Goldsboro waives $400 fee for Red Goldsboro Road Run after discussion on downtown impacts

Goldsboro — The Goldsboro City Council voted unanimously Dec. 1 to waive a $400 Tier 4 fee for the Red Goldsboro Road Run and permit the event to use Center Street on March 28, 2026, after discussing logistics and downtown business impacts.

Scott Edwards, representing the Red Goldsboro Road Run and Sunrise Kiwanis, told the council the event has been held for 47 years and raises funds for "the children and youth of Wayne County." He asked the council to allow the race to start and finish on Center Street and to waive the $400 fee. "We're the second oldest event in the state of North Carolina on a road run," Edwards said, describing typical attendance of about 220 runners and a finish-by-noon cleanup timeline.

Council members raised concerns about closing Center Street for downtown businesses, parking disruptions and precedent for waiving fees. One council member noted the city had denied a similar request from another organizer the prior year; that comment prompted multiple colleagues to say event size and legacy status factor into waiver decisions. Council discussed options to reopen portions of Center Street earlier in the morning and to preserve a parking lot near John Street for businesses.

The motion approved the waiver as an in-kind sponsorship with stipulations for event logistics; council directed staff to coordinate closures and parking with the police department and downtown businesses. Council also asked staff to consider whether a written policy or a designated weekend should be developed to manage future downtown events and fee waivers.

What happens next: Parks & Recreation and police staff will finalize traffic control, parking access and reopening schedules with the race organizers. Council indicated any long-term policy on waivers should be considered separately.