What a great place to spend summer! The smell of BBQ smoke and fried food flows through the air… well and depends on where you go, the smell of livestock too. We went to the fair on a Saturday afternoon and while it was crowded, it was not nearly as packed as one might think. There is so much to see and do. There is food, live music, game, contest, craft, exhibits, shopping and so much more. Restrooms are located throughout and are accessible. As a parent with kids restrooms are very important and I was very impressed with how clean the restrooms were.
Our first stop was to see The Knights of Valour – Full contact jousting. The jousting knights were clad from head to toe in armor. The object of the game is to strike the chest plate of the opposing knight or knock the off the horse. This is full contact jousting, which is a dangerous sport where the brave knights risk their life and suffer broken ribs and even a bruised heart. It was an interesting show where you can cheer for your favorite knight!
We then went to see the famous All-Alaskan Racing Pigs! I love those little piggies! You can see these little athletes running thru the flat-track racing and hurdling. The host did a good job keeping the show interesting and getting everyone involved (especially the little kids). It was a funny show that both kids and adults will enjoy. Go Strawberry Go!
My kids love animals. They were excited to see goat, chicken, cow, turkey, rabbit and even a peacock! They pet some of the animals and you can see how happy and thrilled they were.
Then there is the food… There is as you expect every type of food and culinary concoctions. This was the first time seeing Flaming Hot Cheetos in every type of food: Flaming Cheetos like the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos fries, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Big Daddy corn dogs, Flain’ Hot Cheetos on the cob and the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos pizza! If you are hungry, you can get the Unicorn leg, which is a 5-pound BBQ pork leg or the always-good turkey leg. For the more adventurous you can get frog legs, deep fried octopus or fried peanut butter meatballs. I love sweets and my favorite food of the day was the macaroon gelato sandwich! Those little happy face macaroon just melt my heart! They were so tasty!
The other section that my kids enjoyed a lot was the carnival section. There were lots of rides, but many of them are not for smaller kids. My daughter was not able to get into many of the rides, as she was not tall enough. You can see many people carrying large stuff animals that they win from the games. The games and rides can be pricey but it completes the overall fair experience. Please make sure to check the promotions below on how to get a Free 3 carnival rides for your kids or the days/time for the unlimited $30 wristband and the $2 Games/$2 Rides! Overall this was an excellent fun summer day for the entire family!
There are lots of promotions available, but here are some that might interest you:
- Free carnival rides: Children ages 5-11 who read two books and complete the online book report form will receive three free carnival rides. The completed form can be redeemed for the rides passes at the Information Booth in Centennial Farm during regular Fair hours. Link to the form: bit.ly/readride
- $30 Unlimited Carnival Ride Wristband: Only available on Wednesday and Thursday. They are sold until 5PM and are valid until 8PM.
- $2 Rides and $2 Games: Every Friday sold until 4PM
- $7 General Admission and half the carnival tickets to ride: Every Saturday and Sunday 11AM to 1PM
- Free Kid admission Day: Every Thursday noon to midnight children 12 and under is admitted free.
- Military get in free: Free admission for all veterans and active duty military with valid ID. Each military member can also purchase up to six general admission tickets for half off.
- We care Wednesday: One free admission and one carnival ride per person with valid donation
• Food Drive: Wednesday, July 19, noon-3 p.m. Donate five canned food items. Benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank and OC Food Bank.
• Children’s Book Drive: Wednesday, July 29, noon-3 p.m. Donate three new or gently used children’s books. Benefiting THINK Together.
• Clothing Drive: Wednesday, Aug. 2, noon-3 p.m. Donate five clothing items (new or gently used). Benefiting Goodwill of Orange County.
• School Supply Drive: Wednesday, Aug. 9, noon-3 p.m. Donate school supplies valued at $5 or more (receipt required). Benefiting Share Our Selves.
• If you purchase a concert ticket at the Pacific Amphitheater you will get a free Fair admission. Artist like B-56, Pepe Aguilar, Kenny Logins, Huey Lewis and The News, The Band Perry and many more! http://www.pacamp.com/pa2/index.asp
FOR MORE INFO:
WHERE:
- OC Fair & Event Center
88 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa, CA 92626
DATES:
- July 14-Aug. 13 (23 days and nights; Wednesday-Sunday).
HOURS:
- Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-midnight
COST:
- General (13yrs-59yrs - Wednesday to Friday) $12
(13yrs-59yrs - Saturday and Sunday) $14
- Senior (60+yrs) $7
- Youth (6yrs-12yrs) $7
- Children 5 and younger FREE
*We received tickets for the purpose of this review but all opinions are our own.
