2005 OC Fair Is Callin' You Out to Play

2005 OC Fair Is Callin' You Out to Play

Fair Offers Free Admission for Opening Hour

COSTA MESA, Calif., June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- To kick off the 2005 OC Fair, fair officials will offer free admission and parking for the first hour of Opening Day, Friday, July 8, from 10 to 11 a.m. The free, one-hour promotion, titled Play For Free, launches the beginning of an action-packed 21 days of Fair fun, from Friday, July 8, to Sunday, July 31, when the 113th annual OC Fair features the theme "It's Callin' You Out To Play" -- the year of the avocado. The Fair is closed on Mondays, July 11, 18 and 25.

Pacific Amphitheatre will again offer 21 nights of entertainment presented by the Orange County Market Place. Launching the 2005 Summer Concert Series on Friday, July 8, will be The B-52's. For the 2005 season, all seats on Friday and Saturday nights will be $19.99, which includes free Fair admission.

In addition to internationally renowned musical artists performing at the Pacific Amphitheatre, the Fair will again offer free entertainment at the Citizens Business Bank Arena.

The Fair would not be the Fair without its abundance of food, contests, exhibits, carnival rides and entertainment. Approximately 80 vendors offer a variety of food choices, including barbecued beef, turkey legs, corn dogs, cinnamon rolls and lemonade. And there is always something new to try, such as chocolate tortillas, and deep-fried Snickers Bars and Twinkies.

This year's contests feature homemade beer, table-setting, cake decorating, floral arranging and baking to name just a few. There are also exhibits galore, such as the Floral Pavilion, Collectors Corner, Home and Hobbies, Visual Arts, and Gems & Minerals. Other popular Fair treats are the All-Alaskan Racing Pigs, glass blowing in Crafters Village, hypnotist Mark Yuzuik on Sun Stage, and the annual Junior Livestock Auction.

Other Fair highlights include the following:

* Taste of the Fair, Thursday, July 7, 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. for this free Fair kick-off party at the Pacific Amphitheatre to celebrate the opening of the Fair. Highlights include a sampling of Fair food, entertainment, fireworks and a short musical performance by Super Diamond, a Neil Diamond tribute band.

* Salute to California Heroes, Friday, July 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free admission for all active duty military, law enforcement, and fire personnel, plus one guest, with valid ID.

* Culinary Arts Series, Thursdays, July 14, 21 and 28 at 5:30 p.m. on Park Arts Stage. Alton Brown, July 14; Curtis Aikens, July 21; and TBD, July 28.

* Kids Day, Tuesdays, July 12, 19, 26. Free admission along with special activities and contests just for kids 12 and under.

* Seniors Day, Thursdays, July 14, 21, 28. Discounted admission ($4), free merry-go-round and Ferris wheel rides all day for those 60 and older.

* "It's Callin' You Out To Give" Food Drive, Wednesday, July 20, from noon to 6 p.m. -- FREE admission with each donation of five (5) non-perishable canned or dry food items. Proceeds benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. Sponsored by Star 98.7

* "It's Callin' You Out To Give" Summer Book Drive, Wednesday, July 27, from noon to 6 p.m. FREE admission with each donation of one (1) new children's book OR three (3) gently used children's books. Presented by the OC Fair and Reading by 9.

Conveniently located off the 405 and 55 freeways at 88 Fair Drive in the heart of Costa Mesa, the 150-acre Orange County Fair & Exposition Center is a popular Southern California destination, hosting more than 100 events and shows a year and attracting 4.1 million visitors annually. It is the home of the annual OC Fair, Youth Expo, Centennial Farm, and The Ranch.

For more information, please contact (714) 708-FAIR (3247) or visit www.ocfair.com.

Source: OC Fair

CONTACT: Lisa MacDonald, +1-714-708-1543, for OC Fair

Web site: http://www.ocfair.com/

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