Cheerwine Festival Pours Out Over $6.3M in Economic Impact for Rowan County

Celebrating a Record-Breaking Year While Looking Ahead to May 17, 2025

Each spring, tens of thousands of visitors flock to downtown Salisbury for a fizzy celebration like no other — the Cheerwine Festival. Born from Salisbury’s deep roots as the hometown of the iconic soft drink, the festival has grown into a major economic driver and a vibrant display of community pride.

According to Rowan County Tourism, the 2024 Cheerwine Festival brought an estimated 100,000+ attendees downtown and generated a total economic impact of $6,314,495. With roughly 65% of visitors coming from outside Rowan County, the festival continues to serve as a powerful tourism magnet, drawing fans from across the state and beyond.

“The Cheerwine Festival is a powerful reminder of what can happen when we celebrate a true hometown original,” said Rod Crider, Rowan EDC President. “Beyond the visitors it draws and the boost to our local economy, it reflects the spirit of Rowan County — creative, collaborative, and proud of our roots. We’re honored to support an event that continues to elevate our region and showcase what it means to ‘Be an Original.’”

Behind the Bubbles: The 2024 Festival by the Numbers

In response to 2023 feedback, the City of Salisbury expanded the festival footprint and added additional food vendors to keep lines moving. Here’s a look at just how big 2024 really was:

• 120 total vendors, including 46 food vendors, 48 craft vendors, and 12 North Carolina breweries
• Vendors traveled from as far as Manassas and Goode, Virginia
• Crowd estimates topped 100,000 attendees for the second year in a row
• A redesigned layout around Bell Tower Green improved walkability, reduced crossover lines, and added space for relaxing and dining

And the food numbers speak for themselves:

• The Old 97 Kettlecorn Company popped over 614 lbs. of popcorn
• WOWZA BBQ sold 1,150 lbs. of barbecue
• GOLDENKDOG sold 1,300 Korean corndogs
• Mr. Cone Ice Cream served up 1,000 cones and Cheerwine floats
• Teachers Can, Too! sold 395 jars of jam, jelly, and apple butter
• SnoBiz of Granite Quarry went through 60 blocks of ice
• Vita Da Pizza baked 510 pizzas and filled 337 cannoli
• Romesburg Family Farm sold between 160–180 bars of soap

Whether they came for the food, the floats, or just the fizzy fun, visitors found plenty to love — and spend on — at this year’s event.​

Vivian Koontz, Event Coordinator for Salisbury Parks & Recreation and the lead planner behind the Cheerwine Festival, reflected on what makes the event so meaningful from her perspective:

“The most rewarding part of the day is once everything is up and running – set up is finished, all vendors are in, the bands have started playing and the crowds mingling about – I step back for a few minutes to really take it all in. Seeing months and months and months of non-stop meetings and planning and sleepless nights all come together in this moment where we are able to showcase our amazing community to tens of thousands of visitors who choose to join us for the day to celebrate a Salisbury icon, make lasting memories and have an amazing time – that is what it is all about!”

Looking Ahead: May 17, 2025

This year’s Cheerwine Festival is set to deliver another incredible day of music, food, fun, and fizzy nostalgia — all in downtown Salisbury. Enjoy exclusive live performances from noon to 7 p.m. on the Biscuitville Back Porch stage, thanks to our official band sponsor, Biscuitville:

• Noon – 1:15 p.m. | Caroline Keller Band
• 1:45 – 3:00 p.m. | Liam Pendergrass Trio
• 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. | Next Level Band
• 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Boy Band Review

Whether you’re into country, soul, pop, or pure boy band throwbacks, there’s something for every music lover in the lineup.

Stay the Night & Get Rewarded

Planning to join us from out of town? Take advantage of Rowan County Tourism’s Cheerwine Festival Stay & Play Package:

Book your overnight stay in a Rowan County hotel on VisitRowanCountyNC.com during the Cheerwine Festival (May 17, 2025), and receive a VISA e-Gift Card equal to 50% of your stay.
Here’s how it works:

• Book your hotel through the Visit Rowan County website
• Check in at your hotel during the festival weekend
• Receive your VISA e-Gift Card by email upon check-in

Don’t wait — this special offer ends May 13, 2025, and cannot be combined with other promotions.

Raising a Toast to Cheerwine

With its unique blend of small-town charm, Southern hospitality, and fizzy fun, the Cheerwine Festival continues to be a highlight on Rowan County’s event calendar — and a powerful contributor to its economic success.

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