Dear Friends,

Last year we were thrilled to share our first-ever Community Impact Report and were so gratified by the response we received. I am pleased that this report for 2018 highlights new initiatives, provides updates on ongoing efforts and gives us the opportunity to share how we work each day to fulfill our mission: Celebrating Orange County’s communities, interests, agriculture and heritage.

We are proud to be making a difference all year long. Each time we lead a child through Centennial Farm, help a student learn culinary skills, or provide free educational events and programs to the community, we are touching lives. We are teaching. We are unifying. We are giving back.

As ambassadors of agriculture, our job is to remind everyone of our shared ties to the land and how those connections continue to sustain us. Agriculture isn’t something that happens only at a distant farm, far away from our suburban lives. Agriculture is your windowsill herb garden, your beautiful dahlias and your smile when you bite into that ripe peach. If you had a meal today, you were part of agriculture.

The community’s support of OC Fair & Event Center through visits to the annual OC Fair and our 150+ events throughout the year generates the funds to provide these special programs. On behalf of the OC Fair & Event Center staff and Board of Directors, I would like to once again thank you for your support and wish you a bountiful year.

With warmest wishes,

, CEO

A Message From CEO Kathy Kramer

Robert RuizChair

(Member since 2014)

Ashleigh AitkenDirector

(Member since 2012)

Andreas Meyer Director

(Member since 2018)

Newton Pham Director

(Member since 2016)

Natalie Rubalcava-Garcia Director

(Member since 2018)

Barbara Bagneris Director

(Member since 2014)

Douglas LaBelle Director

(Member since 2010)

Gerardo Mouet Director

(Member since 2011)

Sandra CervantesVice Chair

(Member since 2014)

Our Board of Directors

Our Executive Staff

Kathy KramerChief Executive Officer

Ken KarnsVP, Operations

Michele RichardsVP, Business Development

Adam CarletonVP, Finance

and Administration

Our Mission

OUR MISSION Celebrating Orange County’s Communities, Interests, Agriculture and Heritage

COMMUNITY PROGRAMSSupport of OC Fair & Event Center provides year-round educational opportunities and helps fund community give-back programs.

OC Fair & Event Center continues to have a profound and positive impact on Orange County and its economy, providing opportunities for community involvement, agriculture education, environmental stewardship, seasonal jobs, entrepreneurship, innovation and much, much more.

In 2018, OC Fair & Event Center created a new Community Engagement function to oversee community relations, partnerships and educational programming.

We invite you to continue on this journey with us as we grow our community programs. Suggest new ways we can serve, become a partner, or simply join us at the Fair – support of our events funds the impactful programs you’ll read about in this report.

Safety –We ensure safety is always a priority in everything we do.

Integrity – We operate with trust, use open and honest communication and are transparent in all we do.

People – We value our people, provide resources and plan for our future.

OUR CORE VALUESExcellence – We strive to be the industry leader and drive excellence in everything we do by passionately committing to a culture of teamwork, innovation and accountability.

Community enrichment – We build on the great OC Fair & Event Center tradition of enriching the lives of all those we serve.

WE’RE HONORED OC Fair& Event Center is the grateful recipient of many awards and recognitions at the local, county, state and national levels, and throughout the fair and event industries. Some of the awards we’re most proud of include:

Awards • OC Register Best of Orange County – Best Fair/Festival in Orange County• L.A. Times – OC Readers Choice – Best Event• Youth Employment Services (YES) Employer of Excellence• Recognition from The Grateful Table benefiting Restaurants Care• Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce Pillar of Costa Mesa Award• Relay for Life Award from American Cancer Society• Excellence in Support Award from the Santa Ana Public Schools Foundation

Western Fairs Association – OC Fair & Event Center was honored with 11 awards for innovation and excellence by the Western Fairs Association in 2018. Many award categories were specific to the 2018 OC Fair and others were related to year-round events and programs.

International Festivals & Events Association – This organization recognized OC Fair & Event with seven awards in the 2018 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards including two golds, three silvers, and two bronze awards.

Our Mission

Centennial Farm - Our three-acre working farm is the year-round home to 100 species of California fruit and vegetable crops and 60 animal educators. This is where the OC Fair’s rich tradition of agriculture education continues and evolves with the changes and advances in the field. This is all for free to the community – a very special piece of land and heritage.

Weekend Farm Lab Workshops – Some 537 participants attended 24 classes and learned about topics including food preservation, backyard beekeeping, container gardening and wreath making. The Ranch Afterschool Program – More than 80 4th-6th grade students from Costa Mesa were introduced to livestock and farming as well as leathercraft and horsemanship. Program partners include the City of Costa Mesa, Newport-Mesa Unified School District and the district’s Transportation Services Department.

