'The fair keeps me going'

CORRECTION: In Friday's story "Holy cow! It's the fair," we incorrectly reported the day of the cattle drive at this year's Orange County Fair. A herd of 300 Corriente steers will parade through Costa Mesa beginning at 10:30 a.m. July 27 at Fairview Park, proceeding south on Placentia Avenue, east on Victoria Street, north on Harbor Boulevard and east on Fair Drive before entering the fair through Gate 2 at Vanguard Way. The procession is scheduled to reach the fair by noon.

COSTA MESA — Denise Harrelson braved the cold on Friday to attend the Orange County Fair, even while so many others were preparing to brave the heat.

The 16-year-old Huntington Beach resident bundled up outside the fairgrounds to secure her place in line, pulling on a sweater and wrapping herself in a pair of blankets. It may have been the middle of July, but Denise was intent on maintaining her streak of being the first person through the gate on day one — and so she arrived at the fairgrounds in the middle of the night, long before the sun started baking the pavement.

At noon, the gates opened, and staff members gathered to take Denise's picture as she walked through. According to Denise, a junior at Edison High School, it was the fifth year in a row that she had gotten in first.

"It's the best part of summer," she said, wearing a homemade dress and headband with cow-style spots. "The fair keeps me going."

Anticipation was in the air throughout the fairgrounds Friday morning, as lines stretched around the parking lot and vendors put the last touches on their booths before opening time. This year's fair, whose theme is "Herefords, Surfers and Sand," kicked off on opening day with a special offer: For the first hour, parking and admission were free.

Steve Beazley, senior vice president of the fair, was among those stationed by the blue gate at noon to greet patrons. Opening day, he said, still exhilarates him after more than three decades.

"I've been working here since I was 12 years old," he said. "This is my 32nd year, and every year before it opens, it feels new and fresh. It's like in the theater when the lights go down and the curtains come up."