Summer time is about carefree days and long warm nights; and one of the best ways to savor summer is under the glowy lights of a ferris wheel, slurping down a large lemonade along side your summer fling. The OC Fair is here in Southern California for only one more week. So this week is your last chance to waste your pocket change on Fair games in attempt to win that “It’s so fluffy” unicorn and carelessly indulge in your fried food favorites -because hey the fair only comes once a year. Here are some highlights and useful information from my trip to the Orange County Fair.

Admission & Parking: 

Adult admission is $12, but on Thursday August 13th the OC Fair is offering discounted admission for those who arrive between Noon – 3pm with ticket prices at only $3. You can also take advantage of early admission pricing every weekend of the Fair which is $3 general admission for everyone between 10 am – 11 am. Parking on the fairgrounds is $10, but you can also support your local Orange County church by parking directly across street at Newport Mesa Church.

Fair favorites:

Corn on the Cob

As soon as I entered the Fair I bee-lined straight to the grilled sweet corn. The huge corn stalk is plentiful; and you can have your choice of fixings made to order. I’m a simple girl and keep it to just adding butter.

Butterfly Exhibit

There are exhibits galore at the OC Fair. The picture at the very top of this post (of me posing under the big OC FAIR SIGN) for example, was taken in the Baking Exhibit where you can learn how to craft edible flowers made of sugar, amongst seeing other beautiful edible concoctions. However my favorite exhibit was easily the Butterfly Exhibit, where for only $1 you can feed nectar to butterflies with a feeding stick. It was heavenly.

Sky Flyer Ride

We got on one ride: The Sky Flyer. You can sit tandem with a partner as it lifts you into the air overseeing the entire fairgrounds. It cost 12 tickets per rider and had 50 Cent playing the entire time while we waited, it was basically a high school flash back – so worth 12 tickets. You can buy a bundle of 40 tickets for $20 at the ticket booths scattered through out the grounds.

Sky Rider photocred: @_risamarie, thanks girl.

Deep Fried Oreos

The fried food options at the Fair are endless. But one of my favorite things to have are the Deep Fried Oreos. They are battered, fried drizzled with chocolate syrup and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Fav. So Delish.

The OC Fair is in Costa Mesa right off the 55 freeway through Sunday August 16th. Get out there!