SALISBURY — Cheerwine and its hometown of Salisbury recently revealed that Katelyn Roberts, a senior at West Rowan High School, has been named the winner of the Cheerwine Festival T-shirt Design Contest, after 7,000 votes poured in from across the region.

Roberts’ design, which received more than 2,200 votes, 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/festival-contest/.

Roberts explained that 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.

As a result of her design being chose, Roberts will receive a $1,000 gift card, and a commemorative plaque from Salisbury Mayor Tamara Sheffield at a special ceremony during the festival. Kimberly Nance, Katelyn’s art teacher, will also receive $500 in new art supplies. It 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, and Lyra Swain, a ninth grader from Cumberland Academy in Fayetteville, were runners-up and will each receive a plaque from the mayor and a gift basket.

Cheerwine also announced 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 on May 17, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in downtown Salisbury.