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The Cheerwine Festival returns to Salisbury

The festival in downtown Salisbury promises to serve a sweet taste of Southern hospitality.

An aerial shot of downtown Salisbury with thousands of people on the streets for a street festival.

The Cheerwine Festival draws ~60,000 people to downtown Salisbury every year.

Photo via City of Salisbury

Three cheers for Cheerwine. The annual Cheerwine Festival returns this weekend, celebrating the uniquely southern soft drink in its hometown of Salisbury, North Carolina.

When + Where?

  • Saturday, May 18 — 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Center of the festival will be at the cross of Main and Innes streets

Ready to party? Cheerwine enthusiasts and first-time visitors alike will discover hundreds of vendors, musical performances, Cheerwine-themed merchandise, food, drinks, and more.

The Cheerwine Festival is free to attend. Editor’s note: — Bring extra spending money to visit the vendors.

The inaugural festival began in 2017 to celebrate Cheerwine’s 100th anniversary. The event was an incredible success, with tens of thousands of people from across the Carolinas converging in the city. In 2018, the festival doubled in size to include nearly all of the downtown area.

An artist's street map of downtown Salisbury.

The City of Salisbury will offer complimentary shuttle service for festival-goers — running from 11:40 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Photo via City of Salisbury

Attractions

  • Cheerwine-inspired food and drinks from 50+ vendors + two beer gardens featuring 10 Cheerwine-infused beers
  • Food Lion’s “Taste of Carolina Originals” offering free samples from regional favorites like Cackalacky and Cook Out
  • Arts and crafts — including Cheerwine merchandise from over 100 artisans and vendors
  • Family-friendly activities + games
  • A Cheerwine history exhibit at the Rowan Museum
  • Free trolley tours highlighting historic downtown landmarks
A music band performs with lights and smoke on the stage.

The Cheerwine Festival draws local, up-and-coming bands to award-winning musical artists.

Photo via the City of Salisbury

Live Music Lineup
What’s a party without music? Visitors can look forward to these performances from 2 to 10 p.m: