-- The iconic soft drink will partner with the City of Salisbury to bring back their popular spring festival in May 2019 --
The family-owned soft drink Cheerwine and its hometown of Salisbury, N.C., are teaming up to bring back the annual “Cheerwine Festival” for its third consecutive year.
The free event will be held on Saturday, May 18, in downtown Salisbury from noon-10 p.m. Cheerwine fans will enjoy cold Cheerwine, live music, great Southern food, shopping for newly-debuted Cheerwine merchandise, family-friendly activities, a beer garden and local craft vendors.
A free exhibit showcasing Cheerwine’s history will be on display at the Rowan Museum, as it did for the original Cheerwine Festival celebrating the brand’s centennial in 2017. Cheerwine and its radio-station partners will also announce details of a Cheerwine scavenger hunt (details to be released mid-April).
Cheerwine and the City of Salisbury are accepting food, beer and arts and craft vendor applications at CheerwineFest.com. Cheerwine fans can also find details about the festival as they are announced on the website and by searching the hashtag #CheerwineFest on social media.
“The festival is our opportunity to celebrate Cheerwine’s 102ndyear in our hometown and our uniquely Southern roots - while creating something special for our fans,” said Joy Ritchie Harper, vice-president of marketing for Cheerwine and fifth-generation founding family member. “We’re grateful to the tens of thousands of people who show up each year, and we can’t wait for our fans to see what we’ve been working on with the City of Salisbury to make this year’s festival better than ever.”
The Cheerwine Festival has been a hugely popular addition to the City of Salisbury’s summer calendar. Prior festivals in 2017 and 2018 have 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.”
More details for the Cheerwine Festival will be available in coming weeks. For more information, visit http://cheerwinefest.com.
About 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 102-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.