Fish Fry and Carnival represents ‘Costa Mesa pride’

Carnival rides filled Fairview Park on Saturday afternoon, but behind the Ferris wheel and house of horrors was the real action.

Near the back of the park’s grassy entranceway, volunteers worked about half a dozen fryers under a stone awning.

They called out choruses of “hot fish” as they worked their way through 1,100 pounds of cod doused in a secret batter.

This weekend was the 20th year Rick Blake has worked the fryers at the Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club’s annual Fish Fry and Carnival, which started Friday and runs through Sunday.

“I was doing this before I even became a Lion,” he said.

This year it’s a little different, with an expanded menu of gyros and tamales.

“They always get a phone call, ‘You got anything other than fish?’ ” Blake chuckled as he pulled out a batch of fries.

But despite a relatively new location at Fairview Park, diners chowing down on the cod agreed there’s something classic about a community fish fry.

“Very Americana,” Jim Van Vleck said.

The 25-year Costa Mesa resident was attending the carnival for the first time and was disappointed he’d never jumped at the opportunity before.

“It’s great,” he said. “I’m ashamed of myself.”

His daughter, Erika Van Vleck, convinced him to come along for a $10 plate of fish, cole slaw and fries.

“It’s Costa Mesa pride,” she said.

Money from the dinners and any other proceeds will be distributed to charities through the Lions Club.

Over the years, the Fish Fry has raised more than $2 million for local nonprofits.

If You Go

What: 67th annual Fish Fry and Carnival

Where: Fairview Park, off Placentia Avenue south of Adams Avenue, Costa Mesa

When: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

Cost: Admission free; fish dinners $10

Information: https://www.cmnhlions.com/fish-fry-2