The Grackle

Observations, Reflections and Miscellany from the Wacoan

Top Things to do in Waco This Weekend

February 9-12

1 month ago

By Avery Ballmann

Top Things to do in Waco this Weekend

Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, but there is still the whole weekend to get out and explore. From trivia, art, live music and even a celebrity cookoff, don’t save all of your energy for Sunday and remember to tag us @wacoan and use #WacoWeekend for a chance to be featured!

 

Through the Weekend

“How I Got Over”

Presented by the Waco Civic Theatre, “How I Got Over” takes the audience to church by telling the fascinating tale of Clara Mae Ward, a renowned gospel singer in the 1950s. This play is three nights only on February 9-12. The Thursday, Friday and Saturday showing will be at 7:30 p.m., and the Sunday show is at 2:30 p.m. located on 1517 Lake Air Drive. Tickets are $25 for adult and $22 for students/seniors/military.

Art A La Carte— A Collective Exhibition

The Professional Artists of Central Texas (PACT) have created a mosaic of artwork inside Art Center Waco, 701 S 8th Street. This exhibit features 18 different artists with works ranging from different mediums and styles. The Art Center opens Thursday and Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. and will close at 5:00 p.m., and Saturday it will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 2:00 p.m. The gallery is free to view.

Thursday – February 9

Martin Museum of Art – Jason Bly Lecture

Come hear Jason Bly speak about his artwork at Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center at 60 Baylor Avenue from 5:30–6:30 p.m. Bly’s artwork is taking the normal every-day objects and turning them into whimsical pieces of art that make your head tilt. This event is free to the public.

Darts Tournament

Hit the bullseye with all your friends at Clicks Billiards. Their dart tournament is from 7:00–11:00 p.m.at 1200 Richland Drive #8001, with a $10 entry fee. If you’re not the best at darts, but still want to be a part of the action, there are food, drinks and other games available to customers.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night

TrueLove Bar, 414 Franklin Avenue, is hosting its weekly trivia night at 7:00 p.m. You can play as a team with up to six people or show up and join another team. There are 60 questions over a 2-hour period with a chance to win free drinks and prizes.

Songwriter Thursday

Showcase your singing abilities at The Backyard Bar Stage and Grill’s Songwriter Thursday. The one requirement is your song must be an original song by you, the one and only. Sign-ups begin at 6:00 p.m. and the show starts at 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Trivia Night @ Brotherwell Brewing

Who doesn’t love answering trivia while having a nice cold beer— this may be your own version of your crazy weekend night, but Brotherwell Brewing doesn’t judge. Each week the brewery invites a guest host for the trivia, teams can win prizes and points. Trivia Night will be held at 400 E Bridge Street from 7:00–9:30 p.m.

Zamora County Line at Twisted Sisters Patio Bar, 7:00 p.m.

Stars Over Texas Jamboree-Gospel Edition at Lee Lockwood Library, 7–9:00 p.m.

Songwriter Night with Jonna Mae at Texas Music Café, 7–10:00 p.m.

Bobby Dean and Timeless Country at Sul Ross Senior Center, 7–9:15pm

 

Friday – February 10

Cardboard Craze opening day, Mayborn Museum

The Mayborn Museum takes building to a whole new level. Guests can now build sculptures, forts, mazes and more with all recycled material. This activity is not only fun, but it is good for our environment. This exhibit will be open until April 2nd located at 1300 S. University Parks Drive. The museum hours for Friday are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information on the exhibit and price list, visit the Mayborn’s website.

Women on Weights

Learn how to lift weights and train properly through this 4-week course located at the Greater Waco YMCA on 6800 Harvey Drive. From 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. women will be able to learn new techniques and meet new people. The cost for the course is $150 for YMCA members and $200 for community members, apply here.

Humane Society of Central Texas and Baylor’s Animal Rescue Club Adoption Event

Do you need a new furry friend? If you answered no—who are you kidding, of course you want a new pet. This event benefits you and your new pet by saving it from going back to the shelter. The adoption event is located on Fountain Mall, 1322 S Fifth Street from 1:00–4:00 p.m. Grab a sneak peek of what animals you can adopt.

