"LET'S EAT!" at the 2011 OC Fair July 15-August 14 - Celebrating Food, Fun & Family

Find Fair Food Classics & New Concoctions, Eating Contests & Cooking Demonstrations

COSTA MESA, Calif., June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- No matter how it's served – battered, deep-fried, jumbo-sized, barbecued, on a stick, in a corn husk or just tasty – Fair food has always been a favorite unofficial theme of the OC Fair and this year it's the main theme with "LET'S EAT!"

For the 23 days of the 2011 Fair  (July 15-August 14), Fairgoers can enjoy a gastronomical adventure and all that goes with it, from where food comes from to how to prepare it to simply enjoying it on a budget. Here is a rundown of the special theme-related features for the "LET'S EAT!" theme of the 2011 OC Fair:

• Let's Eat for $2 – Taste of Fair Food: Every Friday from Noon-4 p.m., Fairgoers can enjoy the best and most variety of Fair food for the best price – only $2 per sample. Samples available for purchase include funnel cake, deep-fried Oreos, BBQ tri-tip, lemonade, cinnamon roll, corn dog, falafel, gelato, sushi, bratwurst and more.
• Chef Series: Every Thursday in The Hangar, Fairgoers can enjoy free-with-Fair-admission performances from celebrity chefs: Food Network's Ace of Cakes Duff Goldman (July 21, 1:30 p.m.); Bravo's Top Chef season-five finalist Carla Hall (July 28, 5 p.m.); Bravo's Top Chef season-six winner Michael Voltaggio (August 4, 1:30 p.m.); and Las Vegas-based rm Seafood's Rick Moonen (August 11, 1:30 p.m.). Sponsored by the OC Restaurant Association.
• Food Truck Fare: Find gourmet fare within the Fair as the popular Food Truck Fare continues inside Fair gates, offering food truck cuisine every Thursday from Noon-10 p.m. Featured food trucks include The OC Food Truck, The Burnt Truck, Baconmania, Piaggio On Wheels, Dos Chinos and more. Access is free with Fair admission and prices vary per truck.
• New Fair Food: Each year, Fair-favorite Chicken Charlie likes to challenge the idea of Fair food and this year is no different as deep-fried Kool-Aid, deep-fried brownies, deep-fried Girl Scout cookies and deep-fried BBQ ribs are added to his already robust menu of deep-fried frogs legs, deep-fried Oreos and Krispy Kreme chicken sandwich. Also new for Fairgoers this year is the chocolate-covered corn dog, beer-battered bacon from the Deep-Fried Butter stand and unique icy sweet treats from the new Legendairy Gelato.
• Contests and Competitions: From eating food to making food, Fairgoers have multiple opportunities to compete with food at the Fair. Daily free eating contests are held in the Fun Zone Tent at 6:30 p.m. (Registration is 30 minutes before each contest.) Each Saturday, Fairgoers have the chance to compete in the Culinary Arts Special Contests, which are judged live at the Fair for the best lunch bags, spicy hot wings, pies, cupcakes and cuisine on a stick. (Online entry registration is the Wednesday before each contest. Visit ocfair.com/competitions for information and to register.) For children, the Fun Zone Tent offers a variety of free daily contests that encourages them to get creative with their food.
• Centennial Farm: Learn and see where food comes from on this year-round, four-acre demonstration farm featuring educational exhibits, agricultural organizations, growing crops,  livestock and the Fruit & Vegetable competitive entries with the biggest lemons, most unusually shaped vegetables and best home-grown pumpkins Orange County has to offer.

The 2011 OC Fair, themed LET'S EAT!, is July 15 – August 14 and will bring 23 days of food, rides, exhibits, animals, music, action sports and fun, as well as the popular Super Pass (season pass), Pacific Amphitheatre Summer Concert Series, The Hangar and Action Sports Arena. The Fair is open Wednesday-Sunday. The OC Fair was ranked the eighth highest attended fair in the U.S. last year by Venues Today magazine.

The OC Fair & Event Center is located off the 405 and 55 freeways at 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information, please visit ocfair.com, become a fan on Facebook.com/OCFair, follow us at twitter.com/ocfair, or download our iPhone app.

Please direct all other public inquiries (non-media) to (714) 708-1500.

SOURCE OC Fair & Event Center