Lansing - With classes beginning and the thought of homework drifting into reality, summer fun might seem to be in the past. But at Oldsmobile Park the Lugnuts' baseball season could just be getting to the good stuff.

The Lugnuts host a four-game homestand this weekend against the Clinton Lumber Kings as they wind down the second half of the Midwest League season.

And while the American pastime has become somewhat dull and outdated to some, the Lansing Lugnuts might disagree.

Cheap food and drinks, men and women hopping around in bird suits and fireworks lighting up the night sky are the norm at Oldsmobile Park, 505 E. Michigan Ave.

Minor League Baseball is a whole different kind of experience, said Darla Bowen, marketing director for the Lansing Lugnuts.

"We like to sell the whole experience," Bowen said. "We have great baseball for the baseball fans, but we also have much more to attract all types of people."

The marketing department for the Lugnuts is thinking out-of-the-box to come up with more ways to get people to the ballpark.

For college students 21 and up, a big draw at the park is a promotion called Thirsty Thursdays. Every Thursday home game, pop, beer and four chicken wings are $2 apiece.

There also is in-game entertainment that's likely to make any student laugh. From people dressing up in bird suits to compete in the Bird Olympics to contestants playing human tug-of-war, there are no breaks in the action even between innings.

One of the largest attractions at the park is the Lansing Automakers Federal Credit Union fireworks night.

Most weekend night games have a fireworks show after the end of the game, including this Friday and Saturday.

"There is so much that happens here that they can't do at the major-league level," Bowen said.

The attraction to Oldsmobile Park is simple, said Elizabeth Klatt, marketing manager and head of the promotions staff for the Lugnuts.

"Minor League Baseball is more involved and more personable," Klatt said. "Everyone who comes to the game has the feeling that they are welcome here."

Game promotions, such as the hot dog cannon and the T-shirt shoot, make the crowd feel like they are a part of the action, she said.

"The crowds at minor-league games are small enough that audiences care and participate because they believe they are a part of it," Klatt said. "They think that they have that chance to catch the hot dog or the T-shirt."

For those die-hard baseball fans, there are promotions that allow you to get even closer to the action.

Before every Lugnuts home game there is an autograph session with a few members of the team.

"We try to bring the professional athletes down to the level of the average guy," Klatt said. "At a major-league game the players seem unapproachable, but here we try to make it as easy as possible."

Some fans say having approachable players is an important draw of the minor league.

"It's a nice thing in Minor League Baseball that the players are still regular people," Miles said. "They really want fans to be a part of the game."

And if you actually happen to head to the park to watch a baseball game, the Lugnuts are on pace to challenge for the Midwest League crown.

The team has already secured a wild-card playoff spot in the first half of the season and features a talented squad, including center fielder Felix Pie, the only Midwest League player to be selected for the Major League Baseball Futures Game during the All-Star Break in Chicago.

But among the Bird Olympics, Thirsty Thursdays and Big Lug patrolling the aisles and grandstands, keep your eyes open for a stray foul ball - there is a game going on, after all.