Weekend: OC Fair Opens

Fried treats, whirling rides, quilt displays, and lots more unfurl in Costa Mesa.

OC Fair opens: You might be planning to visit the Costa Mesa extravaganza for a Bacon Nutella Pickle, or to catch Earth, Wind & Fire or Chris Isaak or UB40 at the Pacific Amphitheatre, or to ride the Cobra Coaster, or to pet a goat, or to visit the art competition, or to sip an interesting wine, or all of the above and more, more, more. If "all of the above" sounds good to you, you have a month to make merry, except for Mondays and Tuesdays, at the July 15 through Aug. 14.

California Hot Sauce Expo: Adding a dash of the fiery stuff — or the better part of a bottle — to every meal you eat? Best make for Long Beach, where several spicy purveyors of all sorts of saucery will be on hand, in addition to some sun-hot showdowns. Like? Look for a Guinness Book of World Records competition in fast pepper consumption (really fast). Bloody Marys, too, will bask in the spotlight at the July 16 and 17 party.

Colorado Bridge Street Party: Few spans are more celebrated than the superstar that sits a stone's throw from the Rose Bowl, and few bridges get a yearly bash, one that happens, well, on the bridge itself. Stroll the Pasadena superstar, enjoy tunes and the food booths and kidly activities, and ponder the bridge's century-plus history, one that "bridges" the Pasadena of long ago with the modern city. Date? It's July 16, and you'll need to nab a ticket.

Plumeria Day at the Arboretum: Try to think of something famous, and beautiful, and beloved, and that begins with the letter "P" at the Los Angeles Arboretum. Did the legendary peafowl just pop into your mind? The pretty birds qualify, but so does plumeria, a gorgeous bloom which is getting its own special day at the gardens. If you find that scent intoxicating, and count it as a favorite flower, make for the Arcadia destination on Saturday, July 16.

Dark Harbor Tryouts: Our region's mondo Halloween festivals are just a few weeks away — Midsummer Scream and ScareLA are on the haunted horizon — but you can get in touch with your inner ghoul at the Queen Mary on Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16. The landmark is ready to again stage its scary autumn maze event, and performers are needed. Can you groan/moan well? Best sign up ahead of time before unleashing the eeks in Long Beach.

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