Thousands attend opening of 127th annual OC Fair

COSTA MESA, Calif. (KABC) -- Thousands of people walked through the gates of the 127th Annual Orange County Fair Friday.

The fair plans to welcome more than one million people over its 23 days. According to Kathy Kramer, the CEO of the OC Fair and Event Center, the staff was especially excited about the event's theme of "Farm Fresh Fun."

"It's paying homage to our heritage around agriculture," she said.

Fair attendees will get to experience new rides such as the Endeavor or "La Grande Wheel XL," which is the largest observation wheel in the Western Hemisphere. People will also get to learn about Orange County's history and, of course, enjoy the food.

The fair features new menu items such as the Unicorn leg, which is a mythical cut of 5 pounds of pork. Attendees can also munch on the fried peanut butter meatball and the Krispy Kreme ice cream chicken sandwich.

The OC Fair includes a variety of animals to view, including baby chicks, goats and pigs. Mother pig Violet may give birth to eight to 12 piglets during the event.

"It's such a good Orange County staple. It's good family fun," said attendee Jenielle Chaney.

The fair runs from July 14 to August 13 and is open Wednesdays through Sundays.