Asheville Raises a Glass to Oscar Wong While Beer Week Pours On and New Restaurants Keep Opening

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  May 24, 2026

The man who started Asheville's craft beer revolution got his own day this month, and the timing could not be better. The City of Asheville and Buncombe County officially declared May 16 as Oscar Wong Day, honoring the founder of Highland Brewing Company, who passed away last May at 84 years old.

Wong opened Highland Brewing in 1994 in the basement of a downtown building, making it Asheville's first legal craft brewery since Prohibition. Over the next three decades, Asheville became Beer City, USA, with more than 40 breweries operating in the metro area. Without Oscar Wong, there is no Beer Week.

Speaking of which, AVL Beer Week is underway now through the end of May. The week-long celebration, organized by the Asheville Brewers Alliance, features tastings, collaborative beer releases, dinners, brewery tours, and educational events spread across the city. One highlight is a Beers That Build release party at Wicked Weed Brewing's Brewpub on Thursday, May 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. The featured beer is a strawberry rhubarb Berliner Weisse brewed in collaboration with ASAP, the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, which sourced local ingredients for the fermentation.

The week wraps up with the Beer City Festival at Roger McGuire Green in downtown Asheville. More than 30 North Carolina breweries pour at the outdoor festival, offering unlimited five-ounce samples alongside hard cider, wine, and a food court. General admission is $55. It is one of those Asheville events that earns its reputation every year.

Back at Highland, the brewery recently reintroduced Oscar's Oatmeal Porter with his signature on the label. CEO Leah Wong Ashburn, Oscar's daughter, has been running the operation since 2016 and is moving ahead with plans for a rock-climbing gym and pizza restaurant on the brewery's hilltop campus.

While the beer scene pauses to honor its founder, the restaurant side of Asheville is not slowing down.

The Majestic is expected to open in late May at 319 Merrimon Ave. in North Asheville. Chef and owner Eric Scheffer built the concept around Chinese-American dishes from his childhood in Brooklyn and Long Island. It will be the fifth restaurant from The Scheffer Group, which also runs Jettie Rae's Oyster House and Gan Shan.

Baba Nahm, the Mediterranean street food spot, is bringing a second location to The S&W Market in the former Bun Intended space. If you have been to the original, you already know what to expect. If not, now is a good time to find out.

Earlier this year, Le Parisien opened at 62 N. Lexington Ave. downtown, bringing upscale French cooking to the mix, including Lamb Chop à la Menthe and Chilean Sea Bass Wellington. Rhubarb at 7 SW Pack Square has reopened under new ownership, keeping longtime favorites on the menu while adding new seasonal dishes. Gourmand Rotisserie is expected to return later in the year at a new Broadway Street location.

For a mid-sized mountain city, that is a lot happening in one month.

Asheville's food and drink culture has long been one of the biggest draws for people seriously considering a move to Western North Carolina. You can eat and drink somewhere new every week for months and still not cover everything. May 2026 is doing nothing to slow that down.

If a region where craft beer has roots this deep and the dining scene keeps growing sounds like somewhere you could plant yourself, Jon Tharp is glad to talk through what the Western NC market looks like right now.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AVL Beer Week and when does it take place in 2026?

AVL Beer Week is Asheville's annual celebration of its craft beer culture, organized by the Asheville Brewers Alliance with support from a volunteer network of local beer industry professionals. The 2026 edition runs through late May and includes tastings, collaborative beer releases, brewery tours, beer dinners, and educational seminars. A highlight this year is the Beers That Build release party at Wicked Weed Brewing's Brewpub on May 21 from 5 to 8 p.m., featuring a strawberry rhubarb Berliner Weisse brewed in collaboration with ASAP, the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. The week wraps with the Beer City Festival at Roger McGuire Green, where 30-plus North Carolina breweries pour unlimited five-ounce samples. General admission to the Beer City Festival is $55.

Who was Oscar Wong and why does he matter to Asheville?

Oscar Wong was the founder of Highland Brewing Company and is widely credited as the father of Asheville's craft beer industry. In 1994, he opened Highland Brewing in the basement of a downtown building, making it the city's first legal craft brewery since Prohibition. Over the following three decades, Asheville grew into one of the most recognized craft beer destinations in the country, earning the "Beer City, USA" nickname. Wong died on May 25, 2025, at age 84. He had also served on the board of the Arc of Buncombe County, was a longtime Rotary member, and received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2023. In May 2026, the City of Asheville and Buncombe County officially declared May 16 as Oscar Wong Day in his honor.

What is the Beer City Festival and how do you get tickets?

The Beer City Festival is the signature outdoor event that closes out AVL Beer Week each year. It takes place at Roger McGuire Green in downtown Asheville and brings together more than 30 North Carolina breweries in one place. Attendees receive unlimited five-ounce pours throughout the event, along with access to hard cider, wine, a festival food court, and a live concert. General admission tickets are $55. The festival draws both locals and visitors and is consistently one of the most attended events of the spring season in Asheville. Tickets and the full event schedule are available through the Asheville Brewers Alliance.

What new restaurants are opening in Asheville in 2026?

Asheville has seen a strong wave of restaurant openings through 2026. The Majestic, a Chinese-American counter service restaurant from The Scheffer Group (which also operates Jettie Rae's Oyster House and Gan Shan), is expected to open in late May at 319 Merrimon Ave. in North Asheville. Baba Nahm, the popular Mediterranean street food concept, is adding a second location at The S&W Market. Le Parisien opened earlier in 2026 at 62 N. Lexington Ave. downtown with upscale French dishes and a curated wine list. Rhubarb at 7 SW Pack Square has reopened under new ownership with an updated seasonal menu. Gourmand Rotisserie plans to return later in the year at a new Broadway Street location.

What is Highland Brewing doing to honor Oscar Wong's legacy?

Highland Brewing Company, now led by Oscar Wong's daughter Leah Wong Ashburn as CEO, has reintroduced Oscar's Oatmeal Porter with his signature featured on the label as a tribute to the brewery's founder. The hilltop brewery continues to expand, with plans in development for an outdoor retail shop, a rock-climbing gym, and a pizza restaurant on the property. Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority formally honored Wong at their May 2025 board meeting, and in 2026 both the city and county made the recognition permanent by declaring May 16 Oscar Wong Day. The brewery hosts live music, tours, and tap room events year-round.