OC Fair opens Friday with higher admission prices

The Orange County Fair opens Friday at the Costa Mesa Fairgrounds with higher weekend adult and senior admission prices, Voice of OC reported. Fairgrounds officials said rising labor and operating costs are driving the increases.

The price changes affect one of Orange County’s largest annual public events and come as the fairgrounds reports major reserves, a recent building expansion and continued pressure to fund operations without outside support.

Weekend adult admission will be $18 after the fair opens, up from a $15 pre-fair price, according to Voice of OC. Weekday admission is $13, while children and seniors could buy $9 tickets before opening; senior admission rises to $10 once the fair begins.

Standard vehicle parking remains $15 this year, Voice of OC reported. The fair runs through Aug. 16 at the Costa Mesa Fairgrounds.

"To help local families find a way to help make the OC Fair fit their budgets, we added pre-fair special pricing deals to give fairgoers more affordable options by pre-planning to take advantage of bundles available prior to the start of the Fair," Terry Moore, fairgrounds spokesperson, wrote in an email to Voice of OC.

OC Fair officials said labor costs increased by $2.46 million from last year. "These costs, in addition to numerous other fair-related expenses, have gone up annually while admission prices remained fairly steady and below similar events and venues," Michele Capps, OC Fair chief business development officer, said in a statement sent to Voice of OC.

The $3 increase in adult weekend admission is expected to generate $1.5 million, Capps said. The fairgrounds also recently completed a $25 million expansion of its administrative building, adding more than 15,000 square feet, while reserves stood at about $60 million at the end of last year, according to Voice of OC.

Voice of OC also reported that about 4,500 admission tickets were donated last year to organizations including the Girl Scouts, OC Rescue Mission and Boys & Girls Clubs. The report said board members and local officials receive free or discounted access to events.

"The Board is working proactively to create a solid financial foundation to move the fairgrounds forward, providing more events and educational opportunities for the community year-round. As a self-funded entity, we must budget in a way that allows us to continue to operate in a responsible manner while funding property improvements and increasing programming," Capps said in the statement.