Summertime officially arrived this week, but the season will really start on the Central Coast in July when fair season kicks off here. Together, the Santa Barbara County Fair and the California Mid-State Fair will bring nearly a month’s worth of fair fun to the area. And one of the most anticipated highlights of both events is each day’s stellar entertainment lineup.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FAIR

The 116th annual Santa Barbara County Fair comes to the Santa Maria Fairpark on July 11, and along with fair food, livestock and agriculture contests and carnival rides, the four-day event means some popular music gigs will play in Santa Maria.

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, who will take the stage on July 14, have played at the county fair before.

Benatar, a 1980s rock icon, is most famous for “Heartbreaker,” “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” and “Love is a Battlefield.” She has been married to Neil Giraldo, once lead guitarist in her band, since their surprise 1982 wedding on a Hawaiian beach. Today, Benatar and Giraldo tour together.

WAR, the 1970s funk band that fuses rock, jazz, Latin, and R&B, will be the first to perform at the fair July 11. Perhaps best known for the songs “Why Can’t We Be Friends” and “Lowrider,” WAR spends nearly half the year on tour. WAR has also played in Santa Maria before.

“They are always a great live show,” said Lisa Barsena, public relations assistant at the Santa Maria Fairpark.

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Booking the acts to come to the fair is a year-round process, Barsena said. The fairpark’s staff works with a production company to get the performers.

This year, Grammy winner Kenny Loggins and “American Idol” contestant-turned country music star Josh Gracin will round out the shows.

All concerts are free with fair admission. The July 14 Destruction Derby car event and July 15 Fiesta del Charro are separately ticketed events, with prices announced the week before the fair.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FAIR

July 11 through 15

INFO: General admission to the Santa Barbara County Fair is $7 for adults 12 to 61; $5 for children 6 to 11; and $5 for seniors 62 and older. Children under 6 get in free. Carnival Wristband Coupons for access to the rides cost $18.

Pre-sale tickets, available through July 8, cost $5 for adults 12 and older; $3 for children 6 to 11. They can be purchased at local Mid-State Bank & Trust branches, Discoteca Miramar locations and La Chiquita markets.

Season passes, $20, and Destruction Derby tickets, $15 for box seats or $10 general admission, are available only at the fairpark box office in advance.

The fair is open July 11 to July 15 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Santa Maria Fairpark is at 937 S. Thornburg St. in Santa Maria. Parking is available at the fairpark for $5 per car.

Keep in mind: On July 11, “Dollar Day,” admission, carnival rides and parking are $1; July 12, “Senior’s Day,” admission for seniors 62 and older is $1; and July 14 is “Military & Law Enforcement Day,” so active duty military and law enforcement with I.D. get in free.

All shows listed below are free with fair admission. For more information, visit www.santamaria fairpark.com.

SHOWS:

July 11, 8 p.m., WAR

July 12, 8 p.m., Kenny Loggins

July 13, 8 p.m., Josh Gracin

July 14, 8 p.m., Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo

CALIFORNIA MID-STATE FAIR

Just up the road, the Paso Robles Event Center, is gearing up for the California Mid-State Fair, kicking off July 25.

The nearly two-week festival includes some of the hottest entertainers to play the Central Coast all year, making its “Country Days & Rockin’ Nights” theme a perfect fit.

“The overall mood here is very exciting,” said Tom Keffury, director of marketing and sponsorships for the Mid-State Fair. “This is the best lineup that we’ve ever had.”

The Mid-State Fair’s entertainment lineup will kick off with one of the most famous, and longest-touring, rock bands in American history, Aerosmith, who will play before a full house. The show sold out in just three hours.

“We’ve never had a show sell out in one day,” said Keffury.

Although the band has gone through changes over the years, today Aerosmith tours with the same members that made them famous in 1971. They include Steven Tyler on lead vocals, piano, harmonica and percussion, Joe Perry on lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals, Brad Whitford on rhythm and lead guitars, Tom Hamilton on bass, fretless bass, rhythm guitar and backing vocals, and Joey Kramer on drums and percussion.

