Fair needs to be open with everyone

It’s all fun and games at the Orange County Fair until somebody gets

hurt.

There’s always a lot of excitement at the fairgrounds, and fair

officials love to see it splashed across as many front pages as

possible. After all, it’s basically free publicity. So the fair

promotes these happenings to the press, and through it to the public.

But when something goes wrong -- which is likely to happen with as

much that’s going on at the fair -- fair officials seem to have a

nasty habit of shutting up. Though they reported the two accidents

that took place last week to the state -- as they’re required to do

by law -- they failed to alert the press. After all, it’s not the

type of publicity they’re looking for.

However, it really is important that people know about the bad, as

well as the good, in the world around them, and that includes

happenings at the fair.

Fairgoers deserve to know all the facts before jumping on a thrill

ride called the Booster. Before they go on, they need to know that a

pin came loose and knocked a woman rider in the face just a week and

a half ago.

They need to know that even though the ride is open, as it has

been every day since the incident, a state investigation continues

into how a woman was injured so severely that she had to undergo

surgery later in the week.

Fairgoers shouldn’t be surprised when they see that the Adrenaline

Drop is closed. They should know before walking through the fair’s

gates that another woman got more than she bargained for when she

dropped toward a net that didn’t break her fall.

The Orange County Fair may not be legally responsible for alerting

news organizations about such accidents, but it does owe its would-be

patrons that courtesy. It should feel responsible for telling the

community about more than just cute racing pigs, funny clowns,

deep-fried Twinkies and a large Ferris wheel.

Because if the informed residents of Newport-Mesa and the rest of

Orange County only know about those tempting treats, they’re being

deceived, for there’s more than meets the eye.

Perhaps next time, fair officials will open their eyes to the

public’s need. Everyone who walks into the fair deserves it.