"Let's Eat!" at the Orange County Fair

Every summer, the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, CA, transforms into a wild amalgam of amusement rides, food and merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, sideshow curiosities, arts and crafts competitions, and live entertainment. I’ve gone each year ever since I was a little girl, always delighted to see the farm animals, indulge in fair food, and explore the countless rows of vendors and their products.

The Orange County Fair [OC Fair] has a theme each year, with 2011's being “Let’s Eat!”

Start the morning off right with a Texas donut! (It’s almost a foot long.)

No county fair is complete without something from the BBQ/smoker...

…and something that’s fried. The just-out-of-the-fryer hand-cut potato chips and onion rings are two of my favorite splurges at the fair.

Here’s a taste of some of the incredible creations made for the cake design competition:


Food-themed arts and crafts fill another exhibition room. A sampling of the amazing products:


Taking deep-fried Oreos to the next level, we've got fried balls of flavored drink mix...
...a funky fried combination of sweet and spicy......and the ultimate heart attack.It's a wonder that people don't pass out by simply looking at these sinful eats!

I, however, went with a delicious ice cream bar (the almonds encrusted on the chocolate made this a decadent treat reminiscent of toffee).

If you happen to be in Southern California this summer, the fair runs until August 14. (More information can be found at: http://www.ocfair.com/2011/index.asp) It’s definitely worth the trip!