☕️What’s happening in Waco this weekend? (2/20–2/22)

Good morning, Waco. This is The Waco Buzz, the local newsletter that’s like a new restaurant that’s actually good: you kind of want to gatekeep it… but you also text everyone you know so they remember you found it first.

Plus: exclusive Waco Buzz reader deals at the bottom.

Let’s get to it!
— Sam Harper

J.S. Barnett’s is a downtown Waco staple known for having the largest whiskey collection in Texas, over 1,200 bottles, and one of the best Sunday brunches in town. It’s where date nights, client dinners, birthday toasts, and “let’s just meet downtown” kind of evenings tend to land.

If you’re reading this on Friday, Ryan Paul Davis is playing live tonight at 7 PM. Starting Saturday at 11am, crawfish season kicks off with Viet-Cajun boils running all spring, with drinks flowing inside and out. Downtown Waco tends to come alive when weekends look like this.

Lunar New Year, Waco edition 🏮
If your weekend calendar feels a little fuller than usual, that may be because the Lunar New Year celebrations are happening across town.

On Saturday from 9am–1pm, the Asian Leaders Network is hosting its third annual Lunar New Year Market at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market. Expect lion dance performances at Bridge Street Plaza, free arts and crafts with Art Center Waco, food trucks, handmade vendors, and an interactive passport activity that gives kids a reason to explore every booth. It’s free and open to the public, and it’s become one of those events that keeps getting bigger each year.

And if you want to keep the celebration going, Richland Mall is hosting the Otaku Food Festival on Saturday (11–7:30) and Sunday (11–5:30). Think 100+ food and drink vendors, anime vendors, cosplay guests, stage performances, and enough Filipino, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Taiwanese street food to make a full lap mandatory. Also free to enter, which helps.

TEDxBaylor is now streaming 🎤
If you missed Baylor’s first-ever TEDx event back in November, the full “Innovation in Deeds” playlist is now live on YouTube.

Speakers included Baylor faculty, students, and Waco leaders like Cha Community co-owner Jaja Chen and Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber CEO Mito Diaz-Espinoza. The talks are short, thoughtful, and the kind you can watch over coffee and feel smarter by the end.

Fan First at Baylor 🐻
It’s been a few years since Baylor football consistently felt like a 10+ win powerhouse with CFP aspirations. The new AD seems to understand that if you want McLane packed out again, you build an experience people love whether the scoreboard cooperates or not.

He’s revamping tailgating, overhauling concessions pricing, and rolling out what they’re calling the 254 Classics menu. That means $2 popcorn, $2 fountain drinks, $4 hot dogs and pretzels, $5 nachos, and a full family pack for $18.45 so when your kids ask for snacks before the first quarter even ends, you’re not silently calculating how much that just cost you. It feels a little like the Savannah Bananas approach: make it fun, make it affordable, and give fans a reason to show up early and stay late.

🐾 If your pet needs expert care, Ranch House Pet-Med offers comprehensive care from wellness to surgery, all right here in Waco. You can find them online, by phone at 254-544-1458, or at 149 Dosher Lane, Waco, 76712.

Meet Sassy, a 2-year-old Maltese and Silky Terrier mix with a soft white coat and a name that hints at a little personality. She’s small, fully grown, and past the wild puppy stage but still young enough to settle into a new home and bond closely with her person.

If you’re looking for a loyal companion who fits just about anywhere, Sassy might be your girl.

👉 Meet Sassy at Fuzzy Friends this weekend or learn more about her here.

Welcome to Open House, where this week’s home feels less like a listing and more like a private resort that ended up in Waco.

• 6 beds, 6 baths, 7,473 sq ft including a separate guest space on 1.3 tree covered acres
• Winding driveway, vaulted ceilings, floor to ceiling windows
• Resort pool, outdoor kitchen, and a bunk room your kids would claim immediately

There’s even a full home generator, because at this price point, why not.

