Absolutely loved this ballon fest! We only went on Saturday and tickets online were $25 but kids…read moreunder 6 were free! We got there at 7:30am so parking was super easy! Definitely get the parking pass ($15), totally worth it especially if you have a young kiddo like we did. Parking and the event is in a grassy field. We packed water, snacks, blankets and even clothes to change when it warmed up in the afternoon. We planned to stay for the morning balloons and the afternoon balloons so we were prepared. The balloons were so cool. And we were really close. They also did tethered balloon rides and balloon flights for purchase. There were plenty of food stands , drinks areas and vendors. There was also a kids area with shows, bounce houses and hay bails for chilling. They only had porta-potties but never had to wait in line. They also do a night glow and for $2 you could walk inside a balloon getting inflated. This was such a fun family-friendly event with great photo opps. There were a lot of people but never felt overly crowded. We will be making this a family tradition!

Phenomenal event, not too crowded, great for families and couples. Do not miss this annual event.read more

This was my first time going to the Greek Festival and the only thing I'm so upset about is why…read morehaven't I been before!! The Greek festival took place at the Greek church in Winston they had a variety of foods and activities all throughout the area! I got the Greek pizza, Loukoumades, spanikopita and potato wedges! The place was pretty packed as today was opening day. Parking is all the way down right by the church just follow the signs. I will say I got lucky with mine and there's a couple parking spots before you really start getting towards the church. Under the tent area is where you can find the entrees, and in the gymnasium area it's the lunch specials and Greek pastries and some dessert options too.

This year's festival was busier than ever but well organized. Parking was extremely difficult and…read moreinconvenient but it's outside their control, just be prepared. The lines for food appeared long but moved quickly. Gyros were superior to those served at the Greensboro Greek Fest. The market had so many gorgeous products and fantastic foods, including a buffet of flavored olives oils. I am deaf and the speaker volume was too intense even for me, but I'm sure they were trying to compensate for crowd noise. It was a miserable hit and humid day but the cold Greek beers and baklava ice cream kept us going to enjoy the festivities.

We went to the festival on Saturday evening and it was a great experience. We were able to find…read moreparking a block away so that was convenient. To purchase food from the booths you had to purchase tickets. One ticket was the equivalent of $1. Wrist bands for beer were also $1. There were tons of options for food. BBQ, sandwiches, sausage, wings, spring rolls, tacos, desserts, ice cream, the list goes on. I really liked the variety. It allowed everyone to get something to their liking. We wanted to try a couple different things so my boyfriend and I grabbed a couple different items to share. We got a hickory smoked slider and mac and cheese from Camel City BBQ, spring rolls and wings from Milner's, and a wrap from Bib's. Everything was really good! We brought chairs and a blanket to sit down and were able to find a nice place in the shade to sit down. We stayed long enough to enjoy Bob Margolin's hour long set and have our dinner. There were a lot of people there but it wasn't so overly crowded that you couldn't move through the crowded smoothly and the wait for the food booths wasn't very long at all. Overall it was a great experience.

How I managed to live in North Carolina this long and not know we had a Cheerwine Festival is mind…read moreboggling to me. This was my first year attending the event. It was advertised that you could take a train to Salisbury, NC and then the festival was in walking distance. If you drove, you'd have to look for parking in the area and walk to the event. My friend and I arrived around noon. This. Was a good time, but in the fire I'd ago In my opinion they spaced out the different vendors well so it wasn't too crowded. You were able to move through the areas easily. At times, you would have to wait for people to move, but this is expected with any festival. I liked that their website listed the vendor participating and if the vendor created a Cheerwine themed item/dish. I believe it would've ben helpful it their website also included a map of where each vendor was so you could head to the vendor you wanted immediately. There was a main location at the festival that sold Cheerwine merchandise such as: beach towels, stickers, hats, t-shirts, and displays. They had a cash and card line. Some vendors took cash, but not all so it is good to have both on you. There were live performances occurring in their center city park. I was not prepared well for the event as I literally decided to go day of. In the future I'll make sure to pack a lawn towel or small chair to sit in the park and come earlier in the day when the event first starts so it's not as hot outside.

Bottom line: The Cheerwine Festival in Salisbury is a busy and popular street festival to celebrate…read morethe regional soft drink favorite. Saw lots of Cheerwine merch/logos everywhere but not Cheerwine itself. This festival is extremely crowded and there are long lines for absolutely everything, do know that going into this one. Bring cash, you'll need it. The Deets: My friends and I made plans to hit the The Cheerwine Festival in Salisbury, NC this year. Cheerwine is a local/regional soft drink favorite, a black cherry flavored soda. Cheerwine has been made since 1917 and has been produced by the same family in North Carolina for all those years (big accomplishment in the food/beverage industry). I've been a Cheerwine fan since childhood so I was up for going to a festival bearing its name. We went down and back on Amtrak as there is a train station near to the downtown area the festival is held. I recommend going by train if possible as finding parking is not that easy for this event. Salisbury is not a huge town so you would expect that to be so. If you are not a fan of big crowds and long lines, then this festival is not for you. This festival is very "people-y" and there are long lines for EVERYTHING...food, beer/beverages, merchandise, craft/art/novelty items, cash machines (bring cash, most things here are not cheap)...everything. Of course the sound stage had a crowd around it as well. We even ducked into a local bottle shop to find some peace (see my prior review for this business) which we indeed found. My pics I took are from a pocket of peace I found outside of the crowded area. Of note, I did see that there were plenty of port-a-potties everywhere, even down alleys between buildings. While I saw Cheerwine logos and merchandise a-plenty at the festival, I really can't recall seeing any actual Cheerwine itself. Sad face. Lots of beer opportunities...not Cheerwine though. If you love those crowded street festivals, this event is your golden ticket. I found it was great to visit and experience but I'm not sure I would go out of my way to come back again.

