The biggest, happiest and hippest fair in Orange County history will welcome visitors from July 11 through Aug. 3, 2003, to celebrate tomatoes-the most popular vegetable on American tables.

The Fair's Board of Directors voted at its September meeting to make the 111th Orange County Fair a 21-day event, adding four days to the previous 17-day format. The Fair will close on Mondays to freshen facilities.

In recommending the additional dates, General Manager Becky Bailey-Findley explained to the Board the Fair's success in recent years had increased attendance, necessitating spreading the number of visitors over more days to alleviate potential crowding. Fair hours will be the same as in 2002: Friday-Sunday 10 a.m.- midnight, and Tuesday Thursday noon-midnight.

To expand programming during the 21-day celebration, the 8,500-seat Pacific Amphitheatre will reopen as an additional concert stage hosting the Fair's most ambitious talent line-up ever. Currently, there are no plans to operate the amphitheatre year round. The venue will host one show a night and all shows will require an additional paid admission. The 10,000-seat lawn section will remain closed.

The Fair's ever popular free headline concert series will move to the Grandstand Arena, offering two shows per night. Grandstand entertainment will be rounded out by the annual Demolition Derby, bull riding, and motorcycle races.

The Arlington Theater will host free cultural festivals on the weekends. Additionally, there will be continuous entertainment on three stages throughout the Fair.

The Fair Board voted to salute tomatoes in 2003 after considering these facts:

• The United States is the largest producer of tomatoes in the world.
• California is the leading grower of tomatoes for processing.
• California is the second largest grower of fresh tomatoes.
• Orange County is one of California's top tomato growing areas.
• Tomatoes are the most popular home grown vegetable in America.
• Americans consume 12 million tons of tomatoes annually.
• California's 2000 tomato crop was worth $950 million.