🎪 Which Waco festival are you hitting?

Good Morning Waco! This is The Waco Buzz, the local newsletter that is 100x better than scrolling Facebook and hoping to see something that sounds fun.

In this edition:
🎪 It’s Festival Weekend
🏆 Vote: Where's the best place to work in Waco?
✈️ Top Gun with Waco Symphony
🎈 Events and Live Music Rundown

Let's get to it!
- Sam Harper

A Different Way to Take Care of Yourself This Season

You know that feeling when you wake up rested, your body isn't aching, and you have the energy to take on the day? It's easy to take that for granted until it's gone.

Too many of us get used to feeling tired, tight, sore, or just not quite ourselves. We push through another week and tell ourselves we'll make time to take care of our bodies later.

I've been learning about Waco Bodymend Company firsthand, a local wellness and recovery club designed to help you change that. You can explore everything from sauna and red light therapy to guided stretching, massage, hydrotherapy, and compression therapy.

The $50 All Access Pass is a great place to start. You'll get 10 experiences to try over two weeks, on a schedule that works for you. It starts with a SECA body composition scan. Complete your pass, reach the Finish Line, and scratch off a surprise for a chance at extra savings, including up to 50% off a 3-month membership.

Only 100 passes are available. They're also offering 15% off 3-month Standard and VIP memberships for Black Friday with code MEND15.

You can book a free tour to check out the space, or give someone a head start on feeling better with a wellness experience as a holiday gift.

EXPLORE THE $50 ALL ACCESS PASS →*

Art, live music, a Festival of Lights, and a $1 grocery bag of books. Waco has more good reasons to leave the house this weekend than we have free hours.

Why it matters: Some of the best ways to experience Waco are the local artists, neighborhood celebrations, and events happening right in front of us.

The big draw: The Austin Avenue Art Fair takes over Magnolia Silos Friday and Saturday, with more than 100 artists and musicians, live art, and the Art Duel. Buy something from the person who made it, then ask them how.

For the music crowd: Here's a fun excuse for a weekend getaway without leaving Waco. Camp Fimfo is hosting a fall concert series with Casey Donahew taking the stage Friday night and Corey Kent on Saturday. Make an evening of it with mini golf, games, and fire pits at the resort, then skip the drive home and turn it into a staycation. Book a cabin, stay the night, and enjoy a little resort time while you're at it. Get concert tickets → | Book an overnight stay →*

Something different: The Asian Leaders Network hosts its Diwali Celebration Saturday from 5 to 8 PM at the Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center. Expect performers, vendors, and crafts. It's free and family-friendly.

The bargain: Friends of the Library's 63rd annual book sale runs through Sunday at the Extraco Events Center. Thousands of books, records, DVDs, and puzzles are available, with free admission all weekend. Sunday is bag day: fill a grocery bag for just $1.

Worth getting up for: Fall Fit Fest at Pure Barre Saturday from 8 AM to 12:30 PM features 15+ local vendors and a $1,000+ giveaway. The first class is free for newcomers. Grab your spot →*

On the river: If you’re near the Brazos Saturday morning, expect a lot of action on the water. The Waco Head-to-Head rowing race starts at 8 AM at Brazos Park East, with crews racing a 3,500-meter course two boats at a time, side by side. It wraps up the fall racing season, so bring a coffee and watch from the bank. Learn more →

The bottom line: Pick something you haven't done before. Buy from a local maker, tip the band, and say hi to a neighbor.

📌 QUICK HITS

⛳ Deflation, anyone? Topgolf cut gameplay prices by an average of 20% this week. Check latest prices at Topgolf Waco before booking.

🏆 Waco should claim the title of Sports Town USA as Baylor has more wins across football, men's basketball, and women's basketball than any other program in the country in the last 15 years. Baylor soccer and football both face BYU on Saturday, with soccer playing for the Big 12 title in Mansfield at 7 PM and football kicking off in Provo at 2:30 PM on FOX. Women’s basketball plays at Foster Pavilion on Sunday at 2 PM.

🏈 Midway's playoff run continues tonight. The Panthers face Duncanville at McLane Stadium at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $12. Get tickets →

🧠 A full room for Social Studies. We had a great turnout last night for neuroscientist and sleep expert Dr. Michael Scullin. Next up: retired Texas Ranger Jim Huggins on real crime scene investigations and what TV gets wrong on December 3.

This week, American Amicable Group, our Job Board partner, celebrated its longest-serving team members. The company has called the ALICO building home for over 100 years, and one employee got recognized for 65 years of service! Talk about culture and leadership (hopefully she invested those stock options back in 1961!).

That got me thinking about how many great employers Waco has that rarely get credit. So we're building the 2027 Best Places to Work Guide.

Take the 10-second survey, then send it to your co-workers so your workplace makes the list.

