O.C. Fair Drops In for Thrill Seekers

Virginia Franco has always been afraid of heights. But at the Orange County Fair on Friday, Franco realized it was time to face that fear.

Something about the bright pink and yellow thrill ride towering in the midway tempted her. Without hesitation, she sprinted toward the Mega Drop, handed eight tickets to the carnival worker and braced herself. The ride slowly lifted to the sky before plunging 145 feet.

“I don’t know what got into me,” she said, her heart still racing. “I just needed to get it over with. I needed to face my fear of heights.”

Franco, 25, was among the thousands of people who came for opening day of the 112th Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa. Admission was free for the first hour, and, as of noon Friday, 11,285 had walked through the entrance gates. Officials said last year’s attendance was 6,943 by noon on opening day.

While some visitors immediately headed for the cinnamon rolls, gyros and hamburgers, the thrill seekers went straight for the rides. Among them were Costa Mesa residents Don Domingue, 30, and Jen Mazy, 32.

“I lost my stomach it was so much fun,” said Mazy, after riding Zero Gravity, one of three new rides on the midway. Zero Gravity seats 32 passengers and moves in a circular motion at high speed.

Bernadette Mackowiak and her three children waited in line for 20 minutes to go on the Magic Spinning Coaster, also in its first year at the fair. But when a couple of the cars on the ride stopped suddenly, she grew concerned about the safety of the rides.

“I don’t worry too much about this ride because it doesn’t go upside down,” she said. “It’s still scary because they put these rides up in three days.”

Tony Fiori, marketing and safety services director for Ray Cammack Shows Inc., said an independent contractor inspects the rides before opening day.

Spectators this year didn’t find a cutting-edge, “extreme” ride on the midway. For the last few years, the Adrenaline Drop, a free-fall ride, had been featured at the fair. But when a 30-year-old woman was injured on the ride last year, officials decided not to bring it back.

Spokeswoman Pam Highwart said fair managers did shop around for another extreme ride but were unable to find one suited for the fair.

Duarte resident Tonette Reyes, 54, would have rather been at the exhibits, but she couldn’t keep her grandchildren away from the rides.

“I’m too old for that ride,” she said pointing at Zero Gravity, recalling the days she couldn’t wait for the fair’s opening day. “Now I just bring my granddaughters.”

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The Orange County Fair runs through Aug. 1 but is closed Mondays. The Orange County Fairgrounds are at 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. For more information, visit www.ocfair.com or call (714) 708-3247.