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Ten Carolinian high schoolers chosen as finalists in Cheerwine Festival t-shirt design contest

Ten Carolinian high schoolers chosen as finalists in Cheerwine Festival t-shirt design contest

The student-artists captured their love for the Carolinas through creative designs


Cheerwine, the South’s favorite cherry soda, and its hometown of Salisbury are thrilled to announce the 10 finalists in the eagerly anticipated Cheerwine Festival t-shirt design contest, showcasing the talent and creativity of high school students across the Carolinas.

To celebrate the spirit of the Carolinas, Cheerwine invited high school students from North and South Carolina to submit original artwork expressing their love for their home state.

A panel of judges, including Mayor Karen Alexander of Salisbury;  Vivian Koontz, events coordinator for the City of Salisbury; Joy Ritchie Harper, vice president of marketing and fifth generation founding family member at Cheerwine; Andy Corbett, senior creative manager for Cheerwine; and Amanda Nesbitt, the 2023 t-shirt contest design winner, carefully selected the top 10 entries from a pool of submissions.

From now through March 25, the public is invited to cast their votes for their favorite design at: https://cheerwine.com/festival-contest/. The grand prize winner and two runners-up will be unveiled in April, with a special recognition ceremony to be held during this year’s Festival.

The finalists are:

  • Elijah Gulledge (11th grade): West Rowan High School (Mount Ulla, N.C.)
  • Bernice Huerte (10th grade): Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy (Raleigh, N.C.)
  • Nicholas Smith (9th grade): West Rowan High School (Mount Ulla, N.C.)
  • Annika Elmquist (9th grade): North Wake College & Career Academy (Wake Forest, N.C)
  • Sophia Cabrera (9th grade): Central Cabarrus High School (Concord, N.C.)
  • Isabella Dugarte-Carrasco (11th grade): Philip J. Weaver Academy (Greensboro, N.C.)
  • Rachel Owens (12th grade): East Rowan High School (Salisbury, N.C.)
  • Isabella Marlow (11th grade): Jesse C. Carson High School (China Grove, N.C.)
  • Carter Coon (10th grade): Northeast Guilford High School (McLeansville, N.C.)
  • Hope Hamilton (10th grade): East Rowan High School (Salisbury, N.C.)

"We were overwhelmed with the incredible response from students showing their Carolina pride," says Harper. "We thank the teachers, administrators and talented young artists who contributed their time and creativity to this contest, and we look forward to unveiling the finalists' designs and seeing which one is chosen to become the official artwork of this year’s Festival.”

The winner will receive a $1,000 gift card, a commemorative plaque presented by Mayor Alexander and additional prizes, while the winning student's teacher will be awarded $500 towards new art supplies.

This year’s Cheerwine Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, from noon to 10 p.m.

The Festival promises a delightful experience for the whole family, featuring live entertainment, Cheerwine-inspired cuisine and beverages, arts and crafts, engaging activities for kids and much more.

For more information on the Festival, please visit: cheerwine.com/festival. Fans can also find details as they are announced by searching the hashtag #CheerwineFest on social media.

Cheerwine: Uniquely Southern

Created in 1917 by L.D. Peeler, Cheerwine is a one-of-a-kind soft drink with a unique cherry flavor. It is an iconic brand from Salisbury, North Carolina. Owned by the Carolina Beverage Corporation, the 107-year-old company is still privately owned and managed by the same founding family, five generations of whom have worked there. Cliff Ritchie leads Cheerwine as president and CEO. Available in supermarkets, restaurants, mass merchandisers and convenience stores in select states nationwide and cheerwine.com. For more information, follow Cheerwine on Facebook at facebook.com/cheerwine or on Twitter and Instagram @drinkcheerwine.

