September 20, 2025

OC Fair Returns to Costa Mesa with New Attractions

News Summary

The OC Fair, California’s largest fair, will take place in Costa Mesa from July 18 to August 17, featuring new food options and entertainment for its 135th anniversary. With an expected record attendance, guests can enjoy an entertainment lineup that includes shows across various venues, unique food items, and interactive community events, ensuring a memorable experience for all attendees.

Costa Mesa, California will host the much-anticipated OC Fair from July 18 to August 17, 2025, celebrating its 135th anniversary with exciting new food options and entertainment. The OC Fair, the largest fair in California, attracts roughly 1 million visitors annually, making it a cherished event in Southern California for over a century. This year’s theme is “Find Your Happy.”

As part of the anniversary celebrations, fair organizers are expecting record attendance. The annual guest survey indicates that food and rides are the top reasons visitors enjoy the fair, showcasing the popularity of the diverse culinary offerings and thrilling attractions. Over the years, the OC Fair has been hosted in various locations, including Los Alamitos and Huntington Beach, before settling in Costa Mesa for the past 76 years.

This year’s fair promises a robust entertainment lineup featuring 71 shows across three venues: the Pacific Amphitheatre, The Hangar, and the Action Sports Arena. Visitors can look forward to thrilling event highlights such as lawnmower races, demolition derbies, and monster truck shows. Additionally, renowned music artists, including George Thorogood, Ludacris, and ZZ Top, are set to perform, enhancing the fair experience with diverse entertainment options.

New features for the 2025 OC Fair include Fair After Dark, offering dancing at Plaza Pacifica every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and a VHS Rewind exhibit highlighting iconic movie soundtracks and live painting demonstrations. These additions aim to enrich the experience for attendees, ensuring that there is something for everyone at the fair.

This year, the OC Fair is introducing a variety of unique food items, catering to adventurous eaters. Culinary innovations scheduled to debut include:

Bacon cotton candy served on a pork belly stick
A bacon-wrapped carnitas burrito
Mozzarella meatballs on a stick
Ice cream nachos with sugar cone “chips”
Dubai Strawberry Cup made with real pistachio cream
Bean and cheese waffle cone
Lobster mac and cheese cone
Tres leches cinnamon rolls
Chocolate brownie modeled after a viral Dubai treat

In addition to these distinctive items, traditional fair favorites such as corndogs, funnel cakes, turkey legs, and deep-fried desserts will also be available for visitors to enjoy.

To provide an opportunity to sample a variety of popular dishes, the fair is offering a $5 tasting menu that will be available daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., allowing guests to experience a selection of vendors’ items without committing to a full meal.

General admission tickets for the fair are priced at $13 on Wednesdays and Thursdays, while tickets for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays cost $15. Seniors aged 60 and above and children aged between 6 and 12 can purchase tickets for $9, and children under 5 can enter for free. Given the anticipated high turnout, advance ticket purchases are required to manage crowd control and minimize wait times, especially since certain days may sell out.

In addition to the food and entertainment, attendees will also find rides, shopping opportunities, a petting zoo, pig races, and a range of community events to engage with. With an enticing array of activities and a lively atmosphere, the 2025 OC Fair promises to be a festival of joy and celebration, uniting communities and families once again.

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Additional Resources

Author: STAFF HERE COSTA MESA WRITER

COSTA MESA STAFF WRITER The COSTA MESA STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERECostaMesa.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Costa Mesa, Orange County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the OC Fair, Concerts in the Park, and Fish Fry. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce and Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast, plus leading businesses in retail, fashion, and technology that power the local economy such as Vans, Experian, and South Coast Plaza. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAnaheim.com, HEREBeverlyHills.com, HERECoronado.com, HEREHollywood.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, HERELongBeach.com, HERELosAngeles.com, HEREMissionViejo.com, HERESanDiego.com, and HERESantaAna.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into California's dynamic landscape.

STAFF HERE COSTA MESA WRITER

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