Choose your own kind of fun at the 2026 O.C. Fair, where ‘Your Adventure Awaits’
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If recent sunny weather forecasts have you dreaming about summer in January, then you may want to start counting down the days to the 2026 Orange County Fair where, organizers assure, “Your Adventure Awaits!”
Now in its 136th year, the annual extravaganza will make its grand return to the Costa Mesa fairgrounds on July 17 and run through Aug. 17, celebrating the national spirit of exploration and discovery across 23 days, Orange County Fair & Event Center officials announced Wednesday.
This year’s theme is intended to encapsulate everything a modern fair should be, with a focus on innovation, community and creating unforgettable experiences, according to Michelle Capps, OCFEC’s chief business development officer.
“‘Your Adventure Awaits’ is a motto that represents the individuality of everyone’s adventure, whether it’s food-related, rides, arts, [agriculture,] concerts — any entertainment or all of the above,” Capps told board members in a Dec. 18 presentation. “Creating your adventure begins when you step through our gates.”
With about 180 days still to go, fair admission and Every Day Passports won’t go on sale until sometime in early April, but tickets for concerts at the fairgrounds’ Pacific Amphitheatre and the Hangar, part of an extended fair entertainment season, can be purchased online at ocfair.com/entertainment. And remember, attending a concert that takes place on a fair day comes with free admission.
Planning for this year’s fair started not too long after organizers closed the book on last year’s festivities, themed “Find Your Happy!” which drew a total of 1,162,872 fairgoers, with eight sold-out days, according to OCFEC figures.
Participants went on more than 2.3 million carnival rides, won 436,188 plush toys and purchased nearly 200,000 food samples through the $5 Taste of the Fair promotion. The entertainment trade publication Pollstar reported the fairgrounds’ Pacific Amphitheatre placed second in venues throughout the world for gross ticket sales in August, with $4,882,554 in gross box office receipts.
To keep up on this year’s O.C. Fair news and events, visit ocfair.com.
