Fish Fry returns to delight of locals

Deepa Bharath

The puffy, white clouds in the blue sky matched the pink cotton candy

in bags below, and summer smelled a lot like fried fish at Lions Park

Saturday afternoon.

The Fish Fry, a 57-year-old Costa Mesa tradition that was missing

in action for two years, made its triumphant return Saturday.

There was a small crowd of community members in the afternoon and

people were still trickling in. Kids screamed in glee as they headed

straight for the rides. Their parents gravitated toward the stall

that served the delicious batter-fried Icelandic cod -- obviously the

main attraction at the carnival.

Long-time Costa Mesa residents were the first to hit the grounds.

“Oh, I’ve missed it,” said Wanda Bale. “It’s a small-town affair

and it’s just the whole ambience that’s so unique.”

For Tim Sandefer, it’s the sheer delight of “bumping into people.”

“You’ll walk in here and you won’t see anybody,” he said, “and

suddenly you’ll see someone you haven’t seen in a long, long time.”

Sandefer said the Fish Fry is a precious little tradition for the

community.

“It’s the only local thing we’ve ever had here,” he said.

Rick Bell, 45, who has lived in the city all his life, said he’s

already savored the fish.

“I think the fish is a little cold,” he said with a laugh. “It

needs to be warmer.”

Bell said he was hoping to run into someone he knew too.

“This used to be a much bigger event,” he said. “Unfortunately

it’s gotten a lot smaller over the years.”

The Fish Fry means a lot more to the community than the other

bigger events like the Orange County Fair, said Brandon Nicholas.

“This is so much more personal,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like a

commercial event.”

Davey Helm of Helm and Son Amusements, the company that was

running the carnival, said he expected the crowd to pick up by

Saturday evening.

“This is just a trial run this year,” he said. “Next year, it’ll

be thrice as big. We’ll have a lot more rides.”

The Fish Fry is returning to Lions Park after five years. It was

held in Orange College before it was canceled two years ago.

Helm said the sprawling grounds at Lions Park provide an excellent

venue for the fair.

“This is closer to the beach, it’s safe and secure,” he said.

“There’s also a nice atmosphere with the trees and grass. It’s just

good summer fun.”

The Fish Fry continues today from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Lions Park.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.