Young Chang
Last year's citrus theme at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa added
a sort of breeziness and tanginess to 2 1/2 weeks of taking the sun with
the fun.
This year, fair organizers have come up with something even more
refreshing.
Something, literally, thirst quenching.
"We try to always have our theme be agriculture-related because that's
our mission, and water is certainly a very, very important element in
agriculture," said Becky Bailey-Findley, general manager of the fair.
"It's also very important in terms of our daily lives."
Water looks to be here, there and everywhere throughout the 16-day
fair. From two new and beautiful ponds built by experts at ProPonds-West
in Costa Mesa to a contest titled the H20 Throw, the aquatic theme seeps
into almost every aspect of the fair.
"We kind of had fun with the water theme," said Joan Hamill, director
of exhibits. "We got creative and interpreted it in different ways."
It starts at the fair entrance, which is called the Beachfront.
An enormous sand sculpture of the Lost City of Atlantis gives the area
an immediate beach feel. Next to it will be the Sun Stage, where
hypnotist Mark Yuzuik and others will perform. Beach-related exhibits,
including displays of swimsuits, surfboards and "woodie" station wagons,
will lead into the fair, as will rides that include a rotating column
contraption called "The Booster."
The Kids Park area will hold contests having to do with anything and
everything related to water. There is the Tadpole Toss, the Lily Pad
Limbo, the Rain Forest Soaker, Flying Frogs, the H20 Throw, Twisting
Tadpoles and, of course, the Tadpolympics.
"And you will see water used in decorations," Bailey-Findley said.
"Think Outside the Wave" is the motto for the visual arts building.
"On the Bayou" is the title mood in the Home and Hobbies building,
which exhibits everything from quilts to cakes. The Youth Building is
decorated to feature elements of a rain forest.
But the Creature Feature building promises to be most loyal to the
water theme with its creepy and crawly guests.
"We're bringing in snakes and an 85-pound water monitor -- a giant
lizard that lives in and around water," Hamill said. "Also in that
building, with the 'Leap into the Fair -- We're Making a Big Splash'
theme, we have the Ribbit Exhibit feature with frogs."
With water celebrated in so many creative ways, Bailey-Findley hopes
the fair will tell both an agricultural and fun story.
Jerry Brown, a public affairs associate for the fair, said it's a
story everyone could stand to hear.
"Because water is so important in our lives, especially in Southern
California, it behooves us all to learn as much as we can," he said. "How
to use it well."
* Young Chang is the features and arts and entertainment writer. She
may be reached at (949) 574-4268 or by e-mail at o7
young.chang@latimes.comf7 .
