As a state-owned fairgrounds, the OC Fair & Event Center belongs to the public, and the fair’s board of directors say they are looking at ways to broaden the community’s access to it.
A proposed strategic plan with suggestions such as adding more performances at the Pacific Amphitheatre, expanding agricultural programs and offering horse shows open to the public will be posted to the fairgrounds website, www.ocfair.com, by next week to get public feedback.
Fair officials also are reviewing and overhauling a long-term plan to renovate and upgrade facilities including old livestock barns and the Action Sports Arena, which hosts the demolition derby and other popular features of the annual fair.
The Costa Mesa fairgrounds’ equestrian center, which offers horse boarding and riding lessons, is open to the public, but for years its management has been contracted out, OC Fair & Event Center CEO Michele Richards said. The fair board recently decided to move toward in-house management starting next year and will be looking closely at operating costs and potential revenues before deciding on a plan for renovations.
“This will allow us to really understand that facility, what the possibilities are,” Richards said.
Goals in the strategic plan include offering public tours and horse shows at the facility and partnering with a nonprofit to offer free or low-cost riding lessons.
Lily Gibney, 10, checks on Waffles after a ride at the equestrian center at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The OC Fair and Events Center is taking over management of the equestrian center on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Farrier Chris Sanchez puts new shoes on Oliver, a horse at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The OC Fair and Events Center is taking over management of the equestrian center on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Teddy Bradley used horse nail polish to paint the feet of her thoroughbred, Dolly, at the equestrian center at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The OC Fair and Events Center is taking over management of the equestrian center on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Lily Gibney, 10, rides Waffles at the equestrian center at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The OC Fair and Events Center is taking over management of the equestrian center on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Teddy Bradley stands near her thoroughbred, Dolly, at the equestrian center at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The OC Fair and Events Center is taking over management of the equestrian center on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Groomers take care of Boozer, a horse at the equestrian center at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The OC Fair and Events Center is taking over management of the equestrian center on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The equestrian center at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The OC Fair and Events Center is taking over management of the equestrian center on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Trainer Ashley Danielsen works with sisters Sophia and Olivia Melendes to help their balance as they ride at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. The OC Fair and Events Center is taking over management of the equestrian center on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Playful piglets romp around their pen at OC Fair and Event Center Centennial Farm on Saturday, January 8, 2022. Eleven babies were born on Christmas Eve. The farm is free and open to the public. Hours are 1 p.m.– 4 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. weekends (closed on holidays & all grounds events) according to their website. Masks are required for unvaccinated guests. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Members of the Sultans team from Santa Ana High School work to get their robot operational in the pits during practice at the Orange County Regional FIRST Robotics Competition at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, March 10, 2022. 1,500 competitors, in 42 teams, are competing in the FIRST — or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology – Orange County regionals. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A man admires a 1954 flamed Buick Special as In-N-Out Burgers hosts the Cruisin’ 2 Freedom Car Show that is supporting the Slave 2 Nothing Foundation during Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The Slave 2 Nothing Foundation hosts Cruisin’ 2 Freedom Car Show and Cruise featuring classic sports cars and vintage automobiles to benefit organizations that create, educate and assist with solutions to eliminate human trafficking. The cars in the show will also do a 22 mile cruise around Orange County starting at the Orange County Fairgrounds Saturday, January 15, 2022 in Costa Mesa.
(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Visitors ride the swings during opening day at the OC Fair on Friday, July 16, 2021, in Costa Mesa, CA. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A car drives through a tunnel of lights as it enters the North Pole Village at the Night of Lights OC drive-thru experience at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on Tuesday, November 23, 2021. The mile-long drive-thru attraction, produced by Winter Fest OC, has over a million lights and includes costumed live actors, snowflake dancers and lands which include the North Pole Village, Santa’s House, a Forest of Light and Winter Wonderland to name a few. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Orange Crush Demolition Derby, Damsels of Destruction Demolition Derby and Motorhome Madness Demolition Derby will return to the Action Sports Arena at the OC Fair in Costa Mesa this summer. (Photo courtesy of OC Fair)
Chad Hazlett, of Huntington Beach, and his daughter
London Hazlett, 3, display their Orange County Fair prizes. (Photo courtesy of Margo Hazlett)
Two-year-old Charlotte Coleman sits with a wallaby at the Great American Petting Farm at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa, CA on Wednesday, July 28, 2021. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The draft plan also proposes increasing access to the fairgrounds by adding more local businesses as vendors and inviting local restaurants to offer pop-up concepts at the annual OC Fair over the next few years.
Thanks to the pandemic, the fair limited daily attendance and required advance ticket sales for the first time in 2021 – and the change was popular with guests while still making money for the fairgrounds, so it’s sticking around at least for now, Richard said.
However, since “the idea is not to pack tens of thousands of people into the fairgrounds at one time,” it means the fair can’t offer some of the discounts and promotions it used to, she said. Instead, officials want to donate more free fair tickets to local nonprofits that can distribute them to families in need, and also work with organizations that could provide money so low-income fairgoers can enjoy the rides, games and food when they visit.
Beyond the fair, which runs for nearly a month each summer, the plan is to add even more events at the Pacific Amphitheatre. The outdoor venue has already been expanding beyond the usual 23 headlining concerts during fair nights, and Richards said the goal for this year is a total of 40 performances.
The board is still working on a 10-year master plan for the 150-acre property. A draft was created in 2018, but before officials could finalize it and move forward, the pandemic put any changes on hold.
Now they’re taking another look and are expected to make some revisions. Earlier plans called for building a parking garage because some of the acres of surface lots would be turned to other uses such as a new community building and relocated swap meet, but Richards said some of those concepts won’t be moving forward, and with limited attendance continuing, there’s no need for additional parking.
Upgrades are proposed for the Centennial Farm, which could get a new education building and an outdoor kitchen for nutrition classes. Plans also may include a new livestock barn and paddocks and replacing bench seating in the Action Sports Arena with stadium-style seats.
Richards said public feedback on the strategic plan will be solicited for several weeks, and the fair board could take up some of the proposed ideas at its May meeting. No current cost estimates for the proposals are available yet.
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