☕️What's happening in Waco this weekend? (1/16 - 1/18)

Good morning, Waco. This is The Waco Buzz, the local newsletter that’s like the friend you made New Year’s resolutions with and keeps cheering you on.

Let’s get to it!
— Sam Harper

If your knees creak when you stand up, your back sighs louder than you do, or you’re “fine” but also mysteriously tired… This is your sign.

Waco Bodymend Company is giving Waco Buzz readers a ridiculous deal to try one of the most talked-about wellness treatments on the planet:

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For the cost of a fancy coffee, you can lay down in their futuristic TheraLight 360+ bed and let your body soak up full-immersion red light therapy that helps you recover, recharge, and kickstart your metabolism by stimulating mitochondria to produce more energy (ATP).  Think back to high school biology! 

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Because it helps with things like:

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Inside Waco Bodymend you’ll find oxygen therapy, world class recovery tools, and CrushCycle classes all under one roof.

Waco Buzz Reader Deal
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MLK Weekend in Waco

School is out Monday, government offices are closed (library included), and if you’re on PTO today, well played. Waco will mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with several public events focused on remembrance, reflection, and community.

Friday: A ribbon cutting for the new Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center at 10 AM, followed by the 40th Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony at noon at the Doris Miller Community Center. You’re welcome to bring a wreath to place at the MLK monument after the program.

Monday: The annual MLK Peace March starts at Indian Spring Park with a walk across the Suspension Bridge, followed by a Gospel Extravaganza at the Multi-Purpose Center (1020 Elm Ave) with music and a light lunch.

Also Monday: Baylor University will host a free carillon recital at noon at Pat Neff Hall, and the Mayborn Museum Complex is offering free admission all day.

If you’re looking for something meaningful to anchor the long weekend, there are plenty of ways to be part of it without overthinking the schedule.

Two Waco partnerships worth knowing about
Two longtime Waco names are teaming up in ways that stretch well beyond a single headline.

First up, Magnolia has made the largest gift in Baylor baseball history, officially naming Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark. The investment supports future ballpark projects and student-athletes, and it adds another chapter to Chip and Joanna Gaines’ long-running connection to Baylor and the city. You’ll start hearing “Magnolia Field” once baseball season gets rolling this spring.

On the community side, United Way of Waco-McLennan County is stepping in to lead Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Waco, expanding a program many locals already know from their annual Duck Race on the Brazos. The Imagination Library sends a free, age-appropriate book every month to enrolled kids from birth to age five. More than 2,000 Waco-area children are already receiving books, with plans to grow the program in 2026.

Different lanes, same theme: local partnerships using big platforms to make long-term investments in Waco’s future.

🐾If your pet needs more than a routine visit, 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 Hope, a 3-year-old terrier weighing just under 34 pounds. She’s past the chaos phase and solidly in her “good walks, good naps, good vibes” era. Big enough to keep up, calm enough to settle in, and very much knows who she is.

If you’re looking for a companion who’s already outgrown the puppy plot twists, Hope could be a great match.

👉 Meet Hope at the Humane Society of Central Texas or learn more about her here.

Welcome to Open House, where big acreage makes your current fence feel personal.

This modern home sits on just over 3 acres in China Spring and feels equal parts private retreat and “we could host everything here.”

• 5 beds, 5 baths, built in 2022
• Pool, sauna, and room to disappear for the weekend
• Guest suite over the garage for visitors who stay longer than planned

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

The setup: After Barnett’s redid their entire menu and I saw reviews calling it one of the top burgers in Waco, I had to see it for myself. I’d always thought of this place as dinner-and-drinks only. Turns out, lunch deserves a seat at the table.

The bite: If you’re a burger purist who loves caramelized onions, this one’s for you. Big, juicy, and packed with flavor.

A couple things I noted while there: no more service charge, and the entire lunch menu is new with a lineup of solid sandos. (gourmet sandwiches).
Six-word review: Caramelized onions, big bite, zero regrets.

🏀 Should we do a burger bracket?

Last year we ran a Greatest Taco in Waco challenge (shoutout Lolita’s), and it was a blast.

