Waco Weekend – January 19 – 22
This weekend, we’re celebrating the new year! Get ready to welcome the year of the rabbit with East Market and Goods and Cha Community, but we also have plenty of other fun events to pack your Waco weekend. From events at the library to keep the kids entertained to some really cool conventions, there’s no shortage of fun!
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Through the Weekend
Calling all content creators! If you haven’t already heard, Waco will be hosting its first ever content creator convention, Rogue Con ‘23, this weekend from Friday through Sunday. This convention will be a family-friendly event dedicated to the celebration of podcasting, YouTubers, Tik-Toks, comics, music and more! For the schedule, ticket prices and further information, check out the official website here.
Believe it or not, there’s more than one convention headed to Waco this weekend. The ATG (All-Time-Greatest) Expo will be held at the Waco Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday. Whether you’re young or old, male or female, jock or nerd, ATG only has one rule: “have fun!” This convention will be full of games, contests, panels, music, costumes, food and so much more! For more information, FAQ’s, schedules and registration, make sure to check out the convention website.
Thursday – January 19
Keep Waco Beautiful is holding their ribbon-cutting ceremony at Stay Classy Waco’s new glass recycling bin for District 4 at 5:30 p.m. Celebrate the new expansion of recycling here in Waco! Grab a free Pernod Ricard and enjoy the nacho bar, no reservations required. And be sure to keep Waco a beautiful city. Find more information here.
Mack Abernathy and Bob Arnold at Lakeside Bar, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
The Waco Symphony Orchestra proudly presents their first performance of the year, “A Magical Evening in the American West.” Ferde Grofé’s monumental Grand Canyon Suite will headline this wonderful concert featuring a finalist in the WSO’s Music Director search. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., but if you show up at 6:45 p.m. you can hear a panel by Photographer and multimedia artist Nicholas Bardonnay speak on his project on the Grand Canyon. Tickets run between $29 and $69 and can be purchased here.
Bobby Dean & Timeless Country at Sul Ross Boot Scootin’ Dance Club, 7 – 9:15 p.m.
Songwriter Night at Texas Music Café, 7 – 10 p.m.
Ready for another round of Coffee with the Masons? Once again, you can stop by Dichotomy from 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. to engage in a discussion with real freemasons and ask all those questions you’ve been dying to know: How does someone become a member? What kind of work do they do? Is there a secret masonic lounge in Disney World? Ask all these questions and more at this exciting event, and grab a cup of coffee while you’re at it.
Friday – January 20
Jay Dittman, professor of physics at Baylor University, will be discussing the Higgs Boson in his lecture “The God Particle: What is it? Why does it matter?” from 9:30 – 11 a.m. at the Mayborn Museum. Come discover his involvement in the discovery of this scientific phenomenon at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland, that has been making waves in the field for the past 10 years. This event is free and open to the public, and free coffee will be served as well.
Pat McKee Trio at Lounge 93, 6 p.m.
Brazzos Brothers at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, 6:30 p.m.
Jeremy Casella at Therapy Center Stage, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Ever wanted to learn how to make your own Chinese dumplings? Cha Community can help you out! Their Community Dumpling Night Workshop will begin at 6:30 p.m. and it will teach you how to fold and cook pork and vegetarian dumplings which you can then enjoy. You can even take a copy of their recipe home. The class costs $48 to sign up and registrations can be made here.
8th Annual Waco Masonic Concert at Backyard Bar Stage and Grill, 7 – 11 p.m.
Live Oak Moonshiners at Mynars, 7:30 p.m.
Max Tooker, Lynnette Hundley-Allmon and Steven Scheifley at Blue Dog Wine & Martini Bar, 8 p.m.
Stella Fitzgerald at Stay Classy Waco, 8 p.m.
Saturday – January 21
Queen Elsa of Arendelle will be visiting the Central Waco Mclennan County Library, so bring your kids to meet her for a photo opportunity! She will be arriving at 10:30 a.m. to read the kids one of her favorite stories and then to make some Frozen-themed crafts afterwards. She’ll be leaving at noon, so make sure to stop by before then!
The Eastside Market is back for a new year of buying local! And as much as we love our local shops, the Eastside Market has so much more to offer as well: food trucks, vintage fashion, live graffiti artwork, live music and so much more. The market opens at noon and runs until 5 p.m. Don’t miss it! More information can be found on their website.
Teenagers interested in Netflix’s “Stranger Things” can get their fix of both at the West branch of the Waco Mclennan County Library from 3 – 5 p.m. The library will be hosting an event with crafts, snacks and games. There will be a DIY station where you can make a mini display of Joyce’s alphabet wall or a friendship bracelet to take home. Then, learn the ins-and-outs of the cast’s favorite game, “Dungeons and Dragons.” The event will finish with a Will Byers art competition, where the top three winners will get their art displayed on the wall. Kids ages 9 – 17 are welcome!
The Professional Artists of Central Texas presents a collective art exhibition, “Art a la Carte,” featuring 18 artists in this exciting opening reception. It will be held at Art Center Waco from 6 – 8 p.m. All are welcome. The exhibit will then be open and available to the public until March 11th.
Maker’s Edge Makerspace is celebrating their 8th year of business, and wants to invite all of their members to party with them! Enjoy games, food and fellowship with other makers. This is a potluck-style celebration, so please bring food or a treat to share if you plan to participate. While it is a members-only event, feel free to bring a guest! The celebration begins at 6 p.m. and will last until 9 p.m.
Waco Early Jazz Quartet at Southern Roots Brewing, 7 – 9 p.m.
Gene Watson at the Bosque Arts Center, 7 – 9 p.m.
The Resistors and Lindsley Brothers at Texas Music Café, 7 – 10 p.m.
If you like beer and jokes, then do we have a show for you! Bare Arms Brewing will be showing “3 Guys and a Beer,” an improv show sure to bring the house down from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. The show will feature local talent and minor celebrities, as well as some adult content. It is recommended children under the age of 16 should not attend. Tickets can be purchased here for $12.
Dave Innis at Stay Classy Waco, 8 p.m.
Gordon Collier Band at Elk Hall, 8 – 10 p.m.
Chris Low at Backyard Bar Stage and Grill, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday – January 22
It’s time to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and East Market invites you to do so with them! Enjoy over twenty food trucks/vendors, giveaways, live music and a ramen/lumpia eating contest at Waco’s largest AAPI celebration. Registration for the contests will begin the day of the event. Make sure to stay up to date on this celebration by checking out East Market’s Facebook and Instagram page.
The Junior League of Waco invites you to their “Local Ladies Pop-Up Shop” event. It will take place at the Clifton House, their headquarters, from 2 – 5 p.m. Shop with local vendors and learn more about the organization at this market event. Don’t miss it!
The Baylor Women’s Basketball team will be taking on the Texas Longhorns starting at 4 p.m. Buy tickets to this event to support Baylor’s athletics team as they play to make Waco proud! Tickets can be purchased here for $20. The game will take place at the Ferrell Center.
Pat McKee Trio at Valley Mills Vineyards, 4 – 6 p.m.
Open mic night at Lakeside Bar, 6 p.m.
Karaoke and Service Industry Night at Freight Bar, 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