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

Top Gun Is Even Better With a Live Orchestra

You've seen Top Gun: Maverick. Now imagine watching the entire movie on the big screen while the Waco Symphony Orchestra performs its score live, in sync with every scene. From the iconic Top Gun theme to the music of Hans Zimmer, Harold Faltermeyer and Lady Gaga, the orchestra brings the film's soundtrack to life as Maverick takes to the skies. You'll hear the movie's original dialogue and action while experiencing the music with a full orchestra right in front of you.

It's part movie, part concert, and a completely different way to experience a blockbuster.

Sunday, Nov. 15 at 2 PM at Waco Hall (625 Speight Ave.). The film earned six Oscar nominations and won Best Sound.

👉 Get tickets →*

The Austin Avenue Art Fair takes over Magnolia Silos Friday and Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM, with 100+ artists, live art, and live music on two stages. Friday at 4:30 PM, watch the Art Duel in front of the Silos. Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM, follow the Art Walk of Waco to artists around downtown. Buy something from the person who made it, then ask them how.

🆓 free | 👨‍👩‍👧 family-friendly | ✨ something different

🎈 Friday, November 13

Austin Avenue Art Fair @ Magnolia Silos - 9 AM to 6 PM

Friends of the Library Book Sale @ Extraco Events Center | 🆓

Clip & Sip @ Cultivate Waco - 6 PM

Midway vs. Duncanville Playoff Game @ McLane Stadium - 7:30 PM

"Big Love" @ Baylor Mabee Theater - 7:30 PM

Live Music
Zach & Chris @ Uncle Dan's BBQ Ribhouse - 6:30 PM
The Tenth Bar and Vulo @ Texas Music Cafe - 7 PM
Kin Faux @ Camp Fimfo - 7:15 PM
Ray Palousek @ Twisted Sisters Patio Bar - 8 PM
Tanner Usrey @ The Backyard Bar Stage & Grill - 8:30 PM
Casey Donahew @ Camp Fimfo - 9 PM

🎈 Saturday, November 14

Waco Head-to-Head Rowing Race @ Brazos Park East - 8 AM

H-E-B Zoo Stampede @ Cameron Park Zoo - 8 AM

Fall Fit Fest @ Pure Barre Waco - 8 AM to 12:30 PM

Austin Avenue Art Fair @ Magnolia Silos - 9 AM to 6 PM

Waco Downtown Farmers Market @ Bridge Street Plaza - 9 AM

Discover Waco Business and Craft Expo @ St. Jerome Catholic Church - 9 AM to 4 PM | 🆓

Beginner Belly Dance Workshop @ Performing Arts Community Center - 11 AM | ✨

Car Show @ Uncle Worm’s - 11 AM

Swim Waco Grand Opening @ 216 Kelly Dr. - 2 PM | 👨‍👩‍👧

Diwali Celebration @ Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center - 5 to 8 PM | 🆓

Cowboys, Cowgirls & Casino Night benefiting Anna Cheri Foundation @ Texas Ranger Hall of Fame - 6 PM

"Big Love" @ Baylor Mabee Theater - 7:30 PM

Ballo Italiano — The Return of Charity Ball
Benefiting the Junior League of Waco @ Ridgewood Country Club - 8 PM

Live Music
Bryce Leatherwood @ Camp Fimfo - 6 PM
Greg & Evan @ Segovia Wine Bar - 7 PM
Elton John and Cher Tribute @ Waco Hippodrome Theatre - 7 PM | ✨
Huser Brothers @ Camp Fimfo - 7:15 PM
Sami Brown @ Twisted Sisters Patio Bar - 8 PM
Corey Kent @ Camp Fimfo - 9 PM
Midland @ The Backyard Bar Stage & Grill - 10 PM

🎈 Sunday, November 15

Woodway Farmers Market @ Carleen Bright Arboretum

Friends of the Library Book Sale, Bag Day @ Extraco Events Center | $1 a bag

Top Gun: Maverick in Concert @ Waco Hall - 2 PM

Women’s Baylor Basketball vs East Texas A&M @ Foster Pavilion - 2 PM

📣 Hosting a local event? Add it to the Waco Buzz Events Calendar so neighbors can find it and show up. Hit Submit Your Event at the top of the page, and if you already built the event somewhere else, paste the link and it loads the details for you. Add your event →

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

Nine across, nine down, and clues that only make sense if you've lived here.

👉 Play this week's games →

✨ Black Friday at Skin & Body Refinery runs November 27 through December 1. Big savings on smoother skin, faded sun spots, and bringing fullness back in your face.*

💧 I-Vit Wellness Lounge is offering 20% off all IV drips during Thanksgiving week. A little holiday-week reset, with a little savings.*

🛞 Chevy of West's Red Tag Sale is on. Owner Leo Pacheco and General Sales Manager Mark Varia are rolling out red-tagged deals on select vehicles, along with special offers on tires, brakes, shocks and struts, and tire sensors.*

Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something useful, share it with the friend who says "we should do something this weekend" every Friday and then never picks a thing.

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

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