High school students across the Carolinas named finalists in 2025 Cheerwine Festival T-shirt Design Contest
SALISBURY, N.C. – Cheerwine and its hometown of Salisbury are excited to reveal Katelyn Roberts, a senior at West Rowan High School, has been named the winner of the Cheerwine Festival T-shirt Design Contest, after an overwhelming 7,000 votes poured in from across the region.
Roberts’ design, which received over 2,200 votes, beautifully captures the spirit of North Carolina. In a postcard-inspired style, the artwork features imagery such as a cardinal, dogwood flower, state landmarks and Cheerwine, all paired with the cheerful salutation, “Greetings from North Carolina.” Fans can preorder the t-shirt by visiting cheerwine.com/
Roberts explains she included parts of North Carolina to show how far Cheerwine extends through the community and incorporated vintage ads and Cheerwine’s original factory to highlight its deep roots in the state’s history.
Roberts will receive a $1,000 gift card, a commemorative plaque from Salisbury Mayor Tamara Sheffield at a special ceremony during the Festival, a gift basket and more. Kimberly Nance, Katelyn’s art teacher, will receive $500 in new art supplies. This marks the second consecutive year a student from Nance’s class won the contest.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better response to our call for designs, and the students and teachers across North and South Carolina delivered with a range of creative submissions,” says Joy Ritchie Harper, vice president of marketing and a fifth-generation member of Cheerwine’s founding family. “We’re grateful to everyone who participated and voted for this year’s design.”
Cheerwine invited high school students to submit original artwork showing their Carolina pride. A panel of judges chose the top 10 finalists for public voting.
Isabella Dugarte-Carrasco, a senior from Philip J. Weaver Academy in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Lyra Swain, a ninth grader from Cumberland Academy in Fayetteville, North Carolina, were runners-up and will each receive a plaque from the mayor and a gift basket.
Cheerwine is also pleased to announce this year’s musical headliner. Boy Band Review, presented by Biscuitville, is the top boy band tribute show in the country and will entertain fans with a high-energy mix of ’90s and early 2000s hits. Additional musical performers include Carolina Keller Band, Liam Pendergrass Trio and Next Level Band.
This year’s event will feature the Food Lion Carolina Brands area, where attendees can sample a variety of favorites. Highlights include CLUTCH Coffee Bar’s new Cheerwine Mocha and Cheerwine Energy drinks, Mast General Stores’ popular Cheerwine Chocolate Bars and Cackalacky’s Cheerwine BBQ Sauce.
The youngest festival-goers will enjoy the F&M Bank Fun Zone, a dedicated area with activities just for kids. Plus, Novant Health, the official healthcare provider of the Cheerwine Festival, will be on-site to help ensure everyone has a safe, enjoyable time.
The Cheerwine Festival will be held Saturday, May 17, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in downtown Salisbury.
For more information on the Festival, please visit: cheerwine.com/festival. Fans can also find details as they are announced by searching the hashtag #CheerwineFest on social media
Previous Coverage:
SALISBURY, N.C. – Cheerwine, the South’s favorite cherry soda, and its hometown of Salisbury are excited to unveil the 10 finalists in this year’s Cheerwine Festival T-Shirt Design Contest.
The contest, an annual tradition celebrating North and South Carolina’s heritage, culture and creativity, invited high school students to put their artistic skills to the test, creating unique designs that capture Cheerwine’s essence, embody the spirit of being uniquely Southern and celebrate Carolina pride.
A panel of judges, including Salisbury Mayor Tamara Sheffield, Vivian Koontz, events coordinator for the City of Salisbury, and Joy Ritchie Harper, vice president of marketing and fifth-generation founding family member at Cheerwine, selected the top 10 entries from over 150 submissions representing 35 schools across the Carolinas.
From now through March 21, the public is invited to vote for their favorite design at: https://cheerwine.com/
The winner and two runners-up will be announced in April, with a special recognition ceremony to be held during this year’s Festival.
The finalists are:
-
Addison Lambert, Rockwell, N.C., East Rowan High School (10th grade)
-
Cailey Ludwig, Gold Hill, N.C., East Rowan High School (11th grade)
-
Eden Vander Ploeg, Moore, S.C., Dorman Freshman Campus (9th grade)
-
Elenore Sisson, Myrtle Beach, S.C., Socastee High School (9th grade)
-
Elijah Gulledge, Salisbury, N.C., West Rowan High School (12th grade)
-
Elizabeth Linker, Greensboro, N.C., Weaver Academy (10th grade)
-
Isabella Dugarte-Carrasco, Greensboro, N.C., Weaver Academy (12th grade)
-
Katelyn Roberts, Salisbury, N.C., West Rowan High School (12th grade)
-
Lyra Swain, Fayetteville, N.C., Cumberland Academy (9th grade)
-
Samantha Culler, Winston-Salem, N.C., John F. Kennedy High School (10th grade)
“We continue to be amazed by the passion and creativity students bring to this contest,” says Harper. “This year’s finalists brought the region’s spirit to life through vibrant and imaginative designs. We’re grateful to the teachers, administrators and young artists who make this possible, and we can’t wait to see which design will represent this year’s Festival!”
The winner will receive a $1,000 gift card, a commemorative plaque presented by Salisbury’s mayor and additional prizes, while the winning student’s teacher will win $500 for new art supplies.
This year’s Cheerwine Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 17.
For more information on the festival click here.
