O.C. Fair Returning this Summer, With Limitations

O.C.+Fair+Returning+this+Summer%2C++With+Limitations

Jaylene Villarreal, Staff Writer

The Orange County Fair is set to resume this summer, with modifications including face masks, limited capacity, and advance ticket sales will also be required. Admission tickets will go on sale on May 1st on the fair’s website, ocfair.com.

Ticket prices are being kept at 2019 rates- $12 general admission, $7 for children and seniors on weekdays, and $14 general admission on weekends. The current plan is for the fair to be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, as it traditionally has been.

This year’s fair is themed “Time for Fun” celebrating the return to a stage of normalcy after the fair was held virtually last summer and will be held at the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa from July 16th through August 15th. OC Fair officials have been working closely with public health agencies to develop protocols to keep fairgoers safe while bringing back carnival rides, fair food, entertainment, competitions, animals, and more to fair fans.

As Orange County entered the less-restrictive orange tier of COVID-19 cases from the previous red tier, public health projections for the summer allowed for the return of the OC Fair. The plans currently are based on predictions from public health experts on the pandemic this summer, but could change if there is another surge, officials said.

“We are grateful to plan for an exciting, and safe OC Fair this year,” said Natalie Rubalcava-Garcia, the chair of the OC Fair Board. “This milestone will allow the community to come together to celebrate the future and generate much-needed opportunities for economic development and growth in Orange County. The board and staff have done a fantastic job of responsibly managing our finances and preparing to meet safe reopening guidelines to not just make it through the pandemic, but to emerge resilient and ready for 2021 and beyond.”

The announcement that the OC Fair will go on this summer comes behind the cancellations of two other local county fairs this year, the Los Angeles County Fair and the Ventura County Fair.