go during the day, bring sun screen, and avoid the nachos.

OC Fair is a vibrant and lively spot to spend a day. The blooming onion is a flavorful treat, and the waffle fries paired with ribs is a unique and tasty combo. While the carnival games can be a bit on the pricey side, the experience of the ski lift at night and the entertaining pig race more than make up for it. With numerous picturesque locations scattered around, it's a great place to capture memories. A fun-filled experience awaits every visitor!

Tet Festival at the OC Fair Grounds in Costa Mesa! This event is the largest Tet Festival in SoCal (maybe even in CA) I believe. Tet means New Years in Vietnamese. It's one of my favorite local festivities to attend. They have so many food trunk and food options, rides, games, fun vendor booths, outdoor and indoor stage as well. It cost $8 to enter and if you have traditional Vietnamese attire on its free to enter. A fantastic event for the family, friends and or a date. My favorite thing to eat was the Korea short ribs. It was extremely flavorful, well cooked and tender. Another favorite was the escargot Vietnamese style - boiled with herbs, dipped with lemon salt and pepper with a side of mint leaves. Fresh, hot and tasty!! We also had sugarcane juice - freshly squeezed from sugar case tree. Nothing is better! Parking was pretty easy as well. $12 to park. If you enjoy food and learning about the Vietnamese culture this is a fun event for you. I would say bring cash as some of the food trunks only took cash. They did have plenty of ATM machines conveniently scattered throughout the fairgrounds. One big plus is they have a real restrooms and pretty clean too. Not porter potty's. We also got to see the dragon dancers - if you've never seen it you should watch a show it's so cool! As we walked out we stopped by the main stage where there was plenty of seats and it warm (compared to windy and cold outside) we had a chance to watch Miss Vietnam of Southern CA contest. It's so neat that this festival offers so many activities.

A fun experience for all ages. Parking is plentiful but pricey. I miss when they offered bus routes in with daily deals. There are lots of things to eat - even some healthy options. Alcohol served on premises. There are a lot of carnival type rides that require tickets, for adults and kids, alongside carnival booths to win stuffed animals. Concerts in The Hangar and community entertainment options of dancing, magic, and acrobatics. Craft booths offering for sale items. My favorite are the booths of table settings, woodworking, photography, baked goods, and quilting. It's great to admire the talents of those in your community. Many items are for sale too. They added a music room tribute this year displaying vintage album covers of all genres.

We went here for the food fair... The parking when we went was $12 so I would definitely bring cash to pay for parking instead of holding up the line trying to use card. (Pro tip #1) Also, make sure to bring your items that you have to cool you off cuz it was HOT HOT HOT. I brought my neck fan and a chill towels. (Pro tip #2) All the food vendors took card and most of the food vendors seemed to only take card so besides cash for parking everything else was card friendly. The only other thing that you would need cash for is if you want to buy some figurines and nik naks as those vendors seemed to offer cash. (Pro tip #3) Overall, this was an OK location. It was great that they actually had bathrooms instead of porta potties which is what I was expecting so that was a huge plus for me. The hubs and I wandered around for a bit to just see what kind of food they had available there. It seemed like half of the fair was just games which we were not interested in. So we bypassed that area and just concentrated on the food areas. There seemed to be lots of vendors until I realized that alot of the vendors were repeats of the vendors that we had already seen. :/ We had grilled corn and honestly, I have yet to meet a grilled corn that I didn't like. Lol so yup yup yup it was delicious!! I also had bacon wrapped jalapenos. They were pretty good. It was from the backyard BBQ place. It was pretty good but I like my jalapenos still a little on the raw side so that it has some texture. These were really mushy but the bacon was ok. And I know I know... I'm such a bad yelper... I forgot the name of the place that I got the bacon wrapped pickles and the 1/2 pound sausage. But there was only one vendor that had the bacon wrapped pickles. Lol The bacon wrapped pickles were really really salty... I guess I should've expected that but it was just too salty for me. The 1/2 sausage ok... I mean it was sausage covered in peppers and onions. It was decent. I don't think I would get it again. So my thoughts on this is... GET THE CORN. Don't miss out on it. So good!! Bacon wrapped jalapenos are decent. Bacon wrapped pickles were too salty and would be a pass for me. The sausage would also be a pass for me as well. Too many other things to eat that could be much better. So it was ok... But I wouldn't be rushing back. I've read other reviews and they say that the LA food fair is better and I think that I would rather goto that one as they seem to have a wider variety of foods.

