Last chance to find your adventure at the 2026 OC Fair - Aug. 16 is closing day
by: Terry Moore
Published:August 10, 2026
COSTA MESA...The 2026 OC Fair is going out strong with a full lineup of fun as summer's best party heads to the finish line.
The theme this year is "Your Adventure Awaits" and the final day is Sunday, Aug. 16. Purchase tickets online now so you don't miss out on making those memories.
Here's a look at what's in store for the final days of the OC Fair.
The entertainment heading to the stage this week in Pacific Amphitheatre starts wit AJR on Wednesday, Dwight Yoakam on Thursday, The Head & The Heart on Friday, Colbie Caillat on Saturday and Steel Pulse closes out the Fair on Sunday.
And the summer music in Pacific Amphitheatre continues through Sept. 6 with acts like Diana Ross, Alison Krauss, Steve Aoki & Tyga, Cheap Trick and Boy George & Culture Club.
In The Hangar, it's 24K Magic on Wednesday and Thursday, Bee Gees Gold on Friday, No Duh on Saturday and Swift Nation brings it home on closing night.
Action Sports Arena continues to be the home of of big crashes and huge smashes with an amazing lineup of demolition derbies. It's motorhomes on Wednesday, minivans on Thursday, mini cars on Friday, the Orange Crush Demolition Derby on Saturday and the Emergency Pursuit Demolition Derby wraps up the action on Sunday.
All that music and excitement gets people in the mood to dance and sing. That's where Fair After Dark comes in, featuring karaoke on Wednesday, country night on Thursday, dance party with DJ Narada on Friday, swing night on Saturday and Latin night on Sunday. All free at Plaza Pacifica Stage.
It's also the last chance for Unlimited Ride Carnival Wristbands. The one-day wristbands can be used Wednesday and Thursday, must be purchased or redeemed by 5 p.m. and include unlimited rides and two free games; guests can ride and play from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.
When you hit those games, you can go home a winner even if you don't take the stuffed prize with you. This year the OC Fair is partnering with local Lions Clubs to provide donated carnival prizes to local children. OC Fair & Share boxes are located at each gate.
Get those final bites of OC Fair food - it won't be back for another year. Get something big to share or graze your way through the fairgrounds taking advantage of $5 Taste of Fair, with smaller portions of fair favorites and new tastes for only $5 daily until 5 p.m.
On the OC Promenade Stage, OC Fair's culinary and education team has sourced great activities to round out the final week. In addition to the nightly food eating competition (watermelon, funnel cakes, fried Oreos or Knott's boysenberry pie, anyone?), on Saturday and Sunday Jeopardy master Isaac Hirsch will host a trivia contest and Mariachi Juvenil Herencia Michocana will perform in the evenings. Also, magician Frank Thurston will perform his last audience-favorite shows.
What about wine? The final OC Fair weekend will feature wine seminars at The Courtyard with tastings including OC Fair Gold Medal-winning wines and food pairings. Topics include summer white wines, BBQ pairings, wine & cheese and Fair food pairings.
You can also take the Fair home with you: Hit the shopping buildings and get the only-at-the OC-Fair deals, grab take-and-bake options like cookie dough, cinnamon rolls and Ten Pound Buns. Another way to take the Fair home, is to purchase a piece of art that was entered in competitions. Visit the information desk in the Visual Arts Gallery to find out what's for sale and how to buy it. Photo:OCFair