This is for the 2018, 6th annual Burke Street Food Truck Festival…read more Weather sucked but can't put that on the organizers. 70 plus food trucks was the estimate. They stretched from the Burke intersection of 1st Street all the way to 4th Street and Broad. Nice variety of food to choose from. Local craft beer was also available. A lot of the shops on or directly off Burke and 4th were open for business as well, taking advantage of the crowds. Many of the bars on Burke Street were open and offering drink specials. Live music at both ends. I enjoyed the crap out of it despite the weather. Highly recommend and look forward to next year's festival.

Even though it was a cold rainy day, the trucks had some amazing food! It is so hard to choose with…read moreall the great choices! The best thing was that because of the rain the lines were not as long as past years! The fact that all proceeds went to H.O.P.E. Of Winston Salem was icing on the cake. I finally got to try Cousins Lobster and I was not disappointed, both styles (hot & cold) of Lobster rolls were amazing, succulent lobster meat that felt fresh from Maine! I also tried the Peruvian wings & ribs and the spices on it were perfect! Can't wait till next year!

WHY DID I WAIT SO MANY YEARS TO COME HERE!!!!…read more Wow, I had TOO much fun this year at the Carolina Renaissance Festival with a group of friends. We went on a Saturday around 11am and there was light traffic getting in, but it moved quickly and flowed smoothly. The parking situation was very organized and quick. The lot is massive but they have staff every step of the way so it was seamless. We walked a little ways to the entrance but everyone is in costume so the people watching started immediately and that was so fun! Before you even enter the gates to the festival they have some cool vendors out front. There was even the Tardis from Doctor Who and I lost my mind with excitement!!! I couldn't believe it!!! That encounter really set the pace for the rest of the day because I was on cloud 9 before we even entered the park!!!! Once we entered it was really like stepping back in time. The festival grounds were clean and the buildings looked in great shape. All the staff I encountered were kind and helpful. There's so much to see and eat. I thoroughly enjoyed a turkey leg, loaded baked potato, roasted pecans and pumpkin ale! Honestly, this was such a great time!!!! I cannot wait to go back next year. We left about 2:30 pm because we really had so much fun in such a short time. This worked out too because we completely avoided the traffic leaving. It was really a perfect trip! Soooooooooo much fun!!!!

This was my first ever time making it to the Ren Fest and I was very pleased with the experience!…read more Be warned, it's extremely busy and they will sell out so buy your tickets in advance. The car line to get in and out was quite long, but overall it's a smooth experience. Free parking, but you will end up walking about a mile to the entrance so comfortable shoes are a MUST. The main thing I wanted to experience was a turkey leg, and they did not disappoint! The price is definitely steep at $16 each, but they are huge and delicious. Cash only but ATMS are all around. Expect to wait in line for anything and everything and arrive early to any shows you want to see because seats fill up fast. I enjoyed the Witch Trial comedy show where they actually chose one of my friends as a volunteer and it was hilarious! The Joust was fun and had some unexpected twists, but the bleacher seats are sooooo uncomfortable. The Falconry show was my favorite. We got to interact with the Raven and give him tips. The birds fly super close to you and might even touch your head when going over. I'd recommend anyone visiting at least once! It's a worthwhile experience. Expect to spend a chunk of change, and you should definitely dress up! Of course, you won't stand out if you don't, so don't worry about that. Anyone will fit in here and feel welcomed by the environment.

This was a cool event that I assume will get better from year to year. I was able to meet some…read morefellow Yelpers and had good conversation and had my tasting glass "customized". Some of the tasting lines were slow moving. But with so many vendors it didn't slow down my tastings. I have to admit that I only visited half of the stands because once I found a couple of bottles that I liked, I was done. I purchased a few bottles, stretched out my folding chair near the stage and enjoyed a beautiful day out. I purchased four bottles and left with one :) The entertainment was very enjoyable; the SB Band really kept the crowd hyped! The down side was the food situation. Porterhouse was there and they never disappoint. But with only 2 trucks, 3 if you count the pizza slice trailer, the wait was ridiculous AND outside food was not an option :( I expect better next year, I can't wait.

This was a great event! My friend and I had a blast!…read more The parking was a little rough. We had to park in the grass, and unfortunately when we tried to leave, the entrance to that parking spot was blocked off so we had to drive very carefully off the median onto the road. They do have carts that will transport you to and from your car, but we decided to walk. The line seemed extremely long when we first got there, but we got in pretty quickly. Make sure you bring your ID's because they do check before you enter. They give you a complementary wine glass, along with a brochure listing all of the wineries in attendance, which was nice. There are a lot of wineries, but I expected to see more than were there. We skipped a few because they had just typical wines. I'm not usually a big wine drinker, but after spending the day tasting different kinds, a few have definitely won me over! If you ever go in the future, be sure to stop at Southern Charm Winery's tent (if they're there). I literally loved every single wine they had to offer. My favorite was the Edisto Black. It is amazing! I'd have to say they are officially my favorite winery. Shadow Springs Vineyards has a very good strawberry wine. The lines were a little long, but that was to be expected. The band was great! I also loved the location, being it is in the same parking lot as one of my favorite restaurants (Moose Cafe). Be sure to stop there on your way out!

There was a lot of antiques and at great prices. I will definitely go next year. My husband even…read morehad a good time. A lot of items brought back memories. There was old washing machines and everything. The people's were very friendly.