The gates to the 156th Annual Georgia State Fair opened in Macon Saturday.

The week long event is being held during the spring at Central City Park for the second time consecutively this year. It features food, face painting, live entertainment, rides and more, Don Johstono, the fair's organizer, said Saturday.

Johstono says because of years of declining attendance, the event has lost money.  He hopes changes this year attract more visitors.

"We have a totally different layout this year," he said, "I think most people that come down are going to be really surprised at what they see and I think they're going to like it."

This year's fair was set up to look more like an amusement or theme park, according to Johstono.  He says the new layout increases security and allows visitors to park closer to the fair entrance.

More than 100 runners and walkers laced up early Saturday morning to kick-off the Georgia State Fair.

They dashed for the finish line and enjoyed the first glimpse of the fair.  Danny Thompson with the Macon Exchange Club says proceeds from the race will go towards child abuse prevention.

Winners won trophies in different categories, according to age and gender. Some competitors say the early race is worth helping the cause.

"Just being able to help people is fantastic and even if I am not doing it directly and if I can help out people that are helping people that is great to," said Jacqueline Hunsicker of Warner Robins.

This is the second annual road race.

One Paul That’s All

One of the first guys I met at The Juliette Opry was a guy named Paul Heath. Born in the Macon area, he went to high school in Forsyth at Monroe Academy, Then after a 20-year hitch in the U.S. navy as a Sub-Mariner, he returned home.

I should have known something would be different about him, All that Haze gray and underway stuff I understand, I was a sailor myself, but under the ocean I don’t get it. Never could work up the courage for that, but that’s another story.