In a little more than 100 days, the OC Fair & Events Center will be abuzz with carnival games, rides, wacky foods and live entertainment with the return of the annual fair.
This year’s OC Fair theme is “Find your Happy,” and its organizers say the 23-day event will again be a place for friends and families to gather, make memories and let go. Tickets are now on sale.
The OC Fair will return to the Costa Mesa fairgrounds on July 18, along with its yearly schedule of competitions, shopping and concerts, and run through Aug. 17. More than 1.1 million people attended last year’s fair.
For the fourth year in a row, the fair will use a limited-capacity model, a system first introduced in response to the pandemic. Tickets have to be purchased online and days are expected to sell out. Nine days last year sold out and 12 exceeded 50,000 visitors, according to OC Fair officials.
General admission tickets will cost $13 for weekdays and $15 for Fridays through Sundays. Admission for seniors and children between the ages of 6 and 12 is $9 every day. Children 5 years and younger can enter the fair for free.
The OC Fair Every Day Passports, a post-pandemic offering, will be offered again for $60, allowing guests to visit the fair any day without restrictions or reservations, as well as get access to exclusive discounts. Sales will be limited to 10,000 passports.
Fair hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Parking will cost $15.
Tickets are already available for purchase for shows announced at the Pacific Amphitheatre and The Hangar.
24K Magic, a musical tribute to Bruno Mars, will kick off The Hangar’s concert series on July 18. On Aug. 6, comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham will perform at the Pacific Amphitheatre. Tribal Seeds will perform at the amphitheater on Aug. 10, along with The Expendables, The Mike Love Band, and Common Sense. More performances are to be announced. Tickets to these performances also include same-day fair admission.
Those looking to sign up for competitions, vending or community entertainment can find out how to participate at ocfair.com/oc-fair/be-a-part-of-the-fair. More information about performances and ticket sales can be found at ocfair.com/oc-fair.