CENTENNIAL FARM - PLANT, GROW, LEARN

“Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful and most noble employment of man. -George Washington”

OC Kid Healthy – This program engages children and families from underserved communities through culturally appropriate health and wellness programs that improve nutrition and fitness. Cooking Up Change, a key component of OC Kid Healthy, provides high school students with the opportunity to transform the school lunch menu, develop valuable culinary arts skills and become leaders in school food reform. In 2018, nine teams competed with a total of 27 students and nine mentors. OC Fair & Event Center has also been a participating sponsor of the Cooking Up Change program competition held at Northgate Gonzalez Market Headquarters in Anaheim for the past several years.

California Restaurant Foundation’s ProStart Cup – Some 250 high school students from 30 high schools across California participated in the 2018 competition which was judged by one of our culinary staff members. The ProStart Cup is an exciting event that puts high school culinary and hospitality management students to the ultimate test.

Orange County Nutrition and Physical Activity Collaborative – This countywide organization provides leadership and coordination to Orange County communities in the areas of nutrition and physical activity. Centennial Farm is one of the more than 200 entities in the collaborative and in 2018 we hosted trainings for 100 early-childhood-care provider participants to expose their members to agriculture education and nutrition. Centennial Farm also hosted other OC Health Care Agency nutrition programs including WIC (Women, Infants, Children) and Champion Moms which trains everyday moms to inspire other moms in their communities to make healthy nutrition choices.

School Field Trips – 31,334 schoolchildren visited Centennial Farm on scheduled school tours in 2018 and another 10,194 guests toured Centennial Farm on Discovery Days throughout the year.

Table of Dignity - The agricultural workers memorial, Table of Dignity, is dedicated to the legacy of the thousands of agriculture workers who contributed to the growth and prosperity of Orange County.

CENTENNIAL FARM PARTNERS Centennial Farm Foundation

UCCE Cooperative Extension (Master Gardeners, Master Food Preservers, Bee Team and 4-H)

California Rare Fruit Growers

OC Beekeepers

Orange County Health Care Agency - under their umbrella to include Champion Moms, NuPac (Nutrition and Physical Activity Collaborative),and NEOP (Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention)

Kid Healthy

California Restaurant Association Foundation

Newport-Mesa Unified School District

City of Costa Mesa

Solutions for Urban Agriculture

California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom

State Future Farmers of America (FFA)

Local FFA chapters

California Department of Food & Agriculture

Hatch Culinary Lab

ENRECOS

Mesa Water District

South Coast Weavers & Spinners

Voices from the past echo through Heroes Hall and encourage visitors to celebrate the legacy of Orange County veterans and others who have served our nation. As Heroes Hall evolves and grows, we will continue to present innovative exhibits and showcase the stories of those who serve.

During its second year in existence, Heroes Hall hosted Kimberly Millett’s Operation Iraqi Freedom photography exhibit and the groundbreaking Bravemind exhibition. The technology created by USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies uses virtual reality to help treat PTSD and other disorders.

The two-story Heroes Hall exhibition space features:• Veterans Storytelling Booth• Rotating Exhibits• Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB) Exhibit

Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB) - Heroes Hall and OC Fair & Event Center sit on the former base that operated from 1942 to 1946 and trained thousands of Army airmen and airwomen who served during World War II.

Medal of Honor Courtyard – Stories of honor, sacrifice and valor honor Orange County’s 11 Medal of Honor recipients – 1 new plaque for Lance Cpl. Donald Hogan was installed in August, 2018. AMVETS (American Veterans) commissioned the plaques in 1988 at the Santa Ana Civic Center. In 2016, the plaques were restored and brought to their permanent home on the Walk of Honor at Heroes Hall.

A place for the public to gather, learn and celebrate veterans

HEROES HALL AND EDUCATION CENTER

Postcards for the Troops - More than 5,000 postcards and thank-you letters were filled out by Heroes Hall visitors, then delivered to active duty and veteran military service members.

• $25,000 in grants received from the Heroes Hall Veterans Foundation• 1500 schoolchildren served

• 26 special tour groups• 27,519 total visitors in 2018

Voices - In collaboration with ArtsOC and the Tierney Center for Veterans Services, Heroes Hall and OC Fair & Event Center in 2018 twice hosted the free event, VOICES Storytelling Project, where former military men and women share their poignant stories of service.

Salute to Veterans - For the sixth year, OC Fair & Event Center collaborated with the Heroes Hall Veterans Foundation and the Orange County Employees Association to offer a free Veterans Day celebration for the community. Seventy organizations participated to link veterans with jobs and resources such as mental health, clothing, healthcare, and education. Some 3,500 attendees helped contribute 1.5 tons of food donations which directly benefited the Orange County Disabled American Veterans organization.

Veterans Day Blood Drive - In partnership with Hoag Hospital, visitors were able to donate blood in the name of their favorite veteran, resulting in enough blood to help save 60 lives.

