Newport Beach families with high schoolers can mark Wednesday, Oct. 21, for the annual Newport-Mesa Unified School District College & Career Fair, which starts an hour earlier than in past years at 5 p.m.

The fair runs until 8 p.m. at the OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, according to announcements posted on the district's website and the Newport Harbor High School news page. Admission has been free in prior years.

Students from Newport Harbor High, Corona del Mar High and other district schools will find college, university and international school representatives alongside workshops on financial aid, NCAA eligibility and dual enrollment. The 2026 announcement also lists accessibility guidance for students with disabilities, a feature not named in prior years' save-the-date posts.

Career Technical Education explorations will be available for all ages. In 2025, that included a "Pathway Playground" with hands-on stations in robotics, engineering, broadcast media, nursing and computer science geared toward elementary students. NMUSD operates 26 CTE pathways spanning aviation, cybersecurity, culinary arts, cosmetology and medical care.

The event has drawn more than 1,200 attendees in each of the past two years. At the 2024 fair, representatives from more than 50 four-year colleges, 25 two-year colleges and trade schools, all branches of the Armed Services and more than 30 business and industry partners participated.

Lisa Snowden, NMUSD's coordinator of work-based learning, said in the district's October 2025 recap of the fair: "It's incredible to see students' excitement as they begin to envision what's next for them." Snowden has served as the district's point of contact for the event in prior years.

The district has not yet confirmed whether free bus service from select school sites will return in 2026; in past years, shuttles ran from Whittier Elementary, Estancia High School and the Save Our Youth Center. Families can check the district's College & Career Fair webpage at web.nmusd.us/ccf for updates as the date approaches.