☕Friday night lights are back in Waco

Good Morning Waco! This is The Waco Buzz, the newsletter that feels like fresh sheets straight out of the dryer.

Classes are back, PSLs are pouring, Olive Garden pasta bowls are endless again, and football kicks off this week. So much good stuff in today’s Buzz—including a brand-new feature you’ll want to see.
— Sam Harper

Let’s start with the arts—fall in Waco is packed with big performances.
Waco Arts Fall Preview 🎭

Waco Civic Theatre kicks off Sept. 4 with To Kill a Mockingbird (Sept. 4–14), Harper Lee’s enduring story of justice and conscience. Later this fall, families will pack the house for Frozen (Oct. 30–Nov. 23).

At the Performing Arts Community Center (PACC), the calendar is stacked, but the big highlight is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawntreader (Dec. 5–7), bringing C.S. Lewis’ world to the stage just in time for the holidays.

The Waco Symphony Orchestra returns Oct. 2 with “Made in America,” featuring Grammy-winning violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, and follows with “From Bernstein to Copland” on Nov. 6.

✈️ Flight Deal of the Week

Our beloved Waco airport is kind of a hidden gem with free long-term parking, short security lines, and more reliable schedules than ever. So here’s something new I’m considering including: each week I’ll highlight a travel deal you can catch without the drive to Austin or Dallas.

This week’s find: Seattle roundtrip on American for just $228 in October. Sleepless in Seattle, anyone?! Perfect if you’re craving crisp fall air, coffee shop hopping, and maybe a ferry ride or two.

👉 Check flights on Google*
^{_{*Flight may no longer be available at the time you check.}}

It’s the final week to grab the first run of Waco Buzz shirts. The shop closes Aug 29, and then this design is gone. The best part? Y’all blew up the comments with ideas for new colors and styles—so this is just the beginning. More drops are coming later this year.

👉 Snag yours before Aug 29

Rolling into town with shelves on wheels, From the Vault is Waco’s first and only mobile bookstore. Think of it as a food truck for stories—where every book feels like a track from your favorite album. It’s another creative spark for Waco’s arts scene and a fun new stop for readers who want more than just the big-box shelves. Follow along on Instagram to see where they’ll be parked next.

🪧 Sign Rental Business for Sale

Ever driven past a giant “Happy Birthday” sign or those big light-up letters in someone’s yard and thought, “who’s making money off that?” Well, the answer could be…you. A Waco sign rental business is up for grabs. Asking price: $220,000 with about $77,000 cash flow last year. Not your average side hustle.

Openings

It’s a new series we’ve been running on Instagram, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite ways to spotlight Waco businesses. In one minute, you get the story, the inspiration, and why you might want to check it out for yourself.

Here are two recent ones:

Now I want your help. What local business should I go to next? Reply to this email with your favorite spot, whether it’s a hole-in-the-wall, a family-owned shop, or a place you think more Wacoans need to know about.

Lovely Village (from the ministry of Jesus Said Love) has spent nearly twenty years walking alongside women in Waco who are rebuilding their lives after exploitation and trauma. Their work is rooted in dignity providing safe housing, steady jobs, and a community that believes in second chances.

On September 4, they’ll host WildTorch, an annual gathering where local leaders step up to the mic, including Waco City Council member Darius Ewing, to sing for a cause far bigger than the stage. Every performance fuels the mission: raising support for women and children on the journey toward healing and hope.

The spotlight will be on the music that night, but the true story is the one Lovely Village helps write every day restoring lives with love, stability, and opportunity.

In Waco, it truly takes a village and Lovely Village is proof of that.

📍 WildTorch | September 4 | Waco Hall
🎟️ Details & Tickets*
*_{^{Nothing in this section is sponsored. It’s just good people doing good things in our community. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.}}

🏢Cromwell Commercial Group - Your trusted partner to assist in finding and acquiring the perfect commercial property for your investment needs.
🏗️Arise Construction - Waco’s trusted commercial contractor, currently building the new Gibbons Island at Cameron Park Zoo.
🏠 Evergreen Enterprises - Honest, reliable, and on time general contractor
☕ Homestead Weekly Market – Saturday morning indoor market 10A-2P
⭐Adam Rogers - Texas Farm Bureau Insurance - Local, trusted guidance designed specifically for your family.

Interested in connecting with our audience, supercharging your business, and supporting the growth of this publication? Reply to this email to get started.

📆 Tuesday:

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Friday’s home opener against Auburn is officially sold out (no surprise there), but resale tickets are still floating around $120 on the berm for folks who want in.

The Bears are coming off a strong finish last season, and there’s belief this team can do well. Whether it’s the first kickoff or the 400-drone light show at halftime, expect McLane to be rocking from start to finish.

📍 McLane Stadium | Fri, Aug 29 | 7 PM CT
🎟️ Check resale tickets

Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who went to a wedding this summer.