The OC Fair Celebrates 120 Years

The heart of Orange County – the OC Fair – continues to beat as it returns with a deep-
fried summer-on-a-stick July 16-August 15, 2010. Themed “The Beat Goes On,” the 2010 Fair will
feature food, fun, and everything that has made 120 years of the Fair so memorable.

New exhibits include:

The Hangar at the OC Fair - New this year, The Hangar will feature free community entertainment during the day and rockin’ tribute bands and entertainment at night. (See next article for full evening schedule.)

Forever Fair! - A 120th anniversary exhibit showcasing a decade-by-decade look into Orange County’s favorite tradition.

Artful Fare – Food-as-art is the theme for the Exhibit Promenade with live ice sculpting, food sculpting and cooking demonstrations.

Special Week-long Exhibits – The Livestock Area will feature two new special exhibits that will last for a full week each. The Sand Sports RV and Ultimate Sports Show takes residence July 28-August 1 with the latest in sand cars, trucks and four-wheelers, ATVs, and other off-road toys. The Budweiser Clydesdale Exhibit Parade moves in August 11-15 with exhibits and information all about the hoofed celebrities, who will also strut their stuff during daily parades.

Returning favorites include:

Pacific Amphitheatre Summer Concert Series at the OC Fair – Headline concert entertainment includes ZZ Top, The Fab Four, Adam Lambert, Train, Martina McBride, The B-52s, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, “Weird Al” Yankovic, LeAnn Rimes, and Julianne Hough. (See next article for full lineup.)

Action Sports Arena – Action and adrenaline will fill the grandstands with the popular Orange Crush Demolition Derby and, for a second year, the Motorhome Madness Demolition Derby. Also featured is the Maloof Money Cup, Speedway, Bull Riding and other action-packed events. (See next article for full lineup.)

“Al’s Brain – A 3-D Journey Through The Human Brain with ’Weird Al‘ Yankovic” – This one-of-a-kind Fair experience is back by popular demand, featuring educational displays and an original 10-minute 3-D film written by, directed by and starring Weird Al.

The 2010 OC Fair is open Wednesday-Friday from Noon-Midnight and Saturday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-Midnight. General admission is $10 and parking is $7. Tickets for select shows in the Pacific Amphitheatre, Action Sports Arena and The Hangar are on sale now. (See the next article for the full lineups.) The 2010 Super Pass (season pass) and single-day admission tickets are also on sale now.

For more information, call (714) 708-1500 or visit ocfair.com.

2010 OC Fair Special Events and Headline Entertainment

The OC Fair is growing its outstanding entertainment offerings with a new entertainment complex called The Hangar. Hosting some of the best tribute bands in town, The Hangar adds additional nightly options to the great entertainment already offered in the Pacific Amphitheatre and the Action Sports Arena.

Tickets for any special event or concert in Pacific Amphitheatre, Action Sports Arena or The Hangar include free Fair admission. Tickets can be purchased at any Ticketmaster location, online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 or from the OC Fair Box Office during regular hours.

Here are the complete lineups for each exciting entertainment complex at the OC Fair this year:

Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre
(Click on any image to go to Ticketmaster.com for details and to buy now.)

The Hangar
(Click on any image to go to Ticketmaster.com for details and to buy now.)

Action Sports Arena
(Click on any image to go to Ticketmaster.com for details and to buy now.)

The OC Fair & Event Center Box Office is open: June 2-July 12* Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. (*Closed Sunday, July 4); July 13-July 15, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and during the OC Fair (July 16-August 15)* Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. (*Also, open on Tuesday, July 27, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.)

Affordable Summer Fun for the 2010 OC Fair

The OC Fair provides a wallet-friendly experience for the whole family. Here are a variety of promotions that offer affordable summer fun at the 2010 Fair:

Savings at the Gate (See next article for "We Care Wednesdays")

Friday, July 16, Noon-1 p.m.
Opening Hour
Sponsored by Sparkletts
Free admission and parking during the opening hour of the 2010 OC Fair (Noon-1 p.m.). Parking lots open one hour before gates.

Every Thursday (July 22, 29, and August 5, 12), All Day
Kids Day
Free admission for all guests 12 and younger.

Every Friday (July 16, 23, 30, and August 6, 13), All Day
Seniors Day
Sponsored by Monarch HealthCare
Discount admission for guests 60 and older. $5 admission with free regular Ferris wheel and merry-go-round rides all day.