Two more rock legends will visit Paso Robles in the following days. Stevie Nicks, of Fleetwood Mac and solo fame, will play July 26, and singer-songwriter icon Bob Dylan will play July 27.

Daughtry, the band formed around Chris Daughtry, the 2006 American Idol contestant known for his rock skills, will play July 28, and Godsmack and Hoobastank will play together July 29. “The rock side is just solid,” said Keffury.

And the country music side, which will take over for the second half of the fair, is a close second. Martina McBride and Little Big Town will take the stage July 31, and Dierks Bentley will perform with Leann Rimes Aug. 1. The biggest country act, Rascall Flatts, will play with Jason Aldean Aug. 2; and Phil Vassar will play during Country Rodeo Finals Aug. 4.

Aug. 3 will feature “An Evening of Music & Wine with Chris Botti,” featuring renowned trumpeter Chris Botti.

Monster Madness will take over at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5.

Each performer will play in the main grandstand arena, which seats a whopping 14,661 — which makes the Aerosmith sell-out all the more impressive. It’s hard to get a true sell-out, said Kaffury. “It’s a crazy thing.”

Meanwhile, several well-known entertainers will play for free on the Budweiser Fort Frontier Stage. Performers include Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, blues singer Elvin Bishop, Gregg Rolie — the original lead singer for Santana and founding member of Journey, Christian group Jars of Clay, country star Collin Raye, 1960s star Chubby Checker & the Wildcats, English rock band Foghat and the Bangles.

Each act will play two shows a day, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.

The Budweiser Fort Frontier stage offers space for up to 3,500 people.

Mid-State fair acts are booked through Jam Productions, a talent buying service. It’s not easy to get quality, big-name acts, to fit the schedule each of the fair’s 12 nights. But this year, they made it happen.

CALIFORNIA MID-STATE FAIR

July 25 through Aug. 5

INFO: General admission is $8 for adults 13 to 61; $5 for children 6 to 12 and $6 for seniors 62 and older. Children under 6 get in free. Season passes are $45 for adults 13 and older and $18 for children 6 to 12.

The fair is open noon to midnight daily except for July 31, “Seniors Day,” when the gates open at 10 a.m.

The Paso Robles Event Center is at 2198 Riverside Ave. in Paso Robles. Limited parking is available across the street for $10. Free parking and free shuttle service to the main gates are available. Visit www.midstate fair.com for shuttle stop locations.

To buy tickets to any of the shows listed below, call Vallitix at (888) 825-5484 or visit www.midstatefair.com.

SHOWS:

Budweiser Concert Series in the Main Grandstand Arena:

July 25, 7:30 p.m., Aerosmith, sold out

July 26, 7:30 p.m., Stevie Nicks, $26 to $52

July 27, 7:30 p.m., Bob Dylan, $26 to $52

July 28, 7:30 p.m., Daughtry, $20 to $36

July 29, 7:30 p.m., Godsmack with Hoobastank, $20 to $36

July 30, 7:30 p.m., Jonas Brothers, free with admission

July 31, 7:30 p.m., Martina McBride with Little Big Town, $26 to $52

Aug. 1, 7;30 p.m., Dierks Bentley and Leann Rimes, $20 to $36

Aug. 2, 7:30 p.m., Rascal Flatts with Jason Aldean, $53 to $78

Aug. 3, 7 p.m., An Evening of Music & Wine with Chris Botti, $29, $54

Aug. 4, 7:30 p.m., Phil Vassar & The Country Rodeo Finals, $17, $20

Aug. 5, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Monster Madness, $16, $18

Budweiser Fort Frontier Stage:

(All shows free with fair admission)

July 26, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

July 27, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., Friday Night Blues with Elvin Bishop

July 28, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., Gregg Rolie

July 29, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., Jars of Clay

July 30, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., Collin Raye

July 31, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., Chubby Checker & The Wildcats

Aug. 1, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., Foghat

Aug. 2, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., The Bangles

Emily Welly can be reached at ewelly@santamariatimes.com.