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

🎈 Friday, February 20:

Life, Legacy, and Lasting Impact of Andrae Crouch @ Mayborn Museum - 10 AM

Open Robotics & Coding @ STEAM Center - 4 PM

Line Dancing & Lessons @ The Will - 6 PM

9 to 5: The Musical @ Waco Civic Theatre - 7:30 PM Tickets

Cirque Italia: Water Circus @ 6611 N I-35 - 7:30 PM Tickets

FRIDAY LIVE MUSIC
Darrell “D-Rail” Ray @ Slow Rise on the Brazos - 5:30 PM
Johnny Joe Ramos @ The Grape Wine Bar & Bistro - 6 PM
Alaina & the Limited Edition Band with Maroon Monday @ The Performing Arts Community Center - 7 PM
Tyler Hill @ Blue Pup Wine & Martini Bar - 7 PM
Ryan Paul Davis @ Barnett's Whiskey House - 7 PM
Touch of Grey @ The Will - 8 PM
Sundae Drivers @ Backyard Bar Stage and Grill - 8:30 PM Tickets

🎈 Saturday, February 21:

Cars & Coffee @ Black Rifle Coffee Company - 9 AM

Pushy Plants: Invasive Plant Walk with naturalist Aaron Lincoln @ Pavilion at Mouth of the Bosque - 9 AM

Lunar New Year Market at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market @ Bridge Street Plaza - 9 AM

Rattlesnake Roundup @ Oglesby Lions Club - 10 AM

Eastside Market @ Brotherwell Brewing - 11 AM

Fruit Tree Care Workshop @ Mission Waco Urban Reap - 11 AM

Otaku Lunar New Year Festival @ Richland Mall - 11 AM

Soul Food Cooking Class @ Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center - 2 PM Registration

Presidential Slaves: African Americans in the Lives of Antebellum U.S. Presidents @ Mayborn Museum - 2 PM

9 to 5: The Musical @ Waco Civic Theatre - 2:30 & 7:30 PM Tickets

Baylor Basketball vs Arizona State @ Foster Pavilion - 3 PM

Galentine’s Night: A Night for the Girls @ The Black Daisy - 4 PM

True Girl Crazy Hair Tour @ Acts Church - 6:30 PM

Alice by Heart @ Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center - 7:30 PM Tickets

FINAL Stand Up Comedy Showcase @ Brazos Theatre - 8 PM

SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC
Gordon Pyle in concert @ The BLVD Steakhouse - 6:30 PM
14th Annual Mardi Gras Ball @ BASE - 7 PM
Reza Live on Tour @ The Hippodrome - 7:30 PM (Magic Show)
Killer Keyz Dueling Pianos @ The Will - 8 PM Tickets
Eddie & The Getaway @ Backyard Bar Stage & Grill - 8:30 PM Tickets

🎈Sunday, February 22:

Woodway Farmers Market @ Carleen Bright Arboretum - 11 AM

Otaku Lunar New Year Festival @ Richland Mall - 11 AM

Vow & Virtue 2026: A Curated Bridal & Quinceañera Experience @ AC Hotel - 1 PM

Alice by Heart @ Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center - 2:30 PM Tickets

9 to 5: The Musical @ Waco Civic Theatre - 2:30 PM Tickets

Set In Stone with Goodnight Franklin @ Performing Arts Community Center - 7 PM

Community Manager at Sandstone Apartments
If you’re the kind of person who wants people to actually love where they live, this one’s for you. You’d run the apartment community, lead the team, solve problems, and shape the day to day experience for hundreds of residents.

Data Management Specialist at Baylor University
Every big university runs on clean data, and this role sits right at the center of that. If you’re organized, good with Excel, and like being the behind the scenes person who keeps things accurate and moving, this is a strong foot in the door at Baylor.

Cookie Leader at Insomnia Cookies
Be the face of the shop and bake warm cookies for late night cookie runs. Perfect for someone who likes fast paced shifts, interacting with people, and free cookies on the side.

Hiring? Post your first job for free using code STARTUP
Hunting? View all 75 open jobs on the Waco Buzz Job Board

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Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something helpful, please share it with your friends who are closely watching the Winter Olympics.

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

1. Promote your business or event to 12,000 engaged Waco locals in an upcoming newsletter. Click the link to get the conversation started.

2. Dinner Club: Meet five other locals (recent movers and lifelong Wacoans) over dinner on March 25. You’ll make new friends regardless of stage of life and help make Waco a smaller town.

3. Job Board: The best place to find open roles at growing companies in Waco with opportunities in media, marketing, sales, communication, tech, and engineering.