Every Day, All Day
Heroes Get in Free (New for 2010)
Free admission for active duty military with I.D.

Savings in the Carnival

Every Wednesday and Thursday
$25 Unlimited Ride Wristband and $1 Games
Unlimited rides for $25 and games are $1 each.
Sold until 5 p.m. Valid until 8 p.m.

Every Friday
$1 Rides and Games
All rides and games are $1 each. Valid until 7 p.m. Must purchase Fun Pass.

Sold Daily
Fun Pass
Sold daily in $5, $20, $50 and $100 packages. Valid for rides and games.

Every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
Fast Pass (NEW FOR 2010)
Get to the front of the ride line with a Fast Pass for $20. Not available on Fridays. Valid day of purchase only.

Nightly
Pacific Amphitheatre & RCS Ticket Bounce-back
One (1) free ride on La Grande Wheel in the Main Midway with each concert ticket stub. Valid the night of the concert only.

Every Wednesday (See following article for weekly details.)
We Care Wednesdays
Sponsored by 89.3 FM KPCC
Free carnival ride with requested donation on specific donation days. One carnival ride ticket per person.

Other Savings

Online Savings Every Day
Fee-free Single-Day Admission Tickets
Purchase single-day admission tickets online at Ticketmaster.com and there are no additional fees charged for customers who use the TicketFast (print-at-home) option.

Savings for the Frequent Fairgoer
Super Pass
Get 23 days of Fair for one low price with a 2010 season pass. On sale at a discount price through July 15 at ocfair.com/superpass.

Every Friday
$1 Fair Food Tastings
Get a sampling of the tasty foods at the 2010 OC Fair for only a buck each. Valid Noon-4 p.m.

Every Saturday and Sunday
Free parking and shuttle service
From the Experian parking structure located off Anton Blvd. off the Bristol St. exit of the northbound 405 freeway. Shuttle operates from 10 a.m.-1 a.m.

2010 OC Fair Community Donation Drives

Each Wednesday during the 2010 OC Fair, Fairgoers are rewarded for giving back to the community. Details for the 2010 We Care Wednesdays community drives:

July 21, Noon-6 p.m.
Food Drive
Free admission and one carnival ride per person with a donation of five canned food items.
Benefits Second Harvest Food Bank and OC Food Bank.

July 28, Noon-6 p.m.
Book Drive
Free admission and one carnival ride per person with a donation of one new or three gently used children’s books.
Benefits Orange County public elementary schools through Los Angeles Times’ Reading by 9 program and Book Ends.

August 4, Noon-6 p.m.
Clothing Drive (NEW for 2010)
Free admission and one carnival ride per person with a donation of five gently used or new clothing items.
Benefits Goodwill of Orange County.

August 11, Noon-6 p.m.
School Supply Drive
Free admission and one carnival ride per person with a donation of one new school supply item valued at $3 or more (suggested items: markers, spiral notebooks, backpacks, and calculators).
Benefits Share Our Selves.

Each We Care Wednesdays drive offers one admission and one ride coupon per person with applicable donation.

The Beaz Goes On and On

Wow! Have I got news for you! It’s about to be Christmas in July (and August). In all my years at the Fair, I have not seen such a vast array of surprises as those that await people attending this year’s 120th anniversary of the OC Fair. There is a buzz in the air as the finishing touches are being applied for the “The Beat Goes On” bell to begin ringing Friday, July 16.

I didn’t want to spoil any of the surprises, but was distressed to learn the other day that our website has leaked all the information about the Fair already. Yes, that’s right, that sly website, ocfair.com, has all the info about the summer Fair. How can it be Christmas if you know what your gifts are? Oh well, at least there is still a Santa.

If the Fair is Christmas, then the inaugural Barrett-Jackson event is certainly Christmas Eve! The anticipation for the event is like no other I have seen outside of the summer Fair. Even Cirque du Soleil’s inaugural event here in the mid-90’s did not draw this much excitement. I have always been a Christmas Eve shopper, loving the intensity created by time-crunched purchases. It always brings out the best in me. My feeling is the Barrett-Jackson attendees are the same and will be shopping like crazy June 25-27.

So many reasons to be thankful to the Ghosts of Fairs past, present and future. Speaking of that, rest assured, no matter what the future holds, one enduring truth will remain: “The Beat Goes On!” One hundred twenty years of history tells us so…