Another OC Fair has come and gone and now we set our sights upon the rest of the year, but not without first reflecting upon the summer's success. We had a great Fair. July was hotter than ever, but that didn't deter the over 900,000 people who walked through our gates, giving us the third best attended OC Fair in 114 years.

For many people, summer would not be summer without the OC Fair. The Fair is where the community can come together to celebrate tradition and new experiences, from cooking demonstrations to extreme carnival rides, from the annual opening night Speedway Derby to AGA-BOOM!

While we didn't set any records other than the temperature, the 2006 OC Fair will be remembered as a success due to things that cannot be measured like the pride on a child's face when they performed on one of the community stages, or the look of joy when they first tried cotton candy. Or the look on parents' faces while they watched their children perform, or laugh as they enjoy a ride in the Kiddie Carnival. Or a young couple on their first date, or a not so young couple who celebrated 50 years of marriage. Or a teenager showing a prize-winning calf that they raised and nurtured themselves. This is what the Fair is all about—building memories, summer after summer, year after year.

Of course, this all leads us to the rest of 2006. We are proud to host many great events at OCFEC such as the Persian Harvest Festival, Cruisin' for a Cure Car Show, Sand Sports Super Show, and Kids Faire. Then we have the weekly Orange County Market Place and Farmer's Market. All of these events share one thing: community. That is the business we are in: providing a forum for our community to come together to celebrate all that they enjoy.

Finally, we look forward to the 2007 OC Fair, themed "Cowabunga! - The Year of Herefords, Surfers and Sand," July 13 through August 5. We'll see you there, we'll be the ones in board shorts and cowboy boots. Surf's Up, so Cowboy Up!

Becky Bailey-Findley
CEO
Orange County Fair & Exposition Center