The Asheville Marathon & Half is Saturday, March 20, 2027: a 7:30 a.m. start on College Street downtown and a finish at New Belgium Brewing.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Updated each year. Facts on this page come from the race’s official site, ashevillemarathon.com, run by the Asheville race company iDaph Events. Race office: 828-684-0812, ext. 2.

The New Belgium Asheville Marathon & Half is Saturday, March 20, 2027. Both races start at 7:30 a.m. on College Street in downtown Asheville and finish at New Belgium Brewing, the organizers say. Registration is open on the race site.

The course loops through North Asheville, Montford, downtown, the South Slope and the River Arts District before the French Broad River greenways. Both courses are USATF certified, and the marathon is a Boston qualifier. The race says it brings $1.2 million into the local economy over the weekend.

Race weekend at a glance

  • Expo and bib pickup: Friday, March 19, 2027, Embassy Suites by Hilton Asheville Downtown. Free and open to the public.
  • Race: Saturday, March 20, 2027, 7:30 a.m., College Street. Course open 6.5 hours.
  • Finish and party: New Belgium Brewing, Craven Street
  • Clean-up run: Sunday, March 21, a plogging event along the course
  • Questions: iDaph Events, 828-684-0812, ext. 2

The course

According to the course page, both races start on College Street and head into North Asheville along Charlotte Street, Griffing Boulevard and Kimberly Avenue, past the Grove Park area, then through the Victorian streets of Montford. The downtown stretch passes Wall Street, Battery Park Avenue and Pack Square before the course drops to the River Arts District. The marathon also takes in greenway sections reopened after storm repairs. The organizers note the course is subject to change.

  • Time limit: 6.5 hours for both distances, a pace of 14 minutes, 53 seconds a mile. Water stations and the finish close at the cutoff.
  • Water stations: half marathon at miles 4, 6.5, 9, 11.5 and 12.5; the marathon adds miles 15, 16.3, 18, 19.5, 22, 24 and 25.5.
  • No early or late starts. The race keeps to a set schedule with the City of Asheville.
  • Course records: Noah Allison of Marshall ran the marathon in 2:36:59 in 2026; Donnie Cowart of Winston-Salem set the half record of 1:08:08 in 2025.

Road delays on race morning

The organizers say that apart from Spruce Street at the start, no roads are closed or barricaded, but traffic will be held at times while police and volunteers manage intersections. Their community page lists when each area will see delays:

Area Expected delays
Downtown (College Street) to Charlotte Street 7:15 to 7:30 a.m.
Omni Grove Park area (Kimberly Avenue, Country Club Road, Griffing Boulevard) 7:35 to 8:30 a.m.
Broadway Street 7:50 to 9 a.m.
Montford 8 to 9:45 a.m.
Downtown (Wall Street, College Street, South Market Street) 8:15 to 10 a.m.
Downtown (Biltmore Avenue, Hilliard Avenue) 8:20 to 10:30 a.m.
South Slope (Ashland Avenue, Choctaw Street) 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
River Arts District (Depot Street, Roberts Street, West Haywood Street) 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Riverside Drive 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Hominy Creek Road 9 to 11:45 a.m.
French Broad River greenways and parks 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Craven Street and Craven Bridge (New Belgium) 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

These are the times published for the 2027 race; check the race site in the week before for any change.

Parking and shuttles

The shuttles and parking page says:

  • Start: park downtown. The College Street and Pack Square garages are both close to the start.
  • Finish: there is no parking at New Belgium Brewing, and the organizers strongly recommend the shuttle.
  • Runners’ shuttles are included in race entry. Downtown to the finish runs continuously from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; the finish back to downtown runs every half hour from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  • Spectator shuttle tickets are $20, bought online in the race store or at the expo.

What to know

  • Strollers and dogs are not allowed on the course under the race’s City of Asheville permit, the race FAQ says. There is no wheelchair division, because of the greenway and out-and-back sections.
  • Weather: the race’s first running, in 2013, fell on a record cold day. The organizers give the average mid-March high as 58 degrees and the low as 37, and advise layers.
  • Bad weather: the race rules let organizers cancel, shorten or move the race to a virtual event for dangerous weather. Entries are non-refundable, though runners can switch distance, defer for a fee or go virtual.
  • Under 18: a parent or guardian must sign the registration waiver.
  • Expo: every runner must collect a bib, with its timing chip, at the free expo on Friday, March 19. Someone else can collect it for you.
  • Charity partner: MAHEC, the Mountain Area Health Education Center, for 2027.

More in Asheville

Frequently asked questions

When is the Asheville Marathon in 2027?

The Asheville Marathon & Half is Saturday, March 20, 2027. Both races start at 7:30 a.m. on College Street in downtown Asheville.

Where does the Asheville Marathon finish?

At New Belgium Brewing on Craven Street, which hosts the post-race party. There is no parking at the brewery; the organizers run shuttles from downtown.

Are roads closed for the Asheville Marathon?

Only Spruce Street at the start is closed, the organizers say. Elsewhere traffic is held at times at intersections along the course, from about 7:15 a.m. downtown to 2 p.m. on Craven Street.

Is the Asheville Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes. Both courses are USATF certified and the marathon is a certified Boston-qualifying race.

Can I bring a stroller or dog to the Asheville Marathon?

No. Under the race’s permit with the City of Asheville, strollers and dogs are not allowed on the course.