Staff report

SALISBURY — So what can you expect at the May 19 Cheerwine Festival, beyond plenty of Cheerwine?

Try Cheerwine-inspired food — from Cheerwine cheesecake empanadas to Cheerwine barbecue tacos.

The Cheerwine Festival will be in downtown Salisbury from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 19. There is no admission.

Those cheesecake empanadas will come from Mambo on Ruedas; the barbecue tacos, from El Patron.

But there’s more soft drink-inspired offerings from the food vendors who will be at the festival.

You’ll be able to sample a Cheerwine smoothie (served in a pineapple) from Gripps Grills; Cheerwine doughnut holes and candy apples from Apple Babies; Cheerwine barbecue sauce from Cackalacky; and Cheerwine-infused funnel cakes, kettle corn, slushies, sno-cones and pound cakes.

At the biergarten, New Sarum Brewing Co. and Morgan Ridge Railwalk Brewery each will offer beers inspired by the Salisbury-based soft drink.

In addition, organizers announced Monday that a Cheerwine history exhibit will be on display at Rowan Public Library from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on festival day.

Musical guests will include Sister Hazel, Big Tez Sherard and the Solution Band, Cassette Rewind, Gump Fiction, Travers Brothership and Jive Mother Mary.

Craft vendors will be on hand.

A family-friendly Kids’ Zone will return from last year’s festival, which celebrated Cheerwine’s 100th birthday. An estimated 30,000 people attended the 2017 festival.

Cheerwine merchandise will be available at the festival. Sponsors are Cheerwine and the city of Salisbury.