Orange County Fair Opens Gates to Large Crowd

COSTA MESA — The first batch of hot dogs hit the grills at 10 a.m. Friday, the gears and wheels of the Zipper made some warm-up rounds, and the gates of the Orange County Fair swung open to a large, smiling crowd.

Brock Meastas, 9, was up from San Clemente for the day with five friends, determined to eat snow cones and ride the Ferris wheel and his favorite, the “Zipper thingy.”

“You go upside-down. It’s scary,” he said, admitting that, yes, screaming is involved.

There were first-day glitches: ATMs that refused to pay out; half a dozen children reported missing, but eventually found and reunited with families; the big new attraction, Sky Diver, sitting idle because of a patent challenge, though officials hope to have it going by Monday. But mostly there were jovial children enchanted by the mix of carnival rides and cotton candy that makes up a county fair.

This year there are 55 rides and 350 exhibits over 160 acres. The fair runs through July 30 at 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. Hours are noon to midnight Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $2 for children, free for those younger than 5. Further information is available at (714) 708-3247.