To paraphrase the come-on used by the barker who once stood in front of the "drug boy" freak-show attraction: "The Georgia State Fair ... is still alive!"

Though it isn't so much the huge-draw event that it once was, there's still plenty of carnival atmosphere to soak up and, for children at least, it is a sizeable enough spectacle to leave their eyes as wide as elephant ears.

Now in its 152nd year, the fair features "Unlimited Rides Days" on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Passes are $12 in advance and $15 at the fair.

Each night there will be a fireworks display. Tuesday through Friday nights there's a motorcycle dirtbike race at 6. Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. there's a three-on-three basketball tournament.

Thursday night about 7:30 at Luther Williams Field, the fair will be staging what it hopes will be a world-record-breaking kazoo-humming event. The fair is trying to get 3,000 or so participants to show up at the ballpark and "kazoo" Otis Redding's signature song "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay." A turnout of 3,000 would likely topple the official mark that is somewhere about 2,700 kazooers.

According to the fair's Web site, "Arrangements have been made to have in attendance world-famous kazooist Barbara Stewart, who is author of the book, 'The Complete How to Kazoo.' She will give the 'band' a one-minute instruction in order to certify for Guinness World Record purposes that our 'band' met minimum kazoo proficiency."

The fair's Web site lists other attractions that may interest children, including livestock-barn tours, magic shows,

a model train exhibit, pig races and a tractor pull.

Starts Tuesday

What: Georgia State Fair

Where: Central City Park

When: Tuesday-Sept. 30

Cost: $5 at gate, $3 advance, free for children less than 48 inches tall

Web: www.GeorgiaStateFair.org