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Monthly Newsletter

 TitleDescription
04/2025Statewide Litter Sweep, Fair Housing Month, BlockWork Call For Neighborhoods, Sidewalk Poetry Call For Poets, Paint the Pavement Call for Artists
03/2025Cheerwine Festival T-Shirt Contest, Spring Spruce Up Week, Protect Your Water Bill, Pilot Traffic Circle
02/2025Tips For Cold Weather, Cheerwine Festival on May 17, Join A City Board, Tree Give-A-Away
01/2025Downtown Winners, BlockWork T-Shirt Contest, MLK Weekend, Wine About Winter, Leaf Collection, Recycling Calendar
12/2024Holiday Contests | Spruce Up Week | Sculpture Show Call For Artists | Empire Hotel Phase 1
11/2024Holiday Events | Safe Shopping Tips | Toss The Grease | Greenway Committee | 130 S. Main St. Survey
10/2024Halloween Safety Tips | Sculpture Show Call For Neighborhoods | Recycling Do's and Don'ts | Leaf Collection Guidelines and Map | Fall Spruce Up Week
09/2024Downtown Sewer Rehab | BrewFest at BTG | BlockWork Volunteers | Neighborhood Beautification Grant | Legacy Mural
08/2024Take A Tree Tour | Officer Awarded For Saving Baby | Sculptures in the Spotlight | Go Out on a limb for the Tree Board
08/2024Take A Tree Tour | Officer Awarded For Saving Baby | Sculptures in the Spotlight | Go Out on a limb for the Tree Board
05/2024Cheerwine Festival: Band Lineup, T-Shirt Contest Winner, Free Shuttles, Safety Guidelines and Ways to Stay Connected.
05/2024Cheerwine Festival: Band Lineup, T-Shirt Contest Winner, Free Shuttles, Safety Guidelines and Ways to Stay Connected.
01/2024Holiday Decor Contest Winners | MLK Celebration Weekend | Tour Wines and Downtown | Beautify Your Neighborhood!
01/2024Holiday Decor Contest Winners | MLK Celebration Weekend | Tour Wines and Downtown | Beautify Your Neighborhood!
12/2023Public Art | Holiday Decor Contest | Main Street Project | Winter Spruce Up Week
11/2023Holiday Events | Toss The Grease | Housing Survey | Bike Giveaway | Sculpture Show
11/2023Holiday Events | Toss The Grease | Housing Survey | Bike Giveaway | Sculpture Show
09/2023Rowan Creek Week | Leaf Collection | BlockWork Volunteers | New Deputy City Manager | Bell Tower Brewfest
04/2023Donations for Homeless | City Election Process | Landscape of the Month | Main Street Awards| Spring Spruce Up
03/2023Beautify Salisbury - Litter Sweeps, BlockWork, Adopt-A-Street, We Dig Salisbury | Cheerwine Festival | Salisbury311
01/2023Downtown Decor Displays Holiday Spirit | MLK Celebration | Humanitarian Nominations | Wine About Winter Tickets On Sale | Reader Survey
01/2023Downtown Decor Displays Holiday Spirit | MLK Celebration | Humanitarian Nominations | Wine About Winter Tickets On Sale | Reader Survey
01/2023Downtown Decor Displays Holiday Spirit | MLK Celebration | Humanitarian Nominations | Wine About Winter Tickets On Sale | Reader Survey
10/2022Tips for Trick-or-Treaters | United Way Rowan | Crime Prevention Month | 4th Cultivating Community Conversations | Leaf Collection
10/2022Tips for Trick-or-Treaters | United Way Rowan | Crime Prevention Month | 4th Cultivating Community Conversations | Leaf Collection
10/2022Tips for Trick-or-Treaters | United Way Rowan | Crime Prevention Month | 4th Cultivating Community Conversations | Leaf Collection
10/2022Tips for Trick-or-Treaters | United Way Rowan | Crime Prevention Month | 4th Cultivating Community Conversations | Leaf Collection
10/2022Tips for Trick-or-Treaters | United Way Rowan | Crime Prevention Month | 4th Cultivating Community Conversations | Leaf Collection
10/2022Tips for Trick-or-Treaters | United Way Rowan | Crime Prevention Month | 4th Cultivating Community Conversations | Leaf Collection
08/2022Kudos To Lifeguards | Grant to Fund Flood, Road Sensors | Funds for Family Water Bills | City Awarded For Good Health
08/2022Kudos To Lifeguards | Grant to Fund Flood, Road Sensors | Funds for Family Water Bills | City Awarded For Good Health
08/2022Kudos To Lifeguards | Grant to Fund Flood, Road Sensors | Funds for Family Water Bills | City Awarded For Good Health
08/2022Kudos To Lifeguards | Grant to Fund Flood, Road Sensors | Funds for Family Water Bills | City Awarded For Good Health
08/2022Kudos To Lifeguards | Grant to Fund Flood, Road Sensors | Funds for Family Water Bills | City Awarded For Good Health
03/2022Cheerwine Festival Returns | 5 Ways to Pay Your BIll | SPD Receives Grant | Spring Spruce Up Week
06/2021Summer Camps | Transit Director Award | Hurricane Tips | Wine About Winter
06/2021Summer Camps | Transit Director Award | Hurricane Tips | Wine About Winter
06/2021Summer Camps | Transit Director Award | Hurricane Tips | Wine About Winter
01/2021Holiday Storefront Winners, Celebrate MLK, Main St. Plan, Nominate A Local Hero, Funds For Fire Suppression
12/2020SRU Exceeds Water Standard | Bring On 2021 Virtual New Year's Eve | Public Input Wanted
10/2020ACCESS16 Now WSRG-TV | Voting Coming Up Fast | Volunteer For BlockWork | RCUW Donates Cameras To SPD
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07/2020Citizen's Academy | Mobile Recreation | Keep Our Parks Beautiful | Recycling Can Swap | Employee Spotlight
07/2020Citizen's Academy | Mobile Recreation | Keep Our Parks Beautiful | Recycling Can Swap | Employee Spotlight
07/2020Citizen's Academy | Mobile Recreation | Keep Our Parks Beautiful | Recycling Can Swap | Employee Spotlight
01/2020EDK Nominations | Runner-Friendly Community | Start/Change Water Services | Cheerwine Applications | Employee Spotlight | Winterize Your Pipes | Winter Spruce Up
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08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
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07/2019Keep Salisbury Beautiful | Save The Date for Cheerwine Fest 2020 | Back To School | National Night Out | Beat the Summer Heat
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07/2019Keep Salisbury Beautiful | Save The Date for Cheerwine Fest 2020 | Back To School | National Night Out | Beat the Summer Heat
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05/2019Look Behind the Scenes | Cheerwine Festival | BlockWork Accepting Applications | #FeelingCuteChallenge | Watch Your Water Usage with EyeOnWater
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04/2019Festival Music Lineup | Locals Receive EDK Awards | Business with the City | SPD Foot Pursuit 5K | City Nature Challenge
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02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
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02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
01/2019EDK Nominations | Holiday Storefront Awards | Celebrating MLK Weekend | Employee Spotlight | Winter Spruce Up Week | Transit Survey | New Tools Keeps An Eye On Water

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