Orange County Super Fair 2009 in Costa Mesa, California

In just a couple months I’ll be able to tell you about the Texas State Fair and all its ShamWow!-hocking, candy bar-frying ridiculousness, but in the meantime there are plenty of exciting summer fairs going on all over the country, and it’s not just the locals that come out to see them.

One particularly cool West Coast shindig is the Orange County Super Fair 2009 in Costa Mesa, California (formerly the Orange County Fair). This month-long party exemplifies everything we love about old-fashioned county fairs: live music, competition, outrageous shows, unusual attractions, classic carnival rides and games, family-friendly fun and row after row of tongue-tickling fair food.

It’s not the new kid on the block, either. The history of the Orange County Fair stretches all the way back to a small-scale get-together held in Orange County and Santa Ana in 1890, just one year after the county was designated. Through several venue and format changes, the Fair grew exponentially from just a few days to a 20+ day extravaganza that in 2005 finally hit the 1,000,000 visitor mark, making it one of the most attended summer fairs in the nation.

With so much in store, it’s not hard to imagine why.

The big new attraction this year is Al’s Brain, an educational and oh-so-entertaining look at the human mind combining fun exhibits and a 3-D movie starring Al himself, that is, Weird Al Yankovic. Details are woefully short at the moment, so I can’t recommended it or not, but I grew up having faith in Yankovic – why stop now?

Concerts are another big draw, bringing an eclectic list of performers to multiple music stages, including major acts like current pop songstress Kelly Clarkson and man-code-breaker Rick Springfield. The smaller Market stage features both local and national variety acts, including one I just had to mention: Marston Smith: Hendrix and Zeppelin meet the Electric Cello. Know THAT is a show!

There’s really no limit to this thing. Past fairs have featured demolition derbies, bull and horse riding, lucha libre, acrobats, BMX and extreme sports showcases, as well as more traditional fair entertainment including livestock auctions and competitions, food competitions, petting farms, a homemade beer competition, woodworking, wine seminars, arts and crafts booths, antiques, midway games, carnival rides and don’t even get me started on the food! Blending the fresh-grown flavors of the West Coast with county fair extravagance, you can get your feast going on unexpected delicacies like deep-fried avocado, California-style BBQ and the mother of all culinary-obscenities (and masterpieces), the Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich!

The Orange County Super Fair 2009 will run from July 10 to August 9 at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California. General adult admission will run you $10, and they utilize a coupon system, so don’t go bringing your cash up to the vendors. The Fair is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and kids ages 12 and under are admitted free on Thursdays.

For more information, including event schedules (though some are still “coming soon”), visit the Web site at http://www.ocfair.com/2009/index.html

For hotels in Costa Mesa, we’ve got a great place located less than a mile from the Fairgrounds. The Holiday Inn Express Costa Mesa Hotel offers a convenient location, is extra affordable for those traveling with children and offers free breakfast every morning. We recommend it!

Have fun!

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