🎄Waco Is Officially in Christmas Mode

Good morning, Waco! Word is 68 degrees is the magic number to set your thermostat when home to save on heating bills. We’re glad it’s not 67. Not because that’s colder but because the youngsters would never let us hear the end of it.

Let’s get to it!
— Sam Harper

🎅 Downtown Turns Full Christmas Mode
Downtown goes full holiday mode this weekend and it starts tonight with the return of First Friday. Shops and restaurants are rolling out seasonal specials, live music, free treats, and family friendly stops. Magnolia is keeping the Silos and all their Christmas lights open late tonight too, which only adds to the glow. If you’re feeling generous, bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots and drop it at any participating business while you wander.

Now that Thanksgiving is officially in the rearview, Waco finally gives itself permission to flip on the Christmas lights. A few blocks over, Waco Wonderland takes over Heritage Square all weekend with the Ferris wheel, snow tube hills, Santa photos, live entertainment, and the big tree lighting with fireworks. Admission is free. Ride wristbands are $10 Friday and $15 Saturday and Sunday. Snow tubing runs Saturday from 3 to 10 pm and Sunday from noon to 6 pm.

Inside the festival, Mistletoe Market fills the park with local makers, artisan gifts, candles, baked goods, jewelry, and holiday decor. If you’re hunting for stocking stuffers or one of a kind handmade gifts, this is your most efficient stop of the season.

And while you’re downtown, the new Waco Welcome Center is officially open at 323 S 6th St next to Kilwins and the AC Hotel. If you’re hosting family this month and need Waco themed gifts or something that feels local, it’s worth the quick walk.

Correction: In the midweek edition, I said the beloved Schmidt House lights off Hwy 84 had been donated to the Shriners. That wasn’t correct. The Shriners purchased the full setup and now feature it at their Feztival of Lights, keeping this long running Waco tradition alive. You can visit at 400 Karem Cir nightly after 6 pm.

Waco approved twenty six million dollars for the next phase of the riverwalk
The city is finally rebuilding the stretch between Franklin Avenue and the Baylor Law School. Expect a wider, smoother walkway, better lighting, new landscaping, and a pedestrian bridge over the cove near the Foster Pavilion. Construction starts soon and is scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2027.
👉 Full Waco Trib article here ($)

Ranch House Pet-Med offers your pets comprehensive wellness care, advanced diagnostics, dental treatment, and surgery ranging from routine procedures to specialized orthopedic treatments. You can find them online, by phone at 254-544-1458, or at 149 Dosher Lane, Waco, 76712.

Meet Tanner, a 1 year old West Highland White Terrier mix who weighs in at 15 pounds and comes fully equipped with big energy in a small package. Tanner is curious, bright, and always ready to trot right beside you. He’s still young, so he has room to grow and plenty of love to give.

If you’ve been thinking about adding a little sidekick to your life, Tanner might be the perfect fit.

👉 Meet Tanner here.

Barnett’s Whiskey House is hosting a multi course Dinner and Tequila Pairing on Wed, Dec 10, featuring a curated lineup from Reserva de la Familia Tequila as part of their new Founding Table Dinner Series.

We’re giving away two sets of two tickets so you and a +1 can enjoy the full experience. The winners will be announced in the next edition.

What started as a basic email to friends during the summer of ‘24 has grown into nearly 10,000 locals reading each newsletter. That blows my mind and makes me excited for what’s coming next.

As we plan for 2026, I’d love your help shaping what comes next. I’m running a quick End of Year Survey to learn what you want more of, what you want less of, and how we can keep making Waco feel a little smaller each week. It takes less than a minute and your input genuinely guides our decisions. Share your feedback here.

The Waco Buzz is fully independent, and I’m locking in a small group of 2026 Partners, the businesses who want to help keep this newsletter free and help build a more informed, more engaged, more connected Waco. If that’s something your team wants to be part of next year, reply and I’ll share the details.

And if you want to meet some of the people who make this community what it is, our final Dinner Club of the year is Thursday, December 11. Last day to grab a seat is Monday. Join here.

This week we are looking at the most expensive home sold in Waco in November, a West Waco home at 1413 Fossil Ridge Trail.

Inside you’ll find:

• 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2,393 sq. ft.
• Open floorplan with vaulted ceilings and smart home system
• Granite kitchen with island and eat in nook
• Gas fireplace and upgraded interior finishes throughout

👉 Take your best guess at the sale price, then peek at the photos and answer here.

Creekside Community Village is Mission Waco’s newest and most ambitious project, designed to provide long term supportive housing for neighbors coming out of homelessness. The idea is simple and powerful: housing alone doesn’t change lives, but housing with community does. At full buildout, Creekside will offer more than 300 homes, mixed income “missional” neighbors living alongside residents, shared kitchens, green space, farming areas, and wraparound support through Mission Waco’s existing programs.

