
The Orange County Fair means many things to many people: it’s a rare chance to see extreme rodeo, livestock giving birth, ice carvers displaying their frozen art, and largest and freakiest homegrown vegetables. Plus, there’s the carnival rides.
And don’t forget the top name entertainment at the Pacific Amphitheatre Summer Concert Series, Action Sports Arena, and our all-time favorite our Alaskan pig races. But for many, and you know who you are, the OC Fair is all about food adventures. Fair foodies will be happy to know that the Heart Attack Cafe has added deep-fried butter, cheese crisps (deep-fried cheese quesadilla), and garlic bacon fries (potatoes fried in bacon drippings and smothered with garlic butter and topped with bacon bits). No worries, chocolate-covered bacon has made its return.
And for the first time ever, deep-fried Klondike Bars are making their debut at the Unofficial Fair Fry King Chicken Charlie, along with his famous Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich and other deep fried treats: Twinkies, Oreos, S’mores, and frog legs.
Not all of the Fair’s foods will send you to the ER: you can find sushi, fresh hummus, tabouli and ceviche; grilled turkey legs, corn-on-the-cob, salads, and fruit.
The hungriest Fairgoers can find foot-long corn dogs, jumbo sausage sandwiches, giant turkey legs, colossal curly fry cones, or the new 11-inch-wide Belly Buster Burger.
And get a taste of everything for just a buck: Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. food tastings are just $1.
2010 OC Fair runs through Aug. 15. Open noon to midnight Wednesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday. The OC Fair and Event Center is at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. 714.708.1500. ocfair.com.