🎈Friday, January 16:

Waco STEAM Center Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening - 10 AM

Family Movie Night @ Antioch Waco - 6 PM

Talent Showcase @ Performing Arts Community Center - 7 PM

Songs for a New World @ Waco Civic Theatre - 7:30 PM

FRIDAY LIVE MUSIC
Darrell “D-Rail” Ray @ Slow Rise on the Brazos - 5:30 PM (Country / Country-Rock)
Stan Wilfong @ The Grape Wine Bar & Bistro - 6 PM (Soft Rock / ’60s–’70s Hits)
Nonity @ Lounge '93 - 7:30 PM (Alternative Rock / Indie Rock)
Sami Brown @ Blue Pup Wine & Martini Bar - 8 PM (Pop / Acoustic Covers)

🎈 Saturday, January 17:

Waco Wellness Festival @ Baylor Club – 10 AM to 1 PM

Cars & Coffee @ Black Rifle Coffee Company - 9 AM

Waco Downtown Farmers Market @ Bridge Street Plaza - 9 AM

Community Paint Day with Creative Waco @ STEAM Center - 10 AM

Eastside Market @ Brotherwell Brewing - 11 AM

Paint & Sip with Dino! @ Marie's Wine Bar - 1:30 PM

Songs for a New World @ Waco Civic Theatre - 2:30 PM

Tequila Master Class + Dinner with the Owner of ATX Tequila @ Circa Bar & Kitchen - 6:30 PM

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s A Grand Night For Singing @ Waco Civic Theatre - 7:30 PM

SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC
Live Piano @ BLVD Steakhouse - 6:30 PM (Piano / Easy-Listening)
Claire Ruland @ Marie's Wine Bar - 7:30 PM (Acoustic / Singer-Songwriter)
Jennifer Pisarcik & Jon Fox @ Lounge '93 - 7:30 PM (Jazz / Vocal Jazz)
Stand-Up Comedy Showcase @ Brazos Theatre - 8 PM (Stand-Up Comedy)
Scotty Alexander @ Backyard Bar Stage & Grill - 8 PM (Country / Country Rock)
Zachary Hill & Mark McCallister @ The Tavern - 8:30 PM (Rock / Americana)
Karaoke @ Chapter 11 - 9 PM (Karaoke / Open Mic)

🎈Sunday, January 18:

Woodway Farmers Market with Steve Dansby @ Carleen Bright Arboretum - 11 AM

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s A Grand Night For Singing @ Waco Civic Theatre - 2:30 PM

🎹 Aristo Sham with the Waco Symphony Orchestra – Jan 22, 7:30 PM
Hear the 2025 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist and Audience Favorite perform live at Waco Hall with the Waco Symphony. The evening features Brahms’ first piano concerto, Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony, and an opening work by American composer Jessie Montgomery. Details and tickets.

🌟 WOW Level Up 2026 – Jan 30, 9:30 AM–5:30 PM
A full-day women’s conference hosted by Women of Waco at AC Hotel Waco. Expect to hear from Dr. Linda Livingstone and Rachel E. Pate, plus breakout sessions and time to network with others. Built for women who want to level up their business and their brand. Details and registration.

Executive Assistant at American Amicable Group. Support the President and senior leadership. High-trust role at a 100+ year Waco company helping families plan their futures.

Marketing Operations Specialist at AxisCare. Marketing ops role focused on data integrity, reporting, and process improvement. Great fit for someone who enjoys making systems run cleaner and smarter behind the scenes.

Senior Program Director at YMCA of Central Texas. Lead membership growth, retention, and facility sports programming. Mission-driven role for a people-first leader who likes seeing their work show up in real life.

Hiring? Post a job
Hunting? View all 66 open jobs on the Waco Buzz Job Board

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Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something insightful, please share it with someone who loves ordering the pizza pillows from Shorty’s.

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

1. Promote your business or event to 10,900 engaged Waco locals in an upcoming newsletter. Click the link to get the conversation started.

2. Dinner Club: Meet dozens of other locals (recent movers and lifelong Wacoans) over dinner on January 27. 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.