Run the Oktoberfest Half Marathon & 5K
October 3rd, 2026
Race is Capped at 1,000 Runners. Register Today!
A flat, fast half marathon and 5K in Asheville, NC – in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Starting and finishing at Hi-Wire Brewing’s River Arts District Beer Garden, 284 Lyman St.
Asheville in early October means cooler mornings, color starting to turn on the ridgelines above town, and a finish line with a cold beer waiting for you. That’s the idea behind the Oktoberfest Half Marathon & 5K — a fall race built around two things this town does well: running and beer.
If you planned to run with us in 2024, you remember what happened next. Hurricane Helene sent floodwater through our course and wiped out the event almost overnight. It was a rough year. We came back in 2025, and we’re back again this October — same energy, new course.
Registration is capped at 1,000 runners this year. That’s enough people to make the start line feel like something, and few enough that it still feels like the community race it’s always been. Run the half if you’re chasing a PR — the flat course is built for fast times — or keep it loose with the 5K. Either way, you’ll finish with a beer in hand, surrounded by mountains without having to climb any of them.
Both courses are USATF certified. We rebuilt the route from scratch in 2025 after the flood damage to the River Arts District, and honestly — the new course might be better than the old one.
Prost to running in Asheville!
Shop the Oktoberfest Half Marathon Collection
It’s a RAD Beer Garden
The Hi-Wire River Arts District (RAD) Beer Garden is located at 284 Lyman St, Asheville, NC 28801
Included in your race entry:
- Finisher medal (both 5k and 13.1)
- Professionally chip timed race
- Short sleeved technical tshirt
- Hi-Wire beer (Leisure Time Lager, 21+) or NA option
- Collectible race bib
Fun for the Whole Family
Don’t want to commit to the 13.1 distance, join in the fun with the 5k! Costume awards and middle of the pack awards for those of you who aren’t in it to win it and are in it for the fun!
