🦣 Waco Made National News (Again)

Good morning, Waco! This is The Waco Buzz, the local newsletter that feels like getting a postcard mailed from a friend on their vacation.

In today's edition:
🦣 Waco Mammoth Gets a National Shoutout
🎬 Waco Indie Turns 10
🥯 Shorty’s Pizza Announces New Concept
✈️ Waco to San Juan for $300

Let's get to it!
— Sam Harper

Waco's summer heat isn't going anywhere. Neither is Basin's air conditioning, so at least one of you is staying cool.

Basin just extended Summer Savings through the end of July. New members get 30% off monthly dues, returning members get 20% off, and either way your activation fee is waived. Lock it in now and that discounted rate rides with you all the way through August 15.

No treadmill required. Bouldering, top rope, and fitness classes like HYROX, Basin Fit, and yoga all live under one roof, all included with membership. Bring a friend, bring your kid, bring yourself. Nobody climbs alone at Basin.

Sign up by July 30 with code SUMMERSAVINGS and start climbing for less.

👉 Claim your Summer Savings at basinclimbing.com*

🦣 Waco Mammoth Gets a National Shoutout

Morning Brew ran a national parks special last Sunday and asked its roughly 4 million readers to write in with their favorite parks. A Chicago reader named Ginalle picked Waco Mammoth National Monument as one of hers.

Her reasoning tracked with what a lot of us already know. Columbian mammoths dwarf the woolly kind most people picture, and the National Park Service employs only about 20 paleontologists nationwide. One of them works right here. The volunteer guides also do a great job walking visitors through how the fossils were first found in a creek bed on private land, more or less by accident, decades ago.

She visited in May with a group of nieces and nephews and said the mix of hiking trails and an active, ongoing dig made it work for adults and kids alike.

🥡 The Takeaway: Millions of people just read a stranger's love letter to a spot most of us drive past without a second thought.

FEATURED EVENT of the WEEK: 🎬 Waco Indie Turns 10

Waco Independent Film Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary this week, July 16-19, and this is the festival MovieMaker Magazine named one of the "Coolest Film Festivals in the World." Downtown Waco turns into a full weekend of red carpets, industry panels, after-parties, and yes, a mechanical bull.

This year's opening night film is Crystal Cross, and closing night is Due West. Highlights include a 25th anniversary screening of Donnie Darko with cinematographer Steven Poster in person, plus a special episode screening of The Chosen on July 18 with actress Elizabeth Tabish. There's a full lineup of family-friendly films too, along with a few romantic comedies if you're looking for a date night that isn't dinner and a movie theater.

🥡 The Takeaway: This is one of only six film festivals in the world to land on all three of MovieMaker's major lists this year. Not bad for a festival that started as a celebration of short films a decade ago.
👉 Passes and the full schedule here.

Waco to San Juan, Puerto Rico: $300 roundtrip

I'm typing this from the very trip I'm about to recommend to you. Flights from Waco to San Juan for late August are running around $300 roundtrip (Aug. 20 out, Aug. 27 back). It's 85 degrees here with Houston-level humidity, but there's an ocean attached, so I'm not complaining.
👉 Check the deal here*
*_{^{Price is subject to change and may no longer be available at the time you check the link.}}

🥯 Bagels Are Coming to S. 12th
Shorty's Bagels has filed permits for a $1 million buildout at 1712 South 12th St, right next to Shorty's Pizza in the old Wonder Wash spot. The plans call for a bagel and coffee shop with a bar attached, about 2,283 square feet. City paperwork points to a completion date around February 2027.

🐺 A New Chef Lands at Marie's Wine Bar
Grey Wolf officially launches inside Marie's Wine Bar (723 Austin Ave) this Thursday, July 16. Lunch service runs Thursday through Saturday to start, with seasonal cold plates, sandwiches, charcuterie, and shareable appetizers since Marie's doesn't have a full kitchen.

🍝 Thousands of Dollars of Pasta for $100
Olive Garden's Never-Ending Pasta Pass returns Thursday, July 16, at 1 PM at PastaPass.com, and Waco's Richland Mall location is in on it. Ten thousand passes at $100 each get you 13 weeks, about 91 days, of unlimited pasta, sauces, and toppings, plus bottomless soup, salad, and breadsticks. Reply and let me know if you're going for it.

☕ Revival House Is Coming This Summer
A new Christian gift shop and café called Revival House is moving into the former Jimmy Don's Metal Works space at 407 S 8th St, next to The Apple Gal. Owners are aiming for an August 1 opening, with handcrafted drinks and gifts in a space built to feel like home.

🧗 Basin Summer Camps: Last Two Weeks Left

Basin's summer camps are six weeks into the season, and there are only two sessions left before school takes back over your kid's calendar: July 20-23 and July 27-30.

Both weeks are nearly full. A couple of spots remain in each, so this isn't one to sit on.

Camp runs Monday through Thursday for kids 5 and up, gear included, coached by Basin's team the whole way. Littles get a shorter afternoon session, and the 6-13 crowd gets the full four-day experience.

👉 Grab one of the last spots here. Use code WACOBUZZ at checkout to save an extra $25.*

Four countries can still see the future. Three of them are about to wake up to broken dreams. Who goes home, and who keeps playing?

Barnett's Whiskey House is showing both World Cup semifinals on their patio, 2 PM kickoff, today and tomorrow. France takes on Spain today, England takes on Argentina tomorrow, both at the same slightly odd early-afternoon kickoff.

If you can slip out of work early or you've got the afternoon open, this is where to be. Presented by Michelob Ultra and Stella Artois.*

Tuesday, July 14:

Wednesday, July 15:

Thursday, July 16:

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

🔥 Waco Buzz readers can join HOTWORX Woodway and get your first workout free.

🧗‍♀️ This summer, Basin Climbing + Fitness is offering $25 off their summer camps 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.

🚗 Your neighbors at Chevrolet 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.

✨ Skin & Body Refinery delivers top tier injectors, advanced treatments, and natural looking results that help you look and feel your best. They’re offering 15% off the Event Ready treatment plan right now.

💧 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 by clicking the link.

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

Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something useful, share it with your friend who loves movies.

Before you go — two things worth knowing about:

1. Job Board: The best open roles at growing Waco companies across media, marketing, sales, tech, and engineering. Hiring? Get your open role featured in front of thousands of locals.

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3.Dinner Club: Meet five other locals over dinner on July 28. You'll make new friends regardless of stage of life and help make Waco a smaller town.