What to Know
- Deadline is July 6 at 6 p.m.; free to enter
- New contests include "Empty Streets" photography and other competitions inspired by the time of the pandemic closures
- These aren't official competitions following traditional rules, but still a way to get creative and compete in a fair-fun project
If the end of June usually finds you creating lengthy lists of what new fried foods you'll be eating in July, and how many pigs you intend on petting, and all of the thrilling rides you want to slide down, you're not alone.
For Southern Californians are pretty obsessed with Orange County's famous county fair, that nosh-around, rock-around, lark-it-up extravaganza, the one that runs for a full month, from mid-July to mid-August, in Costa Mesa.
The OC Fair is canceled in 2020, but the team behind the good times are intent on creating some of that magic for people at home.
To help do that? The fair is going virtual, including many of its popular contests.
So if you've had a bit of extra time to work on your crafts all spring, or to perfect a certain baked good by making it over and over and over, you'll still get a chance to try for a coveted OC Fair blue ribbon.
These are not official OC Fair Competitions, and state and local guidelines will not be adhered to, so let's call this go-around a bit loosy-goosier. The fair people simply wants fans to "showcase their creativity" in a host of mostly light-hearted competitions, though some of the contests are more traditional in nature.
The themes include "Best Charcuterie Plate," "Largest Fruit," and "Table Settings."
A number of new categories are inspired by these stay-at-home times. Those include "Empty Streets" photography and the sharing of home haircuts.
There is also a photography category celebrating the essential workers you love and want to honor.
The deadline is July 6 at 6 o'clock in the evening, everyone of every age can participate, and there shall be prizes, including actual and/or virtual ribbons.
For all of the new and familiar contests, and there are several, with a few long-established competitions included, check out the full Contest Guide on the OC Fair site.
