5 ESSENTIAL TIPS TO THE
OC NIGHT MARKET
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| sorry this graphic suckkkkkks - was in a rush and I made it real fast T___T |
1. FREE PARKING:
If you count all the fees just freakin` entering the event can be expensive. Parking is around $8 and admission is another $5. Save yoself some money so that you can spend it on food instead. Go park at Orange Coast College across the street and walk over. It's around a 5 minute walk if you walk with decent speed LOL but can be maybe 10 minutes if you're strollinnn`.
- OCC Friday Parking
- they check parking until 5pm. Event starts at 4pm on Fridays.
- Pay a buck at the OCC Parking station (the yellow box). That is good for 4 hours.
- Or... don't come to event until 5pm LOL
- OCC Weekend Parking
- This is free yo. I've been parking here for yeaaaaaars for every single event that is at the OC Fairgrounds. Just depends if you mind the walk or not
If you wanna be convenient and just pay the $8 at OC Fairgounds, at least if you go with a group of friends this can be easily split!
2. CASH IS A MUST
Don't even think about leaving home without a wad of cash. I once thought that these people would get their technology together and use some form of device that accepts credit card, but... this is not the case. Even some food trucks!
But I get it, this is a bad assumption because many of these vendors are new and are debuting a product. Why invest in technology that accepts credit card payment that comes with tons of fees?
So, BRING CASH! Expect items to be at least $5 and up with many of the trendy items being aroudn $8 - $10 so plan accordingly.
3. GET THERE EARLY (and if not, delegate your group members to wait in different lines at the same time)
The rush always comes around night time like 2 hours in. If you can, go when it starts, but honestly not too early either because vendors might not even be ready themselves (I've experienced this too. It was disappointingly a lot of waiting and hanger T_T )
By getting there early, it will be easy to see the vendors and all the menu signs and what not at one time since no one be blockin` your view with long lines, yannoe? This will help you scout and decide what you wanna get!
BTW. Tanota Takoyaki always has a long line. Wait there first if you plan on eating takoyaki (Japanese octopus filled balls)
4. SCOUT YOUR FOOD OPTIONS BEFORE COMMITTING!
This is super important because there are a lot of similar items or doubles at the night market. You wanna make sure you get the best bang for your buck and the most delicious!
Check prices and compare. There might be vendors that sell the (almost) exact same thing but at a cheaper price or offer a better deal.
It's also important to know which one is better than the other. If there are multiple vendors selling similar items, try to judge which one is better before committing! It sucks to be disappointed (read about my bad experience here) which might ruin your mood and your wallet. Don't let it happen to you! Be a smart foodie!
5. THERE ARE DISCOUNTS!
Every year there is some sort of discount available. Last year there was a "happy hour admission" discount. There doesn't seem to be any discounted admission price this year (2018) but there are still discounts!
Get the Official Coupon Card for just $1! You can buy it here online and it's seriously just $1 (no convenience fee or whatever) but offers discounts on a variety of items with many vendors!
Let's say you're going with a group of friends and buy the coupon card. Yo... split that price up and it's hella cheap! It'll cost less than a buck per person and y'all can enjoy discounts around the night market. Because, let's be real, y'all are gonna split the food too right? Don't wanna fill it up with too much of just one thing because then how can you try them all?
With the Coupon Card, you can enjoy discounts like $1 off any ice cream or rainbow grilled cheese (worth) from Ice Cream Garden LA or $1 off any sushi taco + drink from Norigami Tacos!
See the rest of the discounts available with the Coupon Card here for May 18-20.
OC NIGHT MARKET INFO
Official Website:
http://www.ocnightmarket.com
Address:
OC Fair and Event Center
88 Fair Dr
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Admission:
$5 (cash only)
Parking:
$8 (cash only but refer to tip $1)
2018 Dates:
May 18-20
Jun 15-17
Aug 24-26
Hours:
Friday & Saturday 4PM to 12AM
Sunday 4PM to 11PM
Social Media
READ MY PAST OC NIGHT MARKET GUIDES
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