Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, announced he will hold a rally at the Orange County fairgrounds in Costa Mesa on Thursday night.

The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Pacific Amphitheatre at the OC Fair & Event Center, according to Trump’s campaign website. Doors will open at 4 p.m.

The rally is expected to kick off Trump’s campaign in California. The state’s 172 delegates are the biggest prize in the race for the Republican nomination.

Trump’s campaign said it couldn’t say how large a crowd is expected Thursday. The amphitheater seats up to 8,500 people.

The Democratic Party of Orange County and Orange County Young Democrats announced Wednesday that they are coordinating a protest against Trump.

“We do not believe that there is any room for racism, sexism, religious bigotry, disregard for international law, violence or any other such phenomena in our political discourse,” Orange County Young Democrats said in a statement. “As such, we expressly condemn Donald Trump, declare that his values are not Orange County’s values, and we urge all other citizens of Orange County to do the same.”

Trump, who is coming off a sweep Tuesday of five East Coast primaries, needs to win a total of 1,237 delegates to clinch the nomination. Polls show Trump has an early lead in California over his two remaining rivals — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

California’s presidential primary election is June 7, though many voters are expected to cast their ballots by mail before then.

Tickets for Trump’s Costa Mesa rally are free for those who register at www.donaldjtrump.com/schedule. No banners, posters, signs, GoPros, “selfie” sticks or professional cameras with detachable lenses, tripods or monopods will be permitted.

The fairgrounds are at 88 Fair Drive.

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Daily Pilot staff writer Bradley Zint and Los Angeles Times staff writer Michael Finnegan contributed to this report.

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lucas.money@latimes.com

Twitter: @LukeMMoney

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