by Noella Noelophile®
Would you like to enter a competition–or several–in this year’s Orange County Fair?
It’s still possible, virtually. And this year, you can enter for free! But hurry–the deadline’s coming up on Monday, July 6th.
In April, the pandemic forced the OC Fair and Event Center Board of Directors to cancel the Orange County Fair’s regular run at the Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.
That can’t have been an easy decision. 2020 would have been a landmark date; the Orange County Fair started in 1890.
BUT–we applaud them for keeping everyone safe. Meanwhile, they’ve decided to bring some of the Fair’s festivity and summertime fun to online “attendees”!
With “Slices of the Fair”, the Orange County Fair will offer virtual entertainment, behind-the-scenes videos, and they even have the “Fun Run” set up for virtual participants!
For the “Orange County Fair 5K”, you can run or walk at any time during the Virtual Orange County Fair dates: July 17th through August 16th.
AND, the Fair’s “Live Pig Cam” means we can still admire the new summertime arrivals.
Meanwhile–the competitions. Here is a link to their “Virtual Contest Guide”. (This year, they’re asking participants to send digital photographs of their entries.)
As always the OC Fair would like to showcase your talents in fine arts, home arts, gardening or caring for livestock. All of these categories are accepting entries now. Or if you have an amazing collection, get out the camera.
But with the pandemic, a new and creative category, “These Times”, has been added, as well.
For 2020, you can enter your best concoction (or worst failure) as a “New Cook”. Or exercise your creativity–literally–by taking a picture as you recreate your favorite sport, at home. Or submit your poetry or prose, under “Musings”.
There are several other categories, including “Bedhead”, where, as the contest guidelines say, you can “dare to show off your….epic beard or bad self-haircut”. (Another round of applause, for their sense of humor!)
Orange County Fair, we love you! “See” you virtually, on Opening Day, July 17, 2020.
The Virtual Orange County Fair opens on Friday, July 17th, 2020, and continues through Sunday, August 16th, 2020, with virtual content available, 24/7, at ocfair.com.
And stand by for announcements of the 2021 Orange County Fair, which we hope to see onsite at Costa Mesa after the pandemic ends! Stay well and safe.