🐝 Waco weekend: Prince of Egypt, free parking scoop, and fresh events

Good morning, Waco! This is the Waco Buzz, the local newsletter that’s like finding money in the pocket of your jeans unexpected and a small win to start your day.

In this weekend edition of the Waco Buzz:

Let’s get to it.

— Sam Harper

Waco’s downtown parking? Still mostly free. 🅿️
Over 200 Buzz readers weighed in on this week’s poll—and the results weren’t even close. A clear majority said they’d circle for 10 minutes instead of paying to park downtown.

While a few new paid lots are popping up, the vast majority of downtown parking is still free, including hundreds of spaces near Austin Ave, City Hall, and University Parks.
📍 Here’s a map to help you plan your next trip.

Prince of Egypt opens tonight—don’t miss it 🎭
Waco Civic Theatre’s summer blockbuster hits the stage at Midway ISD’s Performing Arts Center tonight through July 27. With a massive cast and a soaring Stephen Schwartz score (*yes, the guy who wrote Wicked), this one’s a powerful story of faith, freedom, and family.

🎟 Use code BUZZ for 10% off your tickets → Get yours here.

Waco Indie Film Festival is lighting up the weekend 🎬
The Waco Independent Film Festival kicked off Thursday night and runs all weekend long with events and screenings happening across the city—from Startup Waco to the Hippodrome, Brotherwell, the Grand Lodge, Fabled, and more.

Now in its 9th year, WIFF is bigger than ever with 143 films, a shuttle to connect venues, and some serious national cred—just named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.”

🗓 Weekend highlights include:

🎟 Get your passes + full schedule here.

Want to see your business here next week or just want to say hi to 6,000+ neighbors? Shoot me a note and let’s make it happen.

✏️ Back-to-School, Without the Budget Burn
Back-to-school shopping is the second-biggest retail event of the year — and JC’s Cheap School Supplies helps you beat the rush and the prices.
They find new deals on pens, notebooks, and backpacks and email them straight to you. It’s free to join and zero pressure to buy.
👉 Sign up here.

✨ Feel-Good Confidence with Serenity Medspa
Ronda Van Meter, a 30-year RN turned aesthetics expert, offers Waco’s only non-surgical skin tightening treatment — plus custom plans for smoothing, softening, and sculpting.
📍 Book a free consult at serenitywaco.com or call (254) 265-6510

🌽 Homestead Weekly Market: Where Farm Fun Meets AC
Every Saturday from 10A–2P, Homestead’s indoor-outdoor market offers family-friendly fun with a giant Texas-sized slide & maze for the kids, fresh eats + air conditioning for parents and make sure not to miss the Argentinian street food & magical color-changing butterfly tea!
📍 747 Dry Creek Rd, Waco, TX 76705

I asked ChatGPT to Roast Waco. How’d it do?

Hey Waco — great to be back! I love a town where “I’ll be there in ten” is actually true.

Y’all ever notice every new business is either a coffee shop, a church, or a coffee shop inside a church?

You’ve got that small-town vibe where everybody knows everybody — and if they don’t, give it five minutes and a Facebook post.

Waco’s the kind of place where folks would defend H-E-B before they’d defend their own family in an argument.

And no matter where you live — Woodway, China Spring, Hewitt — you still just say “I’m from Waco” because it’s easier than explaining the roundabouts.

But I mean it — Waco’s got heart. Big enough to feel like a city, small enough that the Chick-fil-A drive-thru still feels like a family reunion.

Friday

- 2025 Waco Indie Film Festival: Day 2 | Downtown Waco | Tickets here
- Watercolor at Magnolia 4:00 PM | The Silos | Limited to 8 Seats - Get Tickets Here
- Summer Nights with KWBU 6:00 PM | Brotherwell Brewing
- Monte Rose Live 7:00 PM | Aloft Hotel
- Sami Brown Live 7:00 PM | The Will
- Colin Dexter Live 8:00 PM | Blue Pup Wine & Martini Bar
- Shaylee James with Jared Pool 8:30 PM | Backyard Bar Stage & Grill | Tickets here
- Ghosts of Hill County 8:30 PM | Melody Ranch


Saturday
- Cars & Coffee 9:00 AM | Black Rifle Coffee Company
- China Spring Farmers & Crafters Market 9:00 AM | First Baptist Church of China Spring
- Waco Downtown Farmers Market 9:00 AM | Bridge Street Plaza
- 2025 Waco Indie Film Festival | Downtown Waco | Register here
- Father & Son Cookout 11:00 AM | Woodway Family Center | Tickets here
- Family Fun Day 11:00 AM | Dewey Park Recreation Center
- Summer Plant Swap 12:00 PM | Brotherwell Brewing
- Storytime: Ruby and the Diamonds 1:00 PM | Barnes & Noble
- Waco’s Ultimate Karaoke Showdown 4:00 PM | The Will
- Eastside Market 5:00 PM | Brotherwell Brewing
- Fred Smith 7:30 PM | Marie’s Wine Bar
- Stand-Up Comedy Showcase 8:00 PM | Brazos Theatre | Tickets here
- Hayden Baker 8:30 PM | Backyard Bar Stage & Grill | Tickets here

Sunday

- Woodway Farmers Market 11:00 PM | Carleen Bright Arboretum
- 2025 Waco Indie Film Festival: Day 4 11:00 AM | Downtown Waco | Tickets here
- Homegrown Sunday: Outdoor Market, Music & Wheels 12:00 PM | The Will
- Community Day 1:00 PM | Mayborn Museum Complex
- Sunday Sessions: The Mammoths 2:00 PM | Waco Surf

Welcome to Open House, where a three-story Four-Square with a 500 sq. ft. covered deck is our kind of architectural flex. We’ll give you the details, and you guess the price.

This week’s listing is a full-on glow-up in the Dean Highland neighborhood originally built in 1916 and now shining like it’s on the cover of At Home magazine.

Highlights include:

The renovation list reads like a dream: new electrical, plumbing, HVAC, windows, roof, flooring, paint, granite countertops, custom cabinetry—you name it, they upgraded it.

So, what’s the price for this Dean Highland stunner that mixes vintage charm with modern everything? 💰 Find the answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

Store Manager, Sales Associates, & Makers — Magnolia Soap & Bath Co.
Join a creative team making handcrafted, plant-based bath products inspired by the mission to care for sensitive skin and promote ingredient transparency.

Magnolia Soap & Bath Co. was founded by a mom seeking safer, more natural options for her daughter's sensitive skin. Every product is locally crafted with gentle, plant-based ingredients—free of harsh chemicals and designed for a luxurious, nourishing experience. If you’re passionate about wellness and transparency, this is the place for you!

Want to share your next open role in the Waco Buzz? Let’s chat.

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