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At 3:55 p.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2011, the 2011 Orange County Fair hit an attendance record surpassing the previous year’s attendance numbers, with three full day’s left in the event’s runtime. Many seem to think it was the fair’s heightened focus on food culture that incited the record numbers.

One of those under that impression was the Orange County Fair and Event Center CEO and president, Steve Beazley, telling the OC Register

…this year’s theme, ‘Let’s Eat,” has resonated well with the audience.

Last year’s record of 1,154,969 attendees was surpassed Thursday afternoon, tallying 1,154,972 by 3:55 p.m., reports Robin Wachner, the fair’s communications director. A slew of food competitions, cook-offs, and popular food trucks and food carts really shifted the attention to the foodie mentality for 2011.

Even before the fair was underway, word of the upcoming fried food goodness was permeating on a national level. Deep Fried Kool-Aid from fair-favorite Chicken Charlie’s was getting heavy media coverage in the weeks prior to the fair’s grand opening.

The OC Fair 2011 concludes this Sunday, August 13th.

Elie AyrouthTwitterFacebook

Elie is a product of Orange County, CA. In early 2012, his dentist diagnosed him with 8 different cavities, three of which on the same tooth, as a result of his 23-year Sour Patch Kid addiction.