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Even without snow or cold weather in Newport Beach, we still have special ways to celebrate the holidays. Locally we have the Christmas Boat Parade, but just across our Newport border is Winter Fest, which is held at the Orange County Fairgrounds through January 6. This is their...

Bacon wrapped turkey legs. Giant steer. Ferris wheels. Ring toss. Cake decorating contest. Yes, the OC Fair is back, better – and bigger – than ever. This year’s theme is “Free Your Inner Farmer,” but it should be called “Free Your Inner Foodie,” because the crazy...

Something Peachy at Oak Grill August is National Peach Month, and Oak Grill restaurant at The Island Hotel is celebrating all month during lunch and dinner with a special peach cocktail and specialty dessert. The Southern Delight cocktail has Bulleit rye, muddled peaches, peach...

Five-pound barbecued pig leg. Bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts. Fried peanut butter meatballs.  Krispy Kreme ice cream chicken sandwich. Fried octopus on a stick. Yes, the OC Fair has returned, and with it another batch of outrageous culinary concoctions guaranteed to dazzle your...

All good things must come to an end, and so it was with the Pacific Symphony’s summer concerts at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater. After nearly three decades, Pacific Symphony played its final concert at Irvine Meadows last September, shortly before the venue closed to make way for a...

If you google Frankie Valli, a lot of informational articles will pop up, most of them beginning something like this: “Frankie Valli is an American singer and frontman of The Four Seasons. He is known for his falsetto voice.” “He is known for his falsetto voice,” seems like a...

By Madison Desler and Christopher Trela | NB Indy It may have started with The Beatles, but the tribute band trend has turned into a musical craze that draws thousands of people to concerts starring faux figures from famous bands. At the OC Fair, tribute bands are indeed all the...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy  Pepsi cola donut dog. French toast bacon bombs. Deep fried butter balls. Chicken in a waffle on a stick. Pickle fries. Bacon-wrapped bake potato. Yes, the OC Fair has returned with another batch of outrageous culinary...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy It’s finally here: The Orange County Fair! Yes, we love the OC Fair, and every year look forward to tasting the new decadent foods, sampling award-winning wines, trying our luck at carnival games, checking out the arts and...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy Deep fried Twinkie topped with caviar. Triple decker cheeseburger with Krispy Kreme donuts as buns. Deep fried pizza. Giant donuts injected with cinnamon whiskey. Deep fried slim fast bar. Yes, the OC Fair has returned...

A feeling of nostalgia was in the air when Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell took the stage last Thursday night at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa, celebrating the 45th anniversary of their band, America. The duo graduated high school together in 1969 and have been making...

Three Dog Night blends with corn dogs this month when the 2015 Orange County Fair (this year dubbed “One Big Party” in celebration of its 125th year) kicks off a month-long run on Friday, July 17. Classic rock and caloric cuisine are two of the top draws at the OC Fair every...

  The Pacific Amphitheater has been making musical memories for me for nearly three decades, ever since I worked at a beer kiosk there back in the mid-1980s before it became part of the OC Fair. We’d end beer sales after intermission, at which time I’d find an empty seat in...

By Christopher Trela & Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy Deep fried bacon wrapped turkey legs. Jack Daniels infused churros. Texas size pop rocks donuts. Deep fried pecan pie on a stick. These and other outrageous food options can be found at this year’s OC Fair. Gone are the...

By Christopher Trela & Haylee Barber | NB Indy Summer may have officially begun three weeks ago, but the theme of this year’s OC Fair is “Summer Starts Here,” and who are we to argue about a local tradition that has been around for more than 100 years. Opening on July 11 and...

By Christopher Trela and Catherine Del Casale | NB Indy Deep fried Twinkies. Barbecued ears of corn. Two-foot sausage on a stick. Yes, the OC Fair is back, and with it an incredible array of food options, from healthy to artery-hardening. We’ve spent the past few weeks...

The giant Ferris wheel has been visible from the freeway for some time now, and one can almost smell the frying grease in the air. There’s no denying it: the OC Fair is back in town. Each year, when the lights start blinking and the Zipper starts zipping, my kids join in the...