Fair is a great place for families

This week we asked our parent panelists: The Orange County Fair came

to an end Sunday. Did you go to the fair? If so, why? If not, why

not? And does the fair still have a place for families in 2005 Orange

County?

Yes, I went to the fair. My kids each went multiple times. Most of

my friends went.

The fair is an integral part of summer in Costa Mesa, and I almost

feel compelled to go. Like the Fish Fry, it’s part of the heritage

and culture of the city, a part that makes Costa Mesa unique. It’s

big, it’s noisy, it’s messy, and it spills out onto the streets and

freeways, but it’s worth the trouble.

Many people I know, especially those who go multiple times, say

that the primary attraction at the fair is people watching. I love

that part myself. The range of characters at the fair is extremely

broad, rivaling the animals for variety. It’s definitely a melting

pot, mixing bikers with beach babes, yuppies with farmers, old with

young, and carnies with everybody.

I’d have to say that the fair definitely has a place for families.

Just bring a lot of money along with your family.

I have my own fun story of families at the fair this year. My wife

and I went to see X at the Pacific Amphitheater. They still rock, but

Exene looks a little worse for the wear. The theater was full that

night and there were lots of families. Right in front us were two

fair-classic families. The first was an upscale Irvine-type group --

dad, mom, two boys about 11 and 13. Everybody was dressed really nice

and preppy, with the sweater tied on the shoulders, parents sipping

wine. The other family had the 909er thing going -- three large women

in tank tops with plenty of tattoos, along with two skinny guys, also

in tank tops with plenty of tats. That crew smoked pot constantly

throughout the show.

As the smoke wafted right under the noses of the Irvine family,

dad initially tried to explain things to both the kids and the wife.

The kids seemed to take it in stride -- all part of the ‘80s X

experience, but mom was clearly not thrilled. They tried to hang in

there, but eventually they bailed out for the pot-free section, which

I’m pretty sure didn’t exist at that show.

Soon after, a nice usher girl came over and asked the 909 group to

please refrain from smoking. They happily agreed. Then as soon as the

usher left, they immediately sparked up another joint. The ‘80s have

never ended for some people.

So, sure, the fair provides plenty of fun for families of all

types. Watching all the family types interact is probably the most

fun one can have at the fair.

* MARK GLEASON is a Costa Mesa resident and parent.

I love the fair because it is a great place for families with kids

of all ages to have wholesome fun and soak up some Orange County lore

as well. The entertainment, rides, animals and food (especially the

cinnamon rolls) are the best. The award-winning crafts, foods and

plants demonstrate hard work and talent and invoke envy. I love to

walk through the crowded Parade of Products to see if there is some

new gadget I can’t live without. My children are older now and go to

the fair with their friends, but we have many great family memories

of days spent at the fair.

However this year, because a sex offender was caught violating

parole and working as a ticket taker, parents are keenly reminded

that predators are everywhere, including the fair. We’ve reached a

point where parents must be on guard all of the time to protect their

children. Samantha Runnion, kidnapped, sexually assaulted and

murdered by a known sex offender, underscores the fact that no

neighborhood or venue is completely safe anymore.

This year, as I have done over the years, I worked as a volunteer

at the Noah’s Ark booth run by Child Evangelism Fellowship. Kids of

all ages, with parent approval, climbed the stairs into the miniature

ark and listened to an 8-minute story about Noah and how God

protected his family and animals from a storm.

Noah’s patient determination to build the ark for his family’s

safety is similar to the sincere efforts parents must make today to

protect their children from the dangerous people in our society who

would prey upon them. Noah took his assignment seriously and survived

the flood.

We can be thankful that fair officials handled the matter with the

sex offender and removed him quickly and that no child was harmed. Of

course, this incident is not a reason for families to stop attending

the fair. It’s just another too-close-to-home reminder for today’s

parents to be aware of the risky times we live in. We don’t have to

be paranoid, just wise.

* WENDY LEECE is a Costa Mesa parent, former school board member

and member of the city’s parks and recreation committee.