OC Fair & Event Center facts for kids

The OC Fair & Event Center (OCFEC) is a huge place in Costa Mesa, California. It's about 150 acres big, which is like 113 football fields! Every year, over 4 million people visit for more than 150 different events. It's famous for hosting the exciting Orange County Fair. You can also find Centennial Farm, Costa Mesa Speedway, and Pacific Amphitheatre here.

A special group called the 32nd District Agricultural Association runs the OCFEC. This group was created in 1949 by the state of California. The people who lead this group are chosen by the Governor of California. They make sure everything at the fairgrounds runs smoothly.

Fun Places to Visit at the OC Fairgrounds

The OC Fair & Event Center has many cool spots to explore all year long. Here are some of them:

Centennial Farm: A Real Working Farm

• Centennial Farm is a special farm that's open all year. It helps young people learn about farming and where our food comes from. You can find it in the southwest part of the fairgrounds.
• The farm has gardens filled with fruits and vegetables. It also has barns where you can see farm animals. One of the barns used to be part of the Newport Harbor Buffalo Ranch, a fun park from the 1950s.

Heroes Hall: Honoring Veterans

• Heroes Hall is a museum and education center that's open all year. It tells the amazing stories of military veterans from Orange County. It's also in the southwest area of the fairgrounds.
• The museum is inside an old building that was once a barracks. This barracks was part of the Santa Ana Army Air Base. This base used to be right where the fairgrounds are today!

Equestrian Center: Horse Fun!

• The Equestrian Center is a place for horses and riders. It's open all year and is run by a private company. Here, horses can live and be trained. You can find it in the northeast part of the fairgrounds.
• The center can hold up to 188 horses. It has four riding areas and places for horses to exercise. You can also take riding lessons here, no matter your skill level.

Orange County Market Place: A Giant Outdoor Market

• The Orange County Market Place is a huge outdoor swap meet. It's held in the southeast part of the property. You can find all sorts of interesting things to buy here!

Pacific Amphitheatre: Outdoor Concerts

• The Pacific Amphitheatre is a large outdoor stage. About 8,500 people can sit and watch shows here. It hosts concerts and events from July through September.

Action Sports Arena: Thrills and Races

• The Action Sports Arena is a big venue with 7,000 seats. It's very busy during the annual Orange County Fair. It's also the home of exciting Costa Mesa Speedway events, like motorcycle races!

The Hangar: Indoor Shows

• The Hangar is an indoor concert hall. It's used for many different events throughout the year. During the Orange County Fair, it hosts concerts and other performances.

A Look Back: History of the Fairgrounds

The idea for a county fair in Orange County started a long time ago.

Early Fairs in Orange County

• The first county fair was held in 1890 in Santa Ana. Different groups helped organize the fair over the years.
• In 1925, the fair moved to Anaheim.

The Fairgrounds Today

• After World War II, the state of California bought land for the fairgrounds. This land used to be the Santa Ana Army Air Base.
• In 1953, this area became part of the city of Costa Mesa. That's how the fairgrounds ended up in their current spot!

President Obama's Visit

• On March 18, 2009, the OC Fair & Event Center hosted a special event. President Barack Obama visited and held a town hall meeting.
• He talked about the economy and answered questions from the audience. It was a big day for the fairgrounds!