Hot enough to fry a fish

The Orange County Fair is still more than a month away, but Costa Mesa residents got a taste of carnival fun Saturday at the annual Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club Fish Fry.

The event, which continues today at Lions Park, 567 W. 18th St. in Costa Mesa, is the club’s major fundraiser for local charities such as the Boys and Girls Club and the Costa Mesa Senior Center, said club president treasurer Raul Jara.

The event has raised about $2 million since its beginning, Jara said.

“We really want to give back to the community we live in,” he said.

At noon Saturday, the fry was in full swing as Lions Club members served up the original recipe fried fish and French fries.

“I come for the fish,” said Costa Mesa resident Nick Silkebakken, seated at a picnic table over a plate of fish and fries.

At the carnival next door, 3-year-old Bella Carmichael bravely embarked on a slide down the State Fair Fun Slide with her mother, Marnie Carmichael.

We’ve lived in Costa Mesa for three years and have attended the Fish Fry each year, just for something fun and easy to do to kick off the summer,” Marnie Carmichael said.

The Fish Fry and carnival was a kid’s paradise in the hot sun of Saturday afternoon. Candy apples, the Tilt-a-Whirland the Katterpillar Kastle roller coaster ? it was all there.

Costa Mesa resident Fernando Lara stood and watched as his daughter and niece took a ride on the mini-jets.

“They’vSe been on there twice already,” Lara said.

The family lives about a half mile away from the park and have come to the event for the past three years, he said.

Carissa Williams, 4, took her turn on several rides in the park. Her neighbor, Michelle Caumiant, brought her to the carnival.

“I used to bring my daughter here,” said Caumiant, a longtime Costa Mesa resident. dpt.04-fishfry-1-CPhotoInfoG31RKR3E20060604j0bevincMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Marni Carmichael, left, holds on tight as her daughter Bella, right, age 3, sitting in the driver’s seat, whip around a corner on the Speedway ride during the Fish Fry festivities Saturday at Lions’ Park. dpt.04-fishfry-2-CPhotoInfoG31RKR3I20060604j0bew0ncNo Caption