One piece of the vision that stands out: Mission Waco is committing 15 percent of Creekside’s homes to Veterans in McLennan County. Their Heroes Fund exists to make sure every Veteran in Waco has a place to belong.

On December 14 at 2 PM, Mission Waco is inviting you to come to Christmas at Creekside, an afternoon where you can walk the grounds of the future Creekside Community Village and see the vision up close, and get a sense of how this community will become a place of stability, dignity, and belonging for hundreds of Wacoans.
Location: 3810 S University Parks Dr
👉Register Here

🎈Friday:
Food Truck Friday @ Waco-McLennan Public Health Parking Lot 225 Waco Dr from 8-2 today featuring HomeFries Cafe & Frenchie Daddy’s French Toast

Cafe y Pan Dulce @ Canales Furniture - 9:30 AM

Waco Wonderland @ Heritage Square - 5 PM

Christmas on Fort and Jingle Jam Kid’s Show @ Antioch Waco - 5:30 - 8:30 PM

Wild Lights @ Cameron Park Zoo - 6 PM
Feztival of Lights @ Karem Shrine - 6 PM

Waco Wonderland Christmas Tree Lighting - 7 PM

Elvis Christmas with Al Joslin & Edge of Reality @ The Hippodrome - 7:30 PM

FRIDAY LIVE MUSIC
Gordon Pyle @ The BLVD Steakhouse - 6:30 PM (Piano / Easy‑Listening)
Sami Brown Christmas Show @ Lounge '93 - 7:30 PM (Holiday / Acoustic / Pop)
Martian Folk with Brother Jon & The Rainbow Hearts @ Texas Music Cafe - 8 PM (Folk / Americana)
Out Loud @ Blue Pup Wine & Martini Bar - 8 PM (Contemporary / Acoustic / Lounge)
Trevor Hickock Band @ The Will - 8 PM
Briscoe @ Backyard Bar Stage & Grill - 8:30 PM (Country / Rock)

🎈 Saturday:
Waco International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship @ BASE - All Day

Yoga Flow @ Milo All Day - 9 AM

Waco Downtown Farmers Market @ Bridge Street Plaza - 9 AM

Waco Wonderland Parade @ Downtown Waco - 10 AM

Speed Creek Motor Show @ Harris Creek Baptist Church - 10 AM

Christmas Cookie Decorating @ Mayborn Museum Complex - 10:30 AM

Ornament Workshop @ Black Oak Art - 1 AM

Every Christmas Story Ever Told @ Waco Civic Theatre - 2:30 PM Tickets

Wild Lights @ Cameron Park Zoo - 6 PM
Feztival of Lights @ Karem Shrine - 6 PM

Holly Jolly Christmas @ Waco Hippodrome Theatre - 7 PM Tickets

Ugly Christmas Sweater Improv Comedy Show @ Brazos Theatre - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC
Live Jazz Saturday with the Pat McKee Trio @ Segovia Wine Bar - 7 PM (Jazz)
Rewind Party Band @ The Will - 8 PM (Party Rock / Dance‑Rock)
Darrell “D‑Rail” Ray @ Barnett's Whiskey House - 8 PM (Country / Country‑Rock)

🎈Sunday:
Waco International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship @ BASE - All Day

Yoga & Mimosas @ Element Hotel - 9:30 AM

Waco Wonderland @ Heritage Square - 12 PM

Xmas Market @ Skellington Curiosities - 12 PM

Homegrown Sunday & Outdoor Market @ The Will - 12 PM

Women's Basketball: Baylor vs UTSA @ Foster Pavilion - 2 PM Tickets

Every Christmas Story Ever Told @ Waco Civic Theatre - 2:30 PM Tickets

Waco Trolley Christmas Lights Tour @ - 6 PM Tickets

Feztival of Lights @ Karem Shrine - 6 PM

🎄The Nutcracker with the Waco Symphony Ballet – Dec 14 at 2 PM
A holiday classic returns to the stage with all the sparkle, snowfall, and sugar plum magic you expect. Details and tickets here.

🍽 Newcomers & Neighbors Luncheon – Dec 17, 11:30 AM to 1 PM
Meet new friends and enjoy a holiday luncheon at the Baylor Club. Tickets are $25. newcomersandneighborsofwaco.com

🌟 A Very Merry Woodway Christmas – Dec 18
Tree lighting, live music, and a full holiday festival at Woodway’s annual celebration. discoverwoodway.com

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Discover 140+ degrees and certificates at McLennan Community College—without the burden of debt. Whether you’re starting college or changing careers, MCC makes it simple with guidance, financial aid, and support every step of the way. Your future starts now in Waco at MCC.

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Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something helpful, please send it to your coworker who can’t stop adjusting the thermostat.

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

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