🏊 TriWaco is this Sunday

Good morning, Waco! This is The Waco Buzz, the local newsletter that feels like finding a shaded parking spot at Target in the afternoon.

🏊 TriWaco is this Sunday, registration closes tonight
🦖 Jurassic Quest: last call
🖥️ McGregor is getting a data center
🎶 Everything happening in Waco this weekend
💼 Three Hot Jobs in Waco

Let's get to it!
— Sam Harper

🏊 TriWaco Is This Sunday
The 16th annual Electrolit TriWaco Triathlon kicks off Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. at Indian Spring Park. Athletes swim the Brazos, bike through downtown, and run into Cameron Park. Three distances: Try a Tri for first-timers, Sprint, and Olympic.

This one is put on by the Greater Waco Chamber, which is why it runs as well as it does. The bike course rolls through downtown on spectator-friendly sidewalks. You don't have to be racing to enjoy it.

Registration closes tonight at 10 p.m. Volunteers are still needed too, including kayak support on the river, water stations in Cameron Park, and transition area help at Indian Spring Park. If you've got a Sunday free and want to be part of something fun, the volunteer sign-up is worth a look.

👉 Register here | Volunteer here

🖥️ McGregor Is Getting a Data Center
The McGregor City Council approved plans this week for a new facility from a company called Galaxy. Project Merlin would put several buildings on 500 acres northeast of the SpaceX site. Galaxy is calling it a $400 million-plus investment that would bring around 30 full-time jobs averaging $60K a year.

The main concern is water. Each building would use about 3,000 gallons per day. A council member put it in context: that's roughly what a couple of local restaurants go through. Galaxy is using closed-loop cooling that recycles water internally. They're also paying for their own electrical substation and any power infrastructure needed to connect to existing lines.

Data centers come with very strong feelings, and it makes sense. They power things we use on our phones daily: streaming, cloud storage, AI tools. They also require land and power. This one is privately funded and construction is still months out. Worth keeping an eye on as it develops. 👉 Full story from KWTX

📌 Quick Hits

Jurassic Quest is at Extraco through Sunday. It's a traveling dinosaur experience, think life-size moving dinos, fossil digs, rides, bounce houses, and a Glow Zone. Good call if you have kids who need something to do this weekend and you'd rather not hear "I'm bored" for three days straight. Tickets start at $29, sessions run 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday has a sensory-friendly hour from 8 to 9 a.m. if you need a quieter window.
👉 Tickets here

The Bridge launches this weekend, a Waco nonprofit supporting families in the child welfare system with things like furniture, clothes, and birthday boxes for kids. Their Sips & Sweets popup runs Friday and Saturday at a few spots around Waco. Show up, grab something sweet, hear about what they're building.
👉 Details on Facebook

Champions Barber & Beauty Academy is doing $25 student massages every Saturday through September 30. Normal price is $50. Students work under instructor supervision, so you're not rolling the dice. Good option for a slow Saturday afternoon when the heat has you worn down. Book yours here.

July is Family Reunion Month, and Baylor's Institute for Oral History has a timely reminder: record your grandparents before the reunion is over. Their free guide walks you through how to actually do it, from the questions to ask first-timers ("What did you want to be when you grew up?") to how to get a reluctant talker going. Worth bookmarking before you sit down at the table this summer.
👉 Free resource here

⚽ World Cup Watch Party at Barnett's Whiskey House
All Weekend | 420 Franklin Ave

Three weeks in and America is hooked. The US won Group D and is into the knockout round for the first time since 2010. Barnett's has been showing every game, and this weekend is no different.

Friday: Norway vs. France — 2 PM
Saturday: Jordan vs. Defending Champions Argentina — 9 PM
Save the date: USA's Round of 32 knockout game is Wednesday, July 1 at 7 PM CST. Opponent TBD after tonight's final group games.
Come early. It gets crowded.

LOOKING AHEAD
🎆 Fourth of July Weekend at the Silos — July 3-5

Magnolia is going all out for the Fourth. Face painting, balloon art, temporary tattoos, live music, cotton candy, and a Market Sidewalk Sale with items up to 60% off. You can also build a custom hat, which is exactly the kind of thing kids will talk about for the rest of the summer.

Worth noting: the Silos will be open Sunday the 5th too, which doesn't happen often. It's free and outdoors all weekend. See everything they're putting on that weekend here.^*

That's Foster Pavilion. When it sells out, that's how many locals read every edition of The Waco Buzz.

