COSTA MESA – The first day of summer is just days away and the OC Fair is making big plans and inviting everyone to be “Happy Together” from July 14 to Aug. 13.
Here is what you need to know to make sure you don’t miss out on summer’s best party:
The basics
Tickets are available now for admission, carnival rides, games and entertainment. The OC Fair will again have limited daily capacity – days will sell out. Carnival wristbands and ride tickets are also currently on sale at discounted prices prior to the Fair.
Advance ticket purchase will again be required for admission to summer’s best event, which will be open Wednesday through Sunday. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Guests are encouraged to buy tickets for the specific days they want to attend as soon as possible. Visit ocfair.com/tickets – there are no fees on admission tickets.
OC Fair ticket prices are $13 general admission Wednesday and Thursday and $15 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for seniors 60+ and kids 6-12 are $9 all days; children 5 and under are free. Parking is $12 for cars and motorcycles and $24 for buses and limos.
Every Day Passport
New this year, the Every Day Passport gives Fairgoers access any day – or every day – to all 23 days of the OC Fair for $60 with no restrictions or blackout days. Otherwise, tickets must be purchased in advance for a specific day. Supplies are limited.
Carnival deals
The popular carnival ride wristbands are back this year for $44 presale online through July 14 and $49 during the Fair. The one-day wristbands can be used Wednesday and Thursday, and include unlimited rides and two free games. Guests can ride and play from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Carnival FunPasses of 50 and 100 tickets can also be bought online prior to the Fair opening at a 20% discount. Tickets required for each ride and game vary. For more information on this year’s rides and games, visit our website.
New rides this year include Sling Shot, Raptor and Joker 360. Sling Shot, classified as an extreme thrill ride, catapults riders 200 feet into the air in 1.2 seconds. This ride requires a separate ticket.
Ray Cammack Shows (RCS) and the OC Fair are rewarding kids for reading during the summer with two free ride passes. Just fill out the online form, print out the email verification and bring it to a RCS carnival information booth in the Kidland area to claim passes for two carnival rides.
Grab our apps
The 2023 OC Fair app is on its way – download for tickets, events, food, shopping, maps and more! Go to ocfair.com/fair or your app store.
The RCS FunPass carnival app enables Fairgoers to purchase tickets, check and recharge passes. Bonus: FunPasses can be shared between family and friends. For more information, visit ocfair.com/oc-fair/buy-tickets/carnival/.
OC Fair 5K Fun Run
Registration is open for the OC Fair 5K Fun Run which will take place Aug. 6; pricing is $40 until June 23. Registration for kids 5 and under is $10 and youth 6-12 can register for $20. For more information and to register, visit ocfair5k.com.
Live entertainment
Tickets are also on sale for OC Fair shows in Pacific Amphitheatre, The Hangar and Action Sports Arena at Tickemaster.com and ocfair.com. Performance tickets for shows held during the run of the Fair also include same-day Fair admission.
Shows in Pacific Amphitheatre include Beck, Dwight Yoakam, Ramon Ayala, Ne-Yo/RobinThicke, Jeff Dunham and Chicago. In The Hangar, Fairgoers can see Twisted Gypsy, Queen Nation, Elton The Early Years, Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez and Spencer Sutherland. In Action Sports Arena, Monster Truck Nitro Tour, demolition derbies and Costa Mesa Speedway will thrill guests.
Returning OC Fair favorites
Don’t miss magician Frank Thurston, blue ribbon-winning competition entries, hypnotist Mark Yuzuik, Great American Petting Farm, All-Alaskan Racing Pigs and, of course, crazy fair food. The Taste of the Fair is also back with sample-size food options for $4 on Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Stats and info
OC Fair attendance in 2022 was 1,055,173. The Fair returned to an in-person event in 2021 with attendance at 1,055,770 after a virtual Fair was held online in 2020.
For more information, visit ocfair.com.
