ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Toast to a major win for the River Arts District this week: Hi-Wire Brewing is reopening the RAD Beer Garden.

One of the many businesses wiped out by hurricane flooding in the River Arts District, the RAD Beer Garden lost its distribution center, headquarters, 100% of packaging inventory and 80% of its finished beer inventory. Eight months later, Hi-Wire is celebrating dry floors with slushies, cocktails and brews.

RAD Beer Garden will reopen to the public on Wednesday, May 21, following a soft reopening for VIP guests on Tuesday, May 20 and preceding a massive community party from noon to 9 p.m., Saturday, May 24, 284 Lyman St.

[wpgmza id=”6″]

Hi-Wire is the first major business in the RAD that rested along the French Broad River to reopen its doors. The brewery hopes renewed foot traffic and word-of-mouth will help revive other riverside establishments, too.

“We’re the first big business on this elevation in the RAD to reopen and I think it’s kind of a source of light for people. And hope,” said Greta Bush, Hi-Wire marketing director. “Us opening here is like, okay, Hi-Wire’s open, who else is going to open? And we’re hoping that we can attract people who will then wander off to the businesses that are also open.”

As the tired adage goes, Bush said, a rising tide lifts all ships.

Adam Charnack, Hi-Wire co-founder and CEO, sees the reopened RAD Beer Garden as an oasis from the devastation of the area.

“Our motto is ‘define your fun,’ and you can do that here,” Charnack said. “All the crap that’s going on and gone on down the area here, you can step outside these walls and feel all of those emotions, like, I’m excited about the future and I’m sad about the past and all those things, but you can also then come in here and just turn it all off and have a great time.”

Hi-Wire hopes people will have a great time at Saturday’s celebration, which will feature live music, food trucks, local maker vendors, roaming circus performers and a “RAD Rising” photo booth.

Live music schedule:

• The Log Noggins, noon to 2 p.m.
• The BRUE, 3 to 5 p.m.
• Fully Processed, 6 to 8 p.m., a brand new jazz fusion collective comprised of solo artists Morgan Bevis, steezytoebeatmaker and Malik Pratt

From noon to 8 p.m., local food trucks Tin Can Pizzeria, Happy Belly and Blunt Pretzels will be in attendance.

For more information about Hi-Wire, visit www.hiwirebrewing.com.