The 2019 Cheerwine Festival returns to Salisbury, N.C., to celebrate the Carolinas’ tastes, sounds and culture

Cheerwine and the City of Salisbury’s third annual festival to feature Smash Mouth, legendary Carolina food, free family-friendly activities and more

Cheerwine, the iconic family-owned soft drink, and its hometown of Salisbury, N.C., will host the biggest “Cheerwine Festival” ever in its third consecutive year. The free event is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, in downtown Salisbury from noon-10 p.m.

Music will be front and center, with multi-platinum band Smash Mouth – best known for its hit song “All Star.”

In addition, two Carolina-based bands, Livehouse and StellaRising, and Nashville-based band The Southern Gothic will perform on the Hotwire Communication Stage.

Attendees will also enjoy a variety of street performers, known as “buskers,” including: Blazin’ Blues Bob, Lucas Beam, David Myers & Courtney Puckett, Kia Rice, Takia Cuthbertson and Lisette Rodriguez.  

A ‘Uniquely Southern’ Salisbury event

Cheerwine fans will enjoy ice-cold Cheerwine, live music, great Southern food, shopping, family-friendly activities, a beer garden and local craft vendors.  Attendees can:

·       Sample the delicious flavors of the Carolinas, free of charge.
Festival-goers can enjoy the ‘tastes of the Carolinas,’ compliments of Food Lion. Participating brands include:

o   Hushpuppies from House-Autry

o   Cheerwine floats from Mooresville Ice Cream

o   Cheerwine barbecue sauce from Cackalacky

o   Freshly baked biscuits from Renwood Mills

·       Explore the City of Salisbury while scavenger-hunting for clues.
(Noon-6 p.m.) For the first time, Cheerwine will host a scavenger hunt, with fans searching for clues all over downtown Salisbury for a chance to win prizes. To participate, attendees can visit the Cheerwine Fan Club tent at the festival.

·       Discover Cheerwine’s history at the Rowan Museum.
(Noon-5 p.m.) Back for the first time since the brand’s centennial celebration in 2017, the Rowan Museum’s free Cheerwine exhibit will take fans on a walk through the soft drink’s last 102 years of delighting taste buds.

·       Play at the F&M Bank Kids’ Zone.
(All day) The Kids’ Zone will feature tons of family-friendly games and activities.

·       Shop for Cheerwine merchandise.
(All day) Brand-new Cheerwine items will be available for purchase at the festival.  

·       Enjoy food, drinks and crafts from local vendors.
(All day) All food, beverage and craft vendors will be announced in early April. Cheerwine fans can watch for updates on CheerwineFest.com and on the official Facebook event page.

About the Cheerwine Festival

“We’re grateful to the tens of thousands of Cheerwine fans who joined us last year, and can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve got planned for 2019’s festival,” said Joy Ritchie Harper, vice-president of marketing for Cheerwine and fifth-generation founding family member. “We’re proud of our Carolina roots, and we co-host this event with the City of Salisbury to celebrate the region’s uniquely southern tastes, sounds, culture and amazing people.”

The 2017 and 2018 Cheerwine Festivals resulted in a cumulative $1.5 million boost to the city’s economy, with more than 60,000 attendees taking to the streets to celebrate the beloved local soft drink.

“Salisbury is proud to be the birthplace of Cheerwine. The soft drink company has called our city home for more than a hundred years,” said Salisbury Mayor Al Heggins. “We're delighted to present this third annual celebration of all things Salisbury and Cheerwine, and we're looking forward to welcoming Salisburians and visitors alike.”

For more information about the Cheerwine Festival, visit http://cheerwinefest.com.