OC Japan Fair
Three-day Japanese culture and food festival at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, with vendors, performance, and all-ages programming.
Plan your visit
- When
- Fri Oct 16, 4-10pm; Sat Oct 17, 12-10pm; Sun Oct 18, 11am-7pm
- Where
- OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
- Admission
- Advance tickets $11.44 through Aug 31, $13.58 in September, $15.71 Oct 1-15, $17.85 at gate Oct 16-18. Children 6 and under and adults 65 and over free. Parking approximately $15.
Official event website · Report a correction
Last source check: . Confirm the latest schedule and ticket availability with the organizer before you go.
What It Is
OC Japan Fair is a three-day Japanese culture and food festival at the OC Fair & Event Center. The 2026 edition runs Friday through Sunday, October 16 to 18, with vendor booths, performance stages, martial arts demonstrations, cultural exhibits, and food concessions across the Fairgrounds footprint.
Why Go
It is one of the largest annual Japanese cultural fairs in Southern California and runs across multiple hours and multiple days. Admission is ticketed, which keeps the pace calmer than the free alternatives, and the vendor and food mix is broader than a single-day event can offer. If you are after specific food (takoyaki, taiyaki, matcha) or looking to shop craft, textiles, and anime goods in one place, this is the deepest bench in OC that weekend.
What To Know Before You Go
Location: OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa. Dates and hours: Friday, October 16 (4 to 10 p.m.); Saturday, October 17 (noon to 10 p.m.); Sunday, October 18 (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.). Admission: advance tickets $11.44 through August 31, $13.58 in September, $15.71 October 1 to 15, and $17.85 at the gate; children 6 and under and adults 65 and over enter free. Parking: approximately $15 at the Fairgrounds. Pro tip: Friday evening is the quietest window; Saturday mid-afternoon is the busiest.
The Honest Take
Prices for food and goods trend higher than a typical OC festival, and lines at the standout food stalls can be long on Saturday. Trust the official oc-japanfair.com site for schedule and ticket details, not scrapes of the OC Fair & Event Center's broader October listings, which have carried prior-year date errors. Confirm the parking fee at the ticket page the day you go.