Costa Mesa, CA (December 24, 2009) – For the second year in a row, the OC Fair in Costa Mesa, CA, was named the No. 11 top U.S. fair by attendance by carnivalwarehouse.com, an online source for news and facts about the fair industry. In 2009, the OC Fair saw 1,072,018 visitors through its gates for a 23-day run, July 10-August 9.  In 2003, the OC Fair was ranked No. 21 and has jumped 10 spots to its current position.  The Fair’s strong year-over-year growth is an indicator that it is poised to break into the Top 10 in 2010, which will mark its 120th year.  
 
The annual listing showcases the top 50 fairs and festivals throughout the nation based on final attendance. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in Texas earned the top spot this year with over 1.8 million guests.

This past summer, the OC Fair introduced its first season pass valid for all 23 days of Fair. More than 9,400 fairgoers took advantage of the pass, which included a variety of other cost-saving options on food, carnival and entertainment.

The OC Fair also took its entertainment value to a new level by offering an original 3-D attraction produced by the OC Fair and its partners. “Al’s Brain – A 3-D Journey Through The Human Brain with ’Weird Al‘ Yankovic” was a theatre-quality 3-D short film that entertained while it educated and was included with Fair admission.  More than 250,000 visitors viewed the Al’s Brain film. 

A fair is only as good as its carnival operator and the OC Fair proudly partners with Ray Cammack Shows (RCS), which was named the No. 2 Carnival in the Fair industry by carnivalwarehouse.com. 

About the OC Fair & Event Center
The annual OC Fair is one of over 150 events held year-round at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa.  The 2010 OC Fair brings will run July 16 through August 15.  Historically, the Fair entertains more than a million visitors during its 23-day run.  The OC Fair & Event Center is located off the 405 and 55 freeways at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa.  For more information, visit ocfair.com.