The Orange County Fair, abbreviated as the OC Fair, is a 23-day annual fair that is held every summer at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. The 2026 OC Fair will be held from July 17 to August 16, and the theme will be “Your Adventure Awaits”.
History The fair first took place in the year 1890 and consisted of some minor exhibits in Santa Ana and a horse race. From 1890 to 1894 the fair was run by the Orange County Community Fair Corporation, but was then taken over by the Orange County Fair Association, Inc. Early fairs mainly consisted of horse races and livestock shows, but around 1900 new carnival-like attractions were added and the fair become a yearly occurrence. The fair was located in Santa Ana, except for a brief interval after World War I, when it was moved to Huntington Beach.
Starting in 1916, the fair was managed by the Orange County Farm Bureau. An Orange County Fair Board was elected in 1925, and the fair was moved to Anaheim with the addition of a rodeo and carnival. From 1932 to 1939, the fair was located in Pomona, California as part of a combined Orange, Los Angeles, and Riverside County Fair. Following World War II the 32nd District Agricultural Association was formed by the state of California, and it took on the task of running the fair. The state purchased land from the Santa Ana Army Air Base and set some of it aside for use as a new fairgrounds. In 1949 the fair became a five-day-long event and was relocated to the old army base, which quickly became the permanent location.
The city of Costa Mesa was incorporated in 1953 with the fair residing in its boundaries. The fairgrounds' 150 acres has been the home of the fair ever since 1949 and has expanded to an annual 23 day summer event.
On April 27, 2020, for the first time in 75 years, the 2020 fair was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; since 2021, hand sanitizers were installed within the premises, to prevent this and other diseases from spreading, plus social distancing & wearing masks are being adhered to. It was also cancelled in 1917–18 & 1942–45.
Attendance The Orange County Fair is the 9th-largest fair in the United States. Since 2021, there has been daily ticket limitations, but starting 2026, attendance will be limited to 55,000 people daily.
Year Attendance20251,162,87220241,137,55520231,048,18120221,055,173 2021 1,055,770 2020 0 2019 1,393,482 2018 1,470,636 2017 1,334,000 2016 1,344,996 2015 1,301,445 2014 1,337,167 2012 1,300,000 2011 1,400,280 2010 1,135,536 2009 1,070,061 2008 1,062,673 2007 1,090,653 2006 924,315 2005 1,058,192 2004 963,984 2003 881,596 2002 898,197 2001 843,347 2000 808,810 1999 724,561 1998 723,061 1997 785,944
Climate The Fairground in Costa Mesa has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csb), that is nearly perfect for its many outdoor activities.
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