St. Barbara’s Catholic Church

I am going to strictly review the Fall Festival that they have every year. I have to throw in a caveat — I am biased because I have been going to this church my entire life.
Where do I start? I LOVE this festival, and I try to go at least once every year. They have a decent selection of food: Vietnamese food (thit nuong [pork skewers], nem nuong [pork ball skewers], egg rolls, fried banana, fried rice, and phở); Mexican food (tacos, tamales, tortas, etc.); American food (hamburgers). There are also dessert and drink stations.
There are several games run by the church parishioners, and another side of the festival that is run by the Carnies (for lack of a better word). This year, I went with my little cousins, and they had a great time. There aren’t a ton rides. I would definitely say the rides are geared more toward kids (ages 5 – 12). However, there are a few «adult» rides. So, if you’re going expecting the Orange County Fair, you’ll be greatly disappointed.
If you are just looking for a place to just eat and hang out for a little while, you should definitely check it out next year.
**Tip: If you buy ride tickets ahead of time at the church’s office, you’ll save money. This year, it was $ 20 pre-​sale for the wristband, and $ 30 if you bought it at the festival.

I’ve gone to St. Barbara’s Fall Festival for several years and it is a great community event. As far as church festivals go, this is my favorite one in the local area. Why? Because of the food! Their selection of Vietnamese and Mexican fare is great, and they also serve things like pizza, roasted corn, and other festival favorites. Prices are also quite reasonable. I expect to pay more for food at these types of events since they are fundraisers, but here I’m always pleasantly surprised at how they manage to keep their prices down. I guess everyone wins, because I end up buying more food to taste a greater variety of things, which ultimately means I spend a few more bucks overall.
Beyond the food, they have an assortment of carnival games, rides, and a small performance stage area. You pay for the games and rides, but since there’s no admission fee for the festival itself, it’s quite a deal.
Note: This review is for their Fall Festival only. I am not a parishioner of St. Barbara’s Catholic Church.