“Find your Happy” – 2025 Orange County Fair, Costa Mesa, Ca. July 18-August 17
By Julianna Danson, Staff writer – IPA Magazine Travel and Co-Author of: Sun, Sand and Surf: The Ultimate Guide To Orange County Beaches
The Orange County Fair presents a colorful extravaganza of action, adventure, scent & sound that transcends everyday life and transports visitors to an array of ‘fairytale places’, animal & farm exhibits, concerts and car crashes, inventive displays where contestants ‘vie for prize’ and food booths that match the razzmatazz of this amazing place!
There is so much to do here that it’s hard to find a starting point for your ‘day of play’, but perhaps a good start for the expedition into the OC fair ecosystem would be in ‘the carnival corner’ of the fair. There are 60 rides to choose from. The themes vary from tame to ‘tremendous adrenalin required’ but the buzz, zoom and zing of the of rides such as the Zipper, Zero Gravity and Sling Shot sound off their invitation to join the lines to participate in their ‘energy exploits’ in a test of emotional and physical strength. The rides are downright dazzling and are just as fun to watch, as hanging upside down or moving all around. For young children, rides such as Frog Hop, Pirates Island or Surf Shack could provide young thrill seekers an opportunity to join the action that is in this section and skill level.
It is easy to spend all day in just the carnival, but the scents of cinnamon, chocolate, popcorn and barbeque will probably inspire a curiosity to explore the many food booths that line the aisles. Their visual displays are just as flashy as the bling & blitz that light the sky at night and the variety of food is fabulous and caters to every spectrum of taste imaginable. Some examples are rowdy root beer, honey walnut shrimp, garlic stuffed sausage, big skillet cookie and maple bacon donut. My personal favorite is Candy land, that features rainbow corn & fried snickers and Bacon Nation that features bacon bombs and candied bacon pork belly bites. There is so much to choose from and the good news is that till 4:00 P.M everyday, the food booths offer their $5.00 deals to explore a ‘flavor vacation.’ that is like no other.
After embracing the wild rides of the carnival and digesting the delicacies of the food booths, a great place to take an intermission from all the packed action would be in the Hangar. This is where you can sit in the shade and watch concerts and dance performances as you plot the next course through the maze of vendor shops, to the art, photography, hobby or animal exhibits. Some noteworthy points of interest along the route are face painting, the petting zoo and ‘The Good News Guy’ who features an inspirational Christian exhibit and craft table that depicts the true life story of King David and his amazing bravery in slaying Goliath.
Another Attraction of the OC Fair is the Sports Arena. This treasure gives the gift of a glimpse into the extreme sport of demolition derby. There are four events to choose from, The Monster Truck Nitro Tour, Motorhome Madness, Orange County Demolition Derby and Damsels of Destruction. It is here, where ‘men could be men’ as they drink their beer and watch various ’mad max mobiles’ plunder and plow through junk cars, other obstacles and sometimes each other as spectators cheer for their favorite ’vehicle hero.’ On August 6-10 Motorized Mayhem is an additional spectacle that features motorized contraptions that ‘strut their stuff’ in showy displays of mechanical innovations as each ‘road warrior’ dukes it out in the arena. Each show ‘runs’ over a few days and tickets are required.
The concerts also add their sparkle and applause to the grand display of the fair. This year, it was George Thorogood & the Destroyers that ‘kicked off ’ the nightly concert series, with their 1970’s rock & roll style that mixes the blues with electric guitar tunes. There is however, a wide variety in music to choose from this summer. Each artist has their own style and spotlight in their assigned music stadium and the good news is that entry admission is included with concert ticket purchase.
Orange County is indeed rich in brilliance, glamour and theatrics and the OC Fair encapsulates it all! It is definitely worth getting off the couch, unplugging from social media and joining the wild and real life at the fair. Go to the website Orange County Fair 2025. Get your tickets and ‘get your happy on’!!
By Julianna Danson, Staff writer – IPA Magazine Travel and Co-Author of: Sun, Sand and Surf: The Ultimate Guide To Orange County Beaches. Visit Julianna’s website at https://online.fliphtml5.com/zctqn/ouni/#p=1