Invention + play + discovery = learning

IMAGINOLOGY

2018 IMAGINOLOGY BY THE NUMBERS

46,131 Kids, teachers and family members attended4,906 Student competition entries167 Volunteers93 School groups157 Organizations101 Busloads of students and teachers

Each year, thousands of kids and their families are invited to power their imaginations at Imaginology, a free three-day event filled with science, technology, engineering, arts and math adventures.

More than 46,000 children, teachers and parents learned by creating crafts, building mini computers, battling with robots, experimenting with gooey things, winning blue ribbons, and even witnessing the birth of new baby farm animals at Centennial Farm.

Imaginology Partners: Arts OC and Dia del Nino • Vital Link33 Busloads of kids

Imaginology 2018 featured community performing acts from all over Orange County, exhibitors (the majority of whom were non-profit organizations, government agencies and schools) and seven sponsor partners helped support the event.

2018 OC FAIR - Free Your Inner Farmer

One of Orange County’s most eagerly awaited annual events, the OC Fair is a 23-day festival taking place each July through August. We are proud that 87% of guests surveyed said they increased their knowledge of agriculture during their visit to the Fair.

2018 OC Fair• 1,470,636 million visitors, a new attendance record• 430,055 free or discounted admissions, including 25,158 free admissions on Kids Days • 1,321 tickets donated to nonprofits• 1,463 tickets donated to senior centers 16,610 free admission for military and veterans• 1,600 free admissions for first responders• 1.25 tons of materials recycled, saving 46 gallons of oil and 271 hours of electricity

COMMUNITY• Seasonal employees - 1,661 people were hired for the 2018 fair• Community entertainers - 524 groups performed on five stages across the fairgrounds• OC Kids Club – 1,200 children from local Title 1 programs were offered the opportunity to experience the fair with free admission, rides, a gift card and bus service• High School Inc. – 63 student interns learned job skills • Jr. Livestock Auction - $301,854 raised from 312 animals that were sold by Orange County 4-H and FFA members• Friends of the Fair – 4501 special-needs guests and their companions enjoyed an exclusive morning at the Fair before it opened to the public• Read & Ride – Over 13,000 students received three free carnival rides for reading two books and writing a brief book report about them• A record-breaking $32,219.49 was raised to support four local charities through partnership with Sunnyside Promotions and the demo derbies.

COMPETITIONS • 1,189 first-place ribbons awarded• 14,530 entries from 5,554 adult exhibitors• 2,922 youth entries submitted by 1,300 exhibitors • 210 entries in the kids’ art competition• 6,194 competition entries

WE CARE WEDNESDAY

96,300

88,731

27,855

23.11

School supplies for Share Our Selves

Books donated for Think Together

Pounds of clothing for Goodwill

Tons of food for OC Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank

WE CAREWEDNESDAYCollected

36,834 donors received free admission and one free carnival ride

OC FAIR EXPRESS

The OC Fair and the Orange County Transportation Authority provided weekend bus service from nine locations via OC Fair Express buses. In 2018, 79,684 fair guests took the bus directly to the OC Fair and received discounted admission. This collaboration reduced traffic and emissions throughout Orange County.

READY TO SERVEOC Fair & Event Center serves as a training area, education center, community partner and as an evacuation area, when needed. In 2018, we expanded our programs and outreach to have an even greater impact in the community.

• 12 days of school bus driver training for Newport Mesa Unified School District• 29 days of training for first responders• Equivalent of $12,750 in free or discounted meeting and event space to local nonprofits through our Community Connections program• 51 hours of Coastline ROP business internship opportunities• 128 hours of Hope Builders information technology internship• Multiple activities and projects at the OC Fair to help Girl Scouts earn badges

IN 2018, OCFAIR & EVENT CENTER HELPED SPONSOR

NEW! HATCH CULINARY LAB

Girl Scouts of Orange CountyCosta Mesa Chamber of Commerce Hope BuildersAmerican Cancer SocietyArts OCSanta Ana Public Schools Foundation

A new cutting-edge cooking academy to empower underserved youth through free culinary education and mentorship was launched in 2018. A commercial kitchen on the fairgrounds was transformed into Hatch Culinary Lab. This education program is a partnership between OC Fair & Event Center, Culinary Lab Cooking School, Anaheim’s Innovative Mentorship Experience program (AIME) and Spectra, the OC Fair & Event Center’s master concessionaire.

Hatch Culinary Lab provided training to 40 students in the inaugural spring program. Six students participated in the summer internship program and they were hired for summer jobs by OC Fair concessionaires. Participants received training in knife skills, cookery basics and culinary arts.

OC Fair & Event Center • 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626714.708.1500 • ocinfo@ocfair.com • ocfair.com

2018