By Samuel Motley

samuel.motley@salisburypost.com 

SALISBURY — Downtown Salisbury merchants are planning and prepping for the large crowd expected to attend Saturday’s Cheerwine Festival.

The festival will be in the downtown area from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday.

The festival began in 2017 in celebration of Cheerwine’s centennial anniversary. The 2017 and 2018 festivals brought more than 60,000 people to Salisbury, according to Angela D’Amario, a Cheerwine spokeswoman.

This year’s festival is expected to have an equal number of visitors.

Hive, a shop at 126 E. Innes St., will have a variety of Cheerwine-themed decorations and signage, said Michelle Petoney, the shop’s owner. The store will have a variety of Cheerwine merchandise for sale, she said. This includes eight Cheerwine-inspired scented candles; Cheerwine-inspired jelly, incense, soaps and body lotions; and T-shirts with a Cheerwine logo unique to the store, she said.

There will also be a booth outside with some products, she said.

Stichin’ Post, a women’s accessories shop at 104 S. Main St., is offering a wide range of Cheerwine products and merchandise, said owner Pam Coffield. The store will have Cheerwine-scented candles as well as socks, T-shirts, lanyards and koozies with Cheerwine-inspired logos.

There will also be a booth outside where patrons can browse Cheerwine merchandise.

Fuller’s Market, at 112 S. Main St., will offer cold Cheerwine in glass bottles as well as Cheerwine floats and slushies, said owner Justin Wells.

“Lots and lots of glass bottles” were purchased, Wells said.

Last year, Fuller’s bought 20 cases and sold out in less than three hours, he said. This year, he bought 75.

The market will also have a stand outside, he said.

Mean Mug’s Coffee, at 112 S. Main St, is offering Cheerwine-flavored lattes and frappuccinos, said owner Evelyn Medina. It will have the cherished Cheerwine taste, she said, but stay true to the taste of coffee.

“We have enough Cheerwine syrup to last us to the cows come home,” she said.

The cafe will also serve Cheerwine-flavored waffles on a stick.

There will also be a stand outside the shop, Medina said.

GoBurrito, at 115 W. Fisher St., will be offering Cheerwine-flavored foods, including a Cheerwine dump cake, according to its Facebook page.

An unofficial after-party is planned at the Fish Bowl, said owner Chris Ostle. A band will start playing at 10:30 p.m., the time festival headliner Smash Mouth’s concert ends, he said.

Griffin’s Guitar will be selling raffle tickets for the Vet-Traxx Project, said owner Trent Griffin. The project works to help soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder through music. Tickets are $1.

Outside the store, there will be live music, but the store itself will be closed, he said.

Sidewalk Deli will be open for business and is expecting a crowd, said owner Rick Anderson.

Spanky’s will have its whole crew working and has increased inventory — especially ice cream, said owner Monica Lefler. Spanky’s will have its usual Cheerwine-flavored ice cream for sale.

Hap’s Grill, at 116 N Main St, will be closed.

Accommodating the festival, Main Street will be closed from Bank to Liberty streets. Fisher, Innes and Council streets will be closed from Lee to Church streets.

Reporter Mark Wineka contributed to this story.

Contact reporter Samuel Motley at 704-797-4264.