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GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCBD) — The City of Goose Creek celebrated the arrival of fall Saturday with its annual Fall Festival at the Joseph S. Danning Amphitheater. The event brought families, local businesses, vendors and community organizations together for a day filled with food, entertainment and activities.

Attendees enjoyed carnival rides, live entertainment, folk dancing, singing and comedy. Families could also take part in games and face painting in a designated children’s area, with many activities offered for free. For local small businesses, the festival provided an opportunity to showcase their products and connect with potential customers.

“It means a lot the love and support and just being around people and being able to connect with people and make connections and socialize with people in different areas,” said Shakema Simmons, a vendor with Kema Cookies and Cream.

Dozens of craft and artisan vendors sold handmade goods, jewelry, toys, baked items, clothing and more. Daphne Smith, owner of Smith Butter Luxe Line, said events like the festival can help small businesses gain valuable exposure.

“Small business don’t have that rich and more … we are as small business people don’t get that exposure as much,” Smith said.

Organizers say the festival is about more than just entertainment. They say it also gives local businesses a chance to connect with the community while giving families an opportunity to make memories together.

Yuli Alcon, a special events coordinator with the City of Goose Creek, encouraged attendees to continue supporting the businesses featured at the festival.

“The takeaway is to please come back. You’re doing something amazing by supporting the local businesses, creating memories with your family,” Alcon said.

Organizers say they plan to use community feedback to make next year’s festival bigger and better.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) — Several residents in a rural neighborhood of Goose Creek have been raising concerns about potholes, roads and spotty fixes for years now.

Residents off Mapleridge Drive have been raising the alarm on large potholes and temporary fixes on the streets of Dew Avenue, Linnus Street and Paul Street. However, once Live 5 News reached out to the South Carolina Department of Transportation, the holes were filled with asphalt and some streets saw some fixes.

SCDOT said they can confirm that crews repaired potholes on Thursday along Dew Avenue, Linnus Street, Paul Street, and Mapleridge Drive in Berkeley County. Officials said they received maintenance requests from residents in the neighborhood in 2021, 2023 and 2025, and those repairs were completed promptly.

However, residents said not all the holes were always fixed, and they fear they are still just temporary fixes.

Tommy Thompson lives off Dew Avenue and was surprised to see work being done all of a sudden and wishes it wasn’t just a quick fix.

“The work they have done it’s like a band-aid job all through the three streets,” Thompson says. “It’s just going to create more problems in the long run.”

He says the potholes have put wear and tear on his vehicle.

“One of my vehicles- I’ve had to replace a motor mount on, I had to replace an oil pan, and everybody around here’s front-end alignment’s out,” Thompson says. “You get a new one; it’s out within weeks because the roads are so bad back here, and I’m up to the top of my head with this disbelief in it.

He said it’s been an ongoing issue for years now, and residents are fed up.

“We’ve been experiencing this issue for, I’d say a good five years, and we call them and they come out here for the potholes, they drop a little asphalt, then we don’t hear nothing from them,” Thompson said.

Residents in the neighborhood also allege their roads aren’t a high priority because of the ruralness of their area and the amount of trailer homes.

“Enough’s enough,” Thompson said. “Everybody back here pays state taxes just like everybody else in other neighborhoods. I know this ain’t the Taj Mahal back here, but it is state streets, and I think they should be fixed right.”

It’s also become an issue in taking care of his terminally ill sister-in-law, as they often have to have the ambulance arrive and leave their residence.

“It’s getting to the point, if I’m breaking parts on my vehicle, the ambulance and the fire trucks and all that respond back here will be breaking parts on their vehicles too,” Thompson says.

Sam Felkel is another resident in the area that believes the streets are a hazard.

“It’s dangerous as far as walking for not only the elderly but anybody,” Felkel said. “I mean, it’s dark out here at night. You can’t see. There’s holes all in the road. I mean, it’s a definite hazard.”

Residents fear the fixes will only make matters worse. When you turn onto Mapleridge Drive, there are dozens of potholes that have been filled, creating a bumpy road.

“While a little bit of asphalt they drop, it was a waste of time and manpower and paying their employees because it wasn’t worth it,” Thompson said. “And they keep dropping asphalt up there on Maple Ridge. As you turn in here, you can see there’s 40 to 50 potholes that has been repaired, and it shakes your car to death.”

Neighbors want there to be a long-term solution where a road is paved.

“The only solution for this is to repave the roads,” Felkel said. “They’ve been neglected for 30-plus years. I mean, they’ve—it’s like an old car. If you let it rust to nothing, there’s no coming in and bonding it. You’ve got to replace it.”

