Tale of Two Fairs: The Security Varies, So Does Ease of Entry

When security measures got tougher at the San Diego County Fair this year, so did the odds of breezing through the entrance gates.

But at the Orange County Fair, which runs through Sunday, fairgoers haven’t had to worry about navigating through intense airport-style security.

At the Costa Mesa fairgrounds, policy requires the inspection of handbags, strollers, diaper bags and other items that could conceal weapons or explosive devices. Signs at the entrance say, “All belongings are subject to inspection.” Because many fairgoers don’t bring a bag, lines move quickly.

At the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 15 metal detectors were stationed at at least four public entrances and everyone had to pass through them.

So how is it that neighboring counties with similar demographics have differing security measures? While county fairs are considered state institutions, a policy mandating statewide security measures doesn’t exist. So every fair has to develop its own plan.

“Based on an evaluation of our procedures, we feel that what we are using right now is adequate,” said Rich Groscost, manager of safety and security at the Orange County Fair. “If we ever feel that it is not, then we will change those procedures.”

Most fairgoers weren’t complaining about the absence of metal detectors.

Take Dennis Clark, who was stopped by the fair’s Department of Public Safety before handing his admission ticket to an attendant. The reason was his backpack, he said.

Inside were a pair of sweatshirts and a couple of bottled waters for his wife, Michelle.

“I prefer that they simply check my backpack,” said Clark, 62, of Costa Mesa, “because, quite honestly, if you move to airport security, then you lose the old flavor of the fair.”

Orange County Fair Chief Executive Officer Becky Bailey-Findley said that while officials have chosen not to use metal detectors, safety is management’s priority. She said security plans are developed throughout the year in conjunction with various police agencies, including the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

“We often find families with children here late at night,” Bailey-Findley said. “There isn’t a sense that there are undesirables here or that the fair is not safe.”

San Diego fair officials opted to use metal detectors because of security concerns in the post-9/11 era, according to spokeswoman Linda Zweig.

“Look at the airport. It’s an inconvenience for some,” she said. “But it’s not a decision that we have made. It’s been dictated to us by the state of the world that we live in.”

Zweig said fairgoers weren’t deterred by the increased security, adding that the fair set an attendance record this year during its 22-day run. As of 3 p.m. Thursday, the Orange County Fair’s numbers were also up, with attendance nearly 50,000 visitors ahead of last year.