We all know the fair is a chance to eat ridiculous sized foods or just outright weird combinations. However, I felt so the food selections and quality have declined over the years. Every stall I went to, the food came out in like 2 mins which I wasn't sure how it was possible unless it was just sitting. With the price you pay, I would rather wait and get fresh hot/crispy food

Always a fun time at the fair. Lots of food vendors, games and rides. Lots of entertainment, there is always something to do.

Fun as always. It's not just about the rides. I love walking through all the buildings and looking at the arts and crafts, and the things for sale. I was here on a Friday around 1pm and it was dead. Things picked up as people got out of work around 5pm. Honestly I only need about 5 hours here and after that I watch the Demolition Derby which usually starts at 8pm. As such, next time I'll just get here around 3pm. All the beer is pretty much the same throughout The Fair with a couple exceptions. The little beer stand next to the large inflatable corn under the chairlift is the only place that serves BlueMoon which I love. And it's on tap! Then over near the farm area near the barn is a craft beer stand with a small selection of unique beers. For wine lovers there's always the award winning wine tasting courtyard with live music near the shopping building. For the first time ever there's a water refill station diagonally across from the wine courtyard. The best value and quality for food is the chicken and vegetable kebabs at the BBQ stand diagonally across from the Hangar on the side of the white building where the restrooms entrance is. Other things of note... Awesome loaded cinnamon roll near giant ferris wheel across from chairlift entrance. Another good one is Pismo in the shopping building. Awesome bacon wrapped, cream cheese stuffed jalapenos. Find little stands selling them in pairs for cheap. Large stands sell a trio for a rip off. Rum Runner Margarita. Not bad. Tastes like a red Freezee from my childhood. Near the Hangar. BBQ chicken - nice and tender and ribs which were not bad. Good quality BBQ sauce. At the place with the giant red grill with exhaust pipes. Best fries around can be found at the Bloomin Onion place! Under the chairlift near the Hangar. New this year there are a variety of baked pretzels. I didn't try them though. Near the farm area barn. Demolition Derby starts at 8pm. Buy tickets for a reserved seat. Section 304 Row A Seat 1 is the best. Otherwise show up an hour early for general admission.

OC Fair, well what can I say? Tickets were $15 for Adults and $9 for Seniors - parking was $12 (all not bad at all). The spending of the money comes when buying food and/of shopping lol. I love those vendors but you have go into it with an open mind, they practice their sales pitch all day long. I love the shopping and love hearing their sales pitches lol.

It's more than just the OC Fair! I primarily came for the OC Beer Hee Haw that's held inside the OC Fair. The admission into the festival includes admission to the fair. Apparently, this also applies to concerts as well. There were less vendors than I expected, but that made it more reasonable to try as many as I could. If any of you guys were wondering how big/small the cup was, it was surprisingly 4oz. There is ample shaded seating for the festival if you have VIP due to bench seating. For the festival and the OC Fair, there are a good amount of restrooms so you don't have to rely on port-a-pottys. The staff seemed to check on it regularly as there was a toilet leaking and they came to fix it quickly.

The fair is pretty big but a bit pricy. Parking is 12 and entry ticket is 13. Its best to buy online but we were able to buy tickets on the left side of the entry. Bring a water bottle as there are plenty of refill and handwashing stations, but water and food inside is quite expensive. The barn/animals are mostly sheep/goats and opposite from the petting zoo and pig races ( near the huge euro slide ride/tmobile side). The petting zoo is free, but no drinks allowed inside and its free reign. There is another smaller barn area by the agricultural fair.