No guessing if anyone saw it. No wondering if the algorithm buried you. Just Waco locals, actually reading.

Your competitors are probably not in here yet.

If you know a business or organization that should be, send them here.

🎈 Friday, June 26:

Smokehouse Sessions: Terry Black’s & Lone Star Beer @ Terry Black’s BBQ - 6 PM

Tuft Together Date Night @ Fuzz Lab Waco - 6 PM

KWBU Summer Nights @ Brotherwell Brewing - 6 PM

"Backwards Broadway" Cabaret @ Waco Civic Theatre — 9 PM | $20

FRIDAY LIVE MUSIC
Steve Dansby @ The Grape Wine Bar and Bistro — 5 PM
Jet Jurgensmeyer @ The Backyard Bar Stage & Grill — 6 PM
NAVE Voices @ Francis on the Brazos Cathedral — 6:30 PM
The Spazmatics @ The Will — 8 PM
Jarrod Dickenson @ Texas Music Cafe — 8 PM
Chris Witten @ Twisted Sisters Patio Bar — 8 PM

🎈 Saturday, June 27:

TriWaco Expo @ Indian Spring Park

Waco Downtown Farmers Market @ Bridge Street Plaza — 9 AM to 1 PM

America 250 Family Day @ Mayborn Museum — All day | Make a quilt square

Spiderman Story Time @ Central Library — 10:30 AM

Barre by the Pool @ AC Hotel — 6 PM | $30

Bob Ross Paint Night @ Cultivate Waco — 6:30 PM | $35

SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC
NAVE Voices @ Central Presbyterian Church — 5:30 PM
Dreams: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute @ The Backyard Bar Stage & Grill — 6 PM
The Grux - Dave Matthews Tribute Band @ The Hippodrome — 7:30 PM
Claire Ruland @ Segovia Wine Bar — 7 PM
Sharpshooter Band @ The Will — 8 PM

🎈Sunday, June 28

Family Climb Day with BOGO Passes @ Basin - 1-7 PM

TriWaco @ Indian Spring Park — All Morning

Woodway Farmers Market @ Carleen Bright Arboretum — 11 AM to 2 PM

Homegrown Sundays @ The Will — Market 1 to 5 PM | Music 12 to 5 PM

Disco Brunch with ABBA (DiscoTex live) @ Art Center Waco — SOLD OUT

Want your event featured? Reserve an upcoming Featured Event listing here.

National Sales Director — American Amicable Group
Waco-headquartered American Amicable is hiring a National Sales Director to lead field sales strategy. Four-plus years of insurance sales experience required. Hybrid flexibility, competitive benefits, up to 50% travel.

Director of Risk & Safety — Waco Surf
Senior leadership role overseeing water safety, emergency preparedness, and risk management across the whole facility. Minimum four years managing lifeguard operations in a waterpark or similar environment.

Branch Manager — Wells Fargo
Multiple Waco-area locations including Franklin Ave, Wooded Acres, and Hewitt/Woodway. Five-plus years of banking or financial services experience required. Pay runs $31.25 to $57.69 per hour.

Hiring? Post a Job
Hunting? View all 111 new roles added this week

🧗‍♀️ This summer, Basin Climbing + Fitness is offering $25 off their summer camp using code WACOBUZZ. If you or your child wants to try climbing before signing up, swing by the gym any day and give it a try together.

🔥 Waco Buzz readers can join HOTWORX Woodway for $1 this month.

🚗 Your neighbors at Chevy of West have been taking care of Waco drivers for years with new and pre-owned trucks, SUVs, and cars just 20 minutes up I-35 in West, TX. Stop by or browse their inventory today.

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💧 Need a boost? IViT Hydration & Wellness offers IV therapy and wellness treatments to help you feel better, recover faster, and boost energy. Waco Buzz readers get $35 off.

💪Move better. Recover Faster. Live Stronger. Waco Bodymend is a space designed for everyday movers, athletes, and anyone who wants to feel their best.

Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something worth doing this weekend, share it with your friend who's been saying they want to 'get into triathlons' since 2019.

Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways to get more involved:

1. Want to reach Waco? This newsletter lands in 14,400+ local inboxes every Tuesday Friday and Sunday. If you’ve ever wondered, “Does anyone even know our business is here?” reach out.

2. Dinner Club: Meet five other locals (recent movers and lifelong Wacoans) over dinner on July 28. You’ll make new friends regardless of stage of life and help make Waco a smaller town.

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