Soon, from all corners of Orange County – and beyond – the thrill seekers, the farmers at heart, the couples on dates, the old and the young will head to Costa Mesa.
The 2026 OC Fair opens Friday, July 17, for its 23-day run at the fairgrounds, with more than 1 million people expected to visit over the next four weeks.
Awaiting them are tens of thousands of carnival prizes and rides of every shape and size on the always popular midway.
For the adrenaline seekers among them looking for something new, there is the 118-foot Air Raid, which will tilt and tumble the courageous at up to 4Gs high above the fairgrounds.
The culinary lineup is full of time-tested favorites and experiments that will test the taste buds, from a French onion-flavored Ten Pound Bun to fried tiramisu and Korean corn dogs to funnel cakes covered in powdered sugar.
Soon, fairgoers will be shopping the products buildings for the next gadget; enjoying the vast selection of entertainment available and wandering the displays of contest entries, wondering if they too could win a blue ribbon.
Here is what you need to know to park, pay and get inside:
The 23-day OC Fair kicks off July 17 and continues through Aug. Monday and Tuesdays. Fridays and Saturdays.
The OC Fair & Event Center is at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa; just off the 55 Freeway.
Note that there are some changes to ticket prices this year. General admission will be $13 on Wednesdays and Thursdays like last year, but is rising to $18 for Fridays and weekends. Ages 60 and older pay $10, while those 6 to 12 remain $9. Children ages 5 and younger are free.
This is the key part: Admission is capped daily and tickets need to be purchased online ahead of time. Several days sold out last year, so you will want to plan your trip.
Dates with popular acts at the Pacific Amphitheatre, The Hangar and the Action Sports Arena tend to be among the days that sell out.
Tickets for shows at the Pacific Amphitheatre, The Hangar and Action Sports Arena do include free fair admission on the day of the show.
With the cap on daily admission at about 50,000 visitors, the fair is not offering the free ticket options it once did, but is adding more discounted options this year.
Are you a fair junky? The Every Day Passport is available for $60, which has no restrictions on what days or what time you can visit the fair. There is a limited number available.
And the early bird gets the worm … or a deal on weekend tickets. Purchase a Friday or weekend ticket during the pre-fair admission pricing window and it will be $15.
There are also a variety of value deals available until opening day, such as ride wristbands and bundles for admission and tickets for rides and games.
Kidland. Just watch for the $5 Taste of Fair offerings at each food booth.
Parking will cost you $15 for cars and motorcycles. Use Gate 1 on Fair Drive, which is the main gate, for Uber/Lyft/taxi drop-off and pickup.
Fair officials warned that Gate 10 off Newport Boulevard is often closed a peak hours, so you might aim for Gate 1 or 3 (which is on Fairview Drive and Merrimac Way).
Or let someone else do the driving. Besides ridesharing options, the Orange County Transportation Authority is rolling out its OC Fair Express again on weekends.
For $2 one-way or $4 round-trip (kids ride free), you can catch an OCTA bus ride from one of six locations around the county. Sundays, depending on the location – they will pick up about every 30 minutes.
Catch the OC Fair Express at: • ARTIC station, 2626 E. Katella Ave. Anaheim • Fullerton Park & Ride, 3000 W. Orangethorpe Ave. Fullerton • Goldenwest Transportation Center, 7301 Center Ave. Huntington Beach • Irvine Train Station, 15215 Barranca Parkway, Irvine • Laguna Hills Transportation Center, 24282 Calle De Los Caballeros, Laguna Hills • Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, 1000 E. Santa Ana Blvd. Santa Ana • Payment uses the OCTA’s Wave mobile app or a debit or credit card with tap to pay or digital wallet on a cellphone.
Soft-sided coolers are allowed, as are sealed food and beverages. Water bottles are allowed if factory sealed or empty when you get to the gate. No cans, glass or outside alcohol are permitted. No hard-sided coolers allowed.
All belongings are subject to inspection before entering the fairgrounds. Wagons and strollers are allowed and they are also available for rent.
Pets are not allowed, though service animals as defined by the ADA are. There is no smoking or vaping allowed during the fair, either inside buildings or outside around the fairgrounds. Selfie sticks and drones are not welcome, nor are weapons.
Dip something delicious in something else that is equally delicious, combine a toothsome treat with another goodie that also rocks dessert vibes, smush together two disparate dining favorites and fashion a whole new and slightly weird foodstuff: The creative culinary pros at the OC Fair know how to make meals that are memorable and munchable in equal measure.
Meals and treats and drinks and noshes and bowls and big, plate-spanning suppers, that is.
The Costa Mesa spectacular, which opens for its rollicking month-long engagement on July 17, has long been an appetizingly inventive place, the sort of spot where you’re going to snack on all sorts of unlikely temptations, and take as many pictures as bites.
In 2026, those quirky confections, fanciful foodstuffs, and curious libations will come from all crunchy and creamy corners. And the choices will be plentiful: Over 100 food vendors are on the upcoming line-up, giving an adventurous eater almost too many ways to go.
Some of the eye-catching, tummy-tempting comestibles set to tempt fair goers as July turns into August? A Fried Tiramisu, a sweet that is exclusive to the OC Fair, is on the Chicken Charlie’s menu while a baked potato topped with street corn, along with other potato-enhancing condiments, is set to be a popular request at Corn Star & Baked Potato Club.
If you’re a Korean corn dog devotee, and crave your favorite food when it is lavishly rolled in Takis or buldak ramen, Mustard’s will be your can’t-miss spot, while Biggy’s will serve up Dutch fries with black truffle mayo.
Talk about a sweet-and-savory partnership, if sweet-and-savory team-ups are your thing: Philly Cheese Steak will be cooking up burgers slathered with peanut butter and jelly, oh yum. And Fried Affair has the Dubai-style deep-fried Oreos.
Some other notable nibbles include the French Onion Ten Pound Bun, a decadent and cheesy affair found at Ten Pound Buns, and the Croffle, available at Mom’s Bakeshoppe (it’s a croissant-waffle hybrid).
The OC Fair opens July 17 at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa, running Wednesdays through Sundays through Aug.
