In just 172 days, the OC Fair will return with the hustle and bustle of crowds looking for their next thrill or deep fried treat.

This year’s theme was announced this week, “Always a Good Time,” picked to reflect the yearly return of family-friendly fun, the fair’s organizers said.

The OC Fair will return July 19, and so will its competitions, exhibits and shopping. It will run through Aug. 18 at the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.

“The annual OC Fair is ‘always a good time’ and this year will be no exception,” Nick Kovacevich, chair of the OC Fair Board Chair, said in a statement. “Our staff is hard at work planning to once again welcome back the community for 23 days of fun and entertainment.”

Admission tickets will go on sale online next month. For the fourth year in a row, the fair will use a limited-capacity model, a system first introduced after the pandemic.

Tickets have to be purchased online and days are expected to sell out.

The 2023 OC Fair drew in more than 1 million people, with 12 days selling out.

Admission prices will remain the same as last year. General admission on weekdays will cost $13 and will be $15 for Fridays through Sundays. Tickets are $9 everyday for seniors ages 60 and older and kids ages 6 through 13. Once again, online admission ticket transaction fees will be waved, organizers said.

The OC Fair Every Day Passports returned last year and will be offered again for $60, allowing guests to visit the fair any day without restrictions.

Fair hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Parking will cost $15.

Tickets are already on sale for the first shows announced for the Pacific Amphitheatre and The Hangar. ABBA LA and Bee Gees Gold will perform on July 20, Chris Young and Conner Smith will be in the Pacific Amphitheatre July 19 and Los Tucanes de Tijuana and Voz de Mando will be on stage July 14. More performances are to be announced.

Tickets to performances in Pacific Amphitheatre, The Hangar and the Action Sports Arena during the OC Fair also include same-day fair admission.

Those looking to sign up for competitions, vending or community entertainment can find out how to participate at ocfair.com/oc-fair/be-a-part-of-the-fair. More information about performances and ticket sales can be found at ocfair.com.

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