Christie Villalovos and her sons made a pit stop Friday, July 14, for a basket of Australian potatoes shortly after passing through the gates of the OC Fair.
They were among the initial crowd of eager guests that arrived early on opening day of the fair – being among the first in has been a family tradition for more than 10 years, Villalovos said.
Her two sons, Bronson and Seth, said they come back for two things: agua frescas and rides.
“There’s really something to appeal to everybody. You can shop, you can eat, you can listen to music,” said Villalovos, of Orange. “We look forward to this every year.”
After fueling up, they were off to the midway for the rides.
The OC Fair is expecting to host more than 1 million people over its 23-day run through Aug. 13 – it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
For Long Beach resident Diane Valdez, visiting the OC Fair is a generational thing. She attended with her family as a young girl, then brought her son as he grew up, and now brings her grandchildren.
She always makes at least two visits a season, once with just older family members and a second time with the children.
“But this time I told them, ‘We’re going on the first day,’” said Valdez, who even cancelled an appointment to clear the day off of work for wandering the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa and checking everything out. “We’ll just walk around and see what it’s like. I’m going to unwind, breathe for a bit so we can go home and relax with the rest of the day.”
She said her family has gone to other local fairs including in Ventura and San Diego, but none top the OC Fair. Shopping in the products buildings and catching new deals is always fun, she said, but nothing tops the thrill of carnival games.
“I like playing to win a prize. This grandma likes going to the carnival and shooting with the little kids to see if I can beat them. I don’t know why I feel my chances are better,” Valdez said, bursting into laughter with her two granddaughters. “It’s nice for me because when you get to be grandparents or great grandparents, it’s always good to see the smiles on the kids’ faces. That’s what keeps us young.”
Chris Lopez, vice-president with Ray Cammack Shows, which provides the fair’s carnival entertainment, said this year he expects the Bob Ross plushie to be the most popular prize at the game booths.
“We got those early on last year and they went very quickly and we couldn’t get enough in before the fair ended. So we’ve had a following of people wanting to know if Bob Ross is going to be back,” Lopez said, adding that pillow pets and Top Ramen plushies have also been a fan-favorite.
Some thrill seekers needed more than carnival games to satisfy their search for an adrenaline rush. One of the new rides to hit the OC Fair this year, the Sling Shot, does exactly that. Riders are strapped into a harness and rubber band-like cables are pulled back like a slingshot, shooting them up into the air.
Friday morning, ride operators called out to people passing by the ride to entice them, but most nervously laughed and walked away. Except for 19-year-old Diane Boyer.
“The first time I found out about this ride was through a YouTube video. I do like thrill, and I’ve always wanted to get on one, so I took the chance,” Boyer said. “Today I was like, ‘Why not? You only live once, but I might as well try to make the most of it.’”
Her review: Scary while you are getting strapped in, but once airborne your fears float away.
The OC Fair opened its gates today 🎡 One of the newest rides is the Sling Shot which sends you 200 feet into the air at over 60mph. Who could say no to that? pic.twitter.com/ljmP83CtTs
— DESTINY (@yagurldest) July 15, 2023
While rides like the Sling Shot may not be for everyone, one thing all could probably agree on is that the sun was scorching.
Opening day landed in the middle of a heat wave, but many fairgoers knew exactly what to do to beat the heat. Several found cool solace in shaded areas around the Centennial Farm or by walking through the air-conditioned promenade.
Guests can bring empty water bottles and enjoy cold water from several hydration stations around the grounds.
“We’re doing the perimeter first, just scoping everything out, and then when it starts heating up, we’ll probably be in some of the exhibits,” Tiffany Parnell, a Cerritos resident, said of the game plan for opening day. “Stay hydrated. Stay in the shade.”
Offering something different to spend time with out of the sun is this year’s Art of Music Experience exhibit in the Huntington Beach Building with an immersive journey through popular album art and even a pop-up record shop.
And there are several stages throughout the fair with free entertainment throughout the day.
“I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s just like a thing that you have to do,” said Mikaela Willis, a Rancho San Margarita resident who has visited the OC Fair for more than 20 years. “When you think of summer, you think of the OC Fair.”