SALISBURY — Cheerwine fans can now submit their original artwork for a chance to have their design featured on the official 2021 festival T-shirt to be sold and worn by thousands.

Through July 1, fans can enter their submissions inspired by the 104-year-old soft drink at cheerwine.com/festival-contest. A panel of judges, chosen by the Cheerwine Festival committee, will select the best five eligible entries to be voted on by the public. The winning design will be announced in early August.

The winner will receive a one-night stay at the Salisbury Hampton Inn, a gift basket loaded with Cheerwine swag, including four festival tees and Downtown Dollars to spend at the festival.

“We have some of the greatest, most passionate fans around, and the T-shirt design contest is a way for them to express their enthusiasm for Cheerwine visually,” Joy Ritchie Harper, vice-president of marketing for Cheerwine, said in a news release. “We received an overwhelming response last year, and look forward to all the creative entries this year.”

After thousands of online votes were tallied last year, Johnathan Marcus Woods, a student at the University of Tennessee, won the inaugural 2020 Cheerwine Festival T-shirt design contest.

For the full list of official contest rules, visit: cheerwine.com/festival-contest.

Slated for Saturday, Sept. 18, this year’s Cheerwine Festival will return to the streets of downtown Salisbury. Anticipating a full-scale festival, Cheerwine will announce additional details in the coming months, including musical acts, family-friendly activities, philanthropic beneficiary and participating vendors.

In 2020, Cheerwine and the city of Salisbury pivoted from the in-person outdoor and instead hosted a virtual celebration for fans to enjoy from the comfort of home. Due to the virtual event’s success, the North Carolina Recreation and Parks Association presented the city of Salisbury with an Innovative Program Award, which recognizes a program or special event for the benefits that it provides to the community, economy or environment.

For more information about the 2021 Cheerwine Festival, go to cheerwine.com/festival/ or the official 5th Annual Cheerwine Festival Facebook event page.