2023 Oktoberfest Half Marathon & 5K

The Oktoberfest Half Marathon and 5k celebrates the season of hops and malts with a beautiful run along the French Broad River greenway and through the River Arts District in Asheville, North Carolina!  Grab your lederhosen and lace up your running shoes for this great run with picturesque views of the Western North Carolina mountains. Festive costumes encouraged, but not required!

Following the race, runners will toast to their achievement with an Hi-Wire beer for those 21+ in the Hi-Wire Beer Garden in the RAD.

Half Marathon Details

The Oktoberfest Half Marathon and 5k, presented by Blue Ridge Power, will start and finish the Hi-Wire Beer Garden in the River Arts District neighborhood of Asheville on September 30, 2023.

The half marathon will begin at 7:30AM. There is a three hour time limit for this Asheville half marathon. Half marathon runners will receive a Hi-Wire beer (21+), race t-shirt, finisher medal, custom race bib, and post race snacks.

Here’s the course description for this Asheville half marathon:

• Mile 1 and 2 is running on road along the French Broad River.
• At Mile 3 runners move onto the Reedy Creek Greenway which skirts the Montford Neighborhood.
• Mile 4 and 5 runners weave through the historic Montford neighborhood.
• Mile 6 run along the Wilma Dykeman Greenway in front of the New Belgium Brewery.
• The remainder of the race is a tour of Asheville’s beautiful greenways that follow the French Broad River.
• The course is majority paved roads with approximately 1/5 mile of dirt path in Carrier Park.

5k Details

The 5k starts at 8:00 a.m. at the Hi-Wire Beer Garden where it also ends. This Asheville 5K is super flat and run mostly on the French Broad River greenway in the River Arts District. Strollers and dogs are allowed, but must start in the back of the group. Walkers are welcome!

This race is owned by Kick It Event Management.