Jacoby Shaddix, lead singer of U.S. rock band Papa Roach, performs on the main stage of the Open Air Festival in Frauenfeld,Switzerland, on Sunday, June 19, 2005. (AP Photo/Keystone, Peter Klaunzer)

The concert series at Ventura County's "Old Fashioned" Fair will highlight a wide variety of performers and musicians this year, spanning an entire musical spectrum.

With popular rock bands such as Lifehouse and Hinder, as well as famous artists such as REO Speedwagon and The Beach Boys, the series is bound to be a hit, officials predicted.

"(Fairgoers) can expect quality, big-name entertainment for a price one couldn't even fathom," said Barbara Boester-Quaid, the Ventura County Fairgrounds CEO. "It's less than you would pay to get into a movie theater."

The Ventura County Fair will run from Aug. 1 to Aug. 12 in Ventura. Admission to the concert series is included in the price of fair tickets.

Sponsored by Miller Lite, the series will take place in the Grandstand Arena at Seaside Park. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, officials said.

"It's pretty phenomenal that we're still able to provide quality entertainment without an additional charge," Boester-Quaid said. "The cost of entertainment has gone up substantially" because of the many other entertainment venues in the area, she added.

Fairground officials reconfigured the stage to be more convenient for the audience. In previous years, the stage was 15 feet high, but this year it will only be 6 feet off the ground because the only seating available will be on the floor of the arena, Boester-Quaid said.

"We just hope people are respectful of the folks around them, but most of the time when people go to concerts, they're going to stand," Boester-Quaid said.

Most of the shows begin in the afternoon or evening, and some musical guests will be selling merchandise before and after each show, officials said.

Bands such as Lifehouse, Papa Roach and Hinder will most likely attract high school students, said Moorpark College student Lindsey Platt, 19, of Camarillo. She said she plans to attend the fair for the first time this year and is particularly excited to see The Bangles.

"I know a lot of people who like Papa Roach," said Platt, who works as a sales clerk at Henson's Music Center in Camarillo. "I like their older stuff and their sound, and me and my friends like The Bangles."

Erica Hyska, 19, of Ventura said she is looking forward to seeing the Beach Boys for the first time. "They always make you feel good," said Hyska, who works at Record Outlet in Thousand Oaks. "Even if they're singing about something sad, they put it in a happier perspective."

A wide-range of audience members is exactly what fair officials are looking to attract.

"We try and book entertainment to appeal to everyone," Boester-Quaid said. "Our target audience is the fairgoer, and they come in all shapes and sizes. They might like Hispanic music, they might like old-time rock and roll, or they might like country."

Country artist Tanya Tucker replaced previously scheduled band Hootie and the Blowfish because the group's lead singer, Darius Rucker, recently suffered from a staph infection in his left knee. The band has cancelled or postponed concerts until Aug. 10, when he is expected to be fully recovered, officials said. "We were hoping that he would feel well enough to play our show," said Boester-Quaid, who knew about Rucker's situation and his other show cancellations. "We were lucky to get a replacement like Tanya Tucker. Hootie and the Blowfish is very popular, but from the calls we've been getting, Tanya Tucker is equally as popular."

Country artists Jo Dee Messina and Sawyer Brown will be performing on Dollar Day. On Aug. 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., fairgoers will only pay a dollar for fair admission.

"Country always does really well here," Boester-Quaid said. "So come early and stay late."

Others performing at the fair are The Motels, Tony Orlando, Los Horoscopos de Durango, Pablo Montero, Cowboy Mouth, and Mariachi Los Tapatios.

The gates will open an hour and a half before each show begins. For more information, go to www.venturacountyfair.org.