‘One BIg Party’ at the OC Fair

The OC Fair’s 125th celebration themed “One Big Party” kicks off today at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa until Sunday, Aug. 10 (open Wednesday-Sunday). The OC Fair brings 23 fun-filled days for the entire family with food, music, carnival rides, exhibits, and the Toyota Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre and events in The Hangar and Action Sports Arena.

As expected there will be NEW deep-fried treats such as Deep-Fried Starbucks from Bacon A-Fair; Deep Fried Slim Fast Bar and Fried Peanut Butter Pickle Dog from Chicken Charlie’s; and Deep-Fried Birthday Cake and Deep-Fried Pizza from Apple Fries.

The newest food items include Fireball Donut and Samoa Donut from Texas Donuts; Chocolate-Covered Pork Rinds and Wasabi Bacon Bombs from Bacon A-Fair; $125 Caviar Twinkie from Chicken Charlie’s; Cuban Fusion Burger from Grant’s Tasti Burgers; and Frosted Flake Chicken Fingers from Pickle O’Pete’s.

And of course, you can snack on your favorite OC Fair foods: pizza, hamburgers, corn on the cob, funnel cakes, churros, and hot dogs and corn dogs.

With 23 days of activities you can have your fill of the things to do and see. Here are our top Fair Faves during the run:

OC Brew Hee Haw, a craft beer roundup, is July 18-19 and will bring some of the best local craft beers to OC Fairgoers for three sessions of beer tastings, demonstrations and exhibits. Visit ocbrewheehaw for details and tickets. Separate ticket required.

Fairenheit 32°: Ice skating and free Ice Museum opening daily in the new Plaza Pacifica area. Ice skating is an additional fee that includes skate rentals and an hour of skating on actual ice.

Daily Culinary Demonstrations can be enjoyed for free in the OC Promenade throughout the run of Fair. Featured demonstrators include Blackmarket Bakery, Chef Ray Duey (food sculptor), Chef Ernest Miller (food preservation and beer making), Greggy Soriano (cake decorator) and Shaile’s Edible Art (sugar art.)

Cakeology & SIP. In the new Cakeology exhibit, learn the origins and history of cake from baking to decorating. This creative and interactive exhibit will offer the essentials of cake-making with fun historical facts. The new SIP – Raise Your Spirits Exhibit looks at the history of alcoholic beverage and barware from punch to cocktails. Gabrielle Dion and her staff from The Mixing Glass will show tips and tricks on craft cocktails during daily demonstrations.

Centennial Farms Exhibits, the year-round, four-acre farm highlights California’s rich agricultural heritage with more than 30 different crops growing, as well as farm animals includes cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, rabbits, poultry and a Watusi. Expect one or more of the sows to give birth to a litter of piglets. And there will be daily cow milking demonstrations held in the Millennium Barn as well as an Interactive Milking Exhibit.

The Fair is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Visit ocfair.com/2015 for a full listing of each day’s offerings.

The OC Fair & Event Center is off the 405 and 55 freeways at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information, visit ocfair.com. 714.708.1500.

The Toyota Summer Concert Series

The Toyota Summer Concert Series at the Pacific Amphitheatre at the 2015 OC Fair features 24 nights of country, pop, reggae, classic rock and comedy offering concertgoers a variety of entertainment options to select from this summer.  Concert tickets include free OC Fair admission for the same day

Gabriel Iglesias on Friday, July 17, 8:15 p.m. Tickets start at $39.50; Iration / Common Kings on Saturday, July 18, 7 p.m. Tickets start at $24.50; Willie Nelson & Family and Alison Krauss & Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas on Sunday, July 19, 7 p.m. Tickets start at $40; Charli XCX / Bleachers on Wednesday, July 22, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25; The Band Perry / Annie McQueen on Thursday, July 23, 7:45 p.m. Tickets start at $34.50; Steve Miller Band  on Friday, July 24, 8:15 p.m. Tickets start at $29.50; Capital Cities / Big Data on Saturday, July 25, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $28.50; The Happy Together Tour   Sunday, July 26, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $19.50; Spandau Ballet / DJ Richard Blade on Wednesday, July 29, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $32.50.

The Offspring / The Interrupters on Thursday, July 30, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39.50. Three Dog Night / Jefferson Starship on Friday, July 31, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $17.50. The Fab Four / Wings Band on Saturday, August 1, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $17.50; Huey Lewis and The News on Sunday, August 2, 8:15 p.m. Tickets start at $19.50; Juanes on
Wednesday, August 5, 8:15 p.m. Tickets start at $32.50; Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo – 35th Anniversary / Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx on Saturday, August 6, 7 p.m. Tickets start at $31.50; Echo & The Bunnymen / Berlin on Friday, August 7, 7:45 p.m. Tickets start at $23.50.

Fifth Harmony / Debby Ryan & The Never Ending / Bea Miller / Natalie La Rose on Thursday, August 8, 7 p.m. Tickets start at $24.50; Dirty Heads & Magic! on Sunday, August 9, 7 p.m. Tickets start at $29.50; Deep Purple / Foghat on Wednesday, August 12, 7:15 p.m. Tickets start at $22.50; Chris Young / Danielle Bradbery on Thursday, August 13, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $34.50; The B-52s / The English Beat on Friday, August 14, 7 p.m. Tickets start at $29.50; Steel Pulse / The Wailers on Saturday, August 15, 7 p.m. Tickets start at $22.50; Austin Mahone / Kalin and Myles on Sunday, August 16, 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $32.50.