Visiting The Fair With Family
You say toMAYto and I say toMAHto, but any way it's pronounced it's going to be part of the growing excitement that's reflected in the 2003 Orange County Fair theme-Red, Ripe and Rockin'.
This 111th annual Fair will be the first to last 21 days, running from July 11 through Aug. 3 and closing on Mondays. OCF has been a 17-day event since 1992, but growing attendance persuaded the Fair Board to add more days.
That's not the only new element in this year's Fair. Pacific Amphitheatre, closed since 1995, will reopen as avenue for stellar music acts as the Fair continues to upgrade its entertainment offerings with the booking of some of today's most popular performers. All seats are reserved and are being sold through Ticketmaster and at the Fair box office.
The Fair's free concert series will be hosted in the Grandstand Arena. Motorcycle races and Demolition Derby will be featured at the Arena during the Fair's first weekend, and bullriding will be featured there on the final weekend. The 6,500 seats will be filled on a first-come basis.
July 11 to August 3, 2003 was this years span. Banners and giant tomatoes placed throughout the park inform visitors that 2003 is "The Year Of The Tomato". A large eye-catching exhibit inside the main entrance captures the theme with a huge sand sculpture bearing the images of rock and roll superstars both past and present. I guess if you were a famous performer, you looked like a tomato and you were carved in sand, you would look like this.
The impressive exhibit was created by a company called Sandscapes and, believe it or not, consists only of sand and water -- no binders or chemicals are added. According to Sandscapes, the sand is densely compacted with a tamper inside wood forms. The forms are then removed, leaving a densely compacted block of sand from which the image is carved. Because the sand is compacted, it becomes more stable as it dries. Some performers seek fame and fortune, some look forward to receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but it seems to me that the highest honor a performer could receive is to be carved out of a densely compacted block of sand. Great job on a very unique exhibit. Rock on!
With The Lind's & Chartier's July 23rd
We try and go with family every year so as to enjoy the kids and grandkids. This year the Lind's and Chartier's joined us for an afternoon of fun!
Visit The Fair Again With The Porter's