SCDOT says Dew Avenue was resurfaced in September 2025 and is currently being evaluated for an additional paving project.

“We are working with the Berkeley County Transportation Committee (CTC) to identify and prioritize long-term improvements for these roadways and others in Berkeley County,” a spokesperson with SCDOT said.

SCDOT said it encourages residents to be in touch with them when they have concerns about an issue in their area. Maintenance requests can be entered through SCDOT’s work order portal or by calling its Customer Service Center at 855-467-2368. They say most roadway concerns are reviewed and addressed within two business days.

Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of geese in Goose Creek. They just may not be the type of geese you’re expecting.

Sixty-six fiberglass geese are scattered throughout the city, covered in original artwork designed by local artists. They’re part of the city’s Adopt-a-Goose program, a public art initiative launched three years ago to spark community connection and encourage people to explore the area. And more artsy geese are on the way.

At The Creek Collective community center, you can find the Patch Whisky goose designed by the Charleston icon, complete with his signature monster face and pops of bright colors.

Each goose is added to the online GooseChase app, turning the statues into a citywide scavenger hunt while highlighting local organizations and artists.

Over the last few years, Goose Creek’s arts scene has grown from an effort to unleash more creativity into a broader public-art movement.

A city ordinance directs new businesses and major renovations to contribute to the public art fund or spend directly on art at their properties, allowing private development to contribute to Goose Creek’s public art landscape.

From art-wrapped traffic boxes and sanitation trucks to the vibrantly designed geese and mural-clad Graffiti Park, Goose Creek is not only a place that embraces visual expression, but one that is quintessentially a reflection of the people who call it home.

“Goose Creek has a lot of hidden gems. You just have to take the time to look for them,” said Adam Kelly, the city’s marketing manager.

If you’re looking to get to know the city a bit more or plan a visit with loved ones, here’s an overview of what’s going on in Goose Creek.

The Graffiti Park on Red Bank Road provides a rare designated location in South Carolina where legal graffiti is permitted. The spot has evolved into a place for regular community gatherings, with local artists Nate Alessandro and Tina Ballentine organizing events throughout the year. The park is also a public showcase for murals created by local area artists.

“We love seeing art become something the whole community can participate in — not just something hanging in a gallery,” Ballentine said. “For us, art has always been about more than just the finished piece. It's about the experience, the people you meet and the connections you make along the way.”

The Creek Collective, Goose Creek’s first dedicated art exhibition facility, opened in a building that replaced the former Little White Wedding Chapel. It hosts rotating exhibitions and classes ranging from mahjong and cooking to Lowcountry painting. It can also be rented for weddings, parties and other gatherings, making it both an arts venue and community event space.

It's open for public viewing 1-6 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Upcoming exhibitions include the work of artist and author Christine Johnson, the Goose Creek Artists Guild annual show, and exhibitions featuring art by Ty Davis and Demetrius Bing.

For first-time visitors, Central Creek Park is a good introduction to the city. The inclusive park was designed to accommodate children and adults with special needs and offers a range of family recreation.

The Joseph S. Daning Amphitheater has hosted artists ranging from Plain White T’s to Better Than Ezra, and the community piano recently added to the stage is available for anyone to come play.

“It’s just another little way we’re seeing the arts take on a life of their own in the Creek,” Kelly said.

The Central Creek Farmers Market is held annually March through November on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at Central Creek Park from 4 to 7 p.m., with a final holiday market held the third Saturday of November.

John McCants Veterans Park, complete with a playground, plaza and dog park, incorporates art into several unexpected places. The dog park features selfie stations painted seasonally by Allesandro and Ballentine, and a hand-painted rainbow bridge created by members of the Cultural Arts Commission offers a place to remember lost pets.

The nearby Food Forest is also home to Goose Creek’s first sculpture garden, featuring six works carved from fallen trees by Greenville artist Edwin Hutchinson.

Goose Creek is always finding ways to turn “ordinary spaces into meaningful experiences,” said Barbara Richardson, art director for the city of Goose Creek.

Her vision for the future of the art scene in Goose Creek is very simple: growth.

“I want to see our artists have even more opportunities to display their talents,” Richardson said. “I want our public spaces to become even more vibrant. And I want our programs to spread beyond our city limits and inspire other communities to find their own creative identities.”

Since the city’s founding in 1961, art has increasingly become part of its daily life and civic identity. And perhaps nothing captures that shift better than the growing debate over a very Goose Creek question: Which goose is your favorite?