Justin Hewitt Band at Backyard Bar Stage and grill, 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Ryan Paul Lewis at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop (Downtown location), 6:30 p.m.

Live Oak Moonshiner’s at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop (Hewitt location), 6:30 p.m.

Galentine’s Pop and Sip

For only $30, you and your gal-pals can have a fun evening of drinks, snacks, music and of course, balloons. Event includes a giveaway, tickets can be purchased through Venmo @wacoballoonco. Balloon Co. is located at 227 N. Hewitt Drive, the event is from 6:30–7:30 p.m.

CaCean Ballou & The Dirty Crawfish with J.C. Pringle and Jeremy Bryant at Twisted Sisters Patio Bar, 7:0011:00 p.m.  

Deceived by the Fallen, A Night Out and Auroch TX at Brotherwell Brewing, 7:009:00 p.m.

Friday Night Dinner at Lighthouse Coffee & Wine

Enjoy a dinner of pickled carrots and cucumbers, your house of pear and radish salad with Gorgonzola cream and lemon vinaigrette or lentil soup. The entree is either beef filet with chimichurri or halibut with garlic and white wine sauce, served with glazed beets and mashed parsnips. And to top it off for dessert, cupcakes. If this sounds appealing and your mouth is already drooling on your screen, reserve your tickets on their website. This dinner is served from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. located on 624 Washington Avenue.

H-E-B Celebrity cookoff 

Witness the chefs of Waco battle it out in the kitchen and support Waco ISD Education Foundation. Representatives from H-E-B, Waco City Council, Waco Police Department, The Voice, Channel 25 News and more will trade their regular hat for a chef hat for the evening. This event is located at the Extraco Events Center from 7:00–10:00 p.m. Individual tickets listed at $185.

Daddy Daughter Date

Men of McGregor, this is your chance to take your little girl to an evening only she can imagine in fairytales. Located in McGregor at The Exchange Event Center from 7:00–9:30 p.m., there will be dancing, crafts, snacks and a photo booth. The theme is under the sea. This date is not limited to dads and daughters, so whoever that figure is in your life, bring them along. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Outlaw Nationals

Get your engines ready for this monster truck extravaganza. See champions like King Krunch, Bad Habit and Barbarian at the Extraco Events Center from 7:30–9:30 p.m., tickets range from $15-$28. For the little ones, there is a Kid’s Monster Truck Challenge. Whoever wins get to race one of their Monster Trucks during the show. If you want to hop on the Mighty Monster Bus, there is a chance to ride during intermission and before and after the show.

Chad Prather

Get in a good laugh with Chad Prather at his stand-up comedy show located at the Waco Hippodrome Theatre, 724 Austin Avenue from 7:30–9:30 p.m. Prather is on his “Am I Crazy?” Comedy tour and pokes fun at today’s ‘woke’ world. RSVP for tickets at the Hippodrome’s website.

Fish City Grill Valentine’s Special

This new restaurant in town did not skip a heartbeat to get a special just in time for Valentine’s Day. This dinner for two is $49.99 that includes two appetizers, two entrees and one shared dessert. Located at 5401 Crosslake Parkway, make your way over to this great deal.

 

Saturday – February 11

Waco Downtown Farmers Market

The Farmers Market is a great way to start you Saturday. With all the free samples, fresh produce and cute dogs, it’s a no-brainer for a great day. Grab your favorite produce and goods from the Downtown Farmer’s Market this Saturday from 9:00–1:00 p.m. at 500 Washington Avenue. Get this week’s vendor lineup here.

The People’s Law School

Want to be legal savvy like Elle Woods of Legally Blonde? Then join Baylor University as they host The People’s Law School from 9:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at 1114 S University Parks Dr. This is meant to educate the public on law fundamentals. The mini courses include topics as legal rights, user-friendly laws, personal and business law and more. Admission is free and open to the public. Courses of the day and registration can be found online.

Waco Walk: Black History Month Walk

Celebrate and support Black History month by attending the Waco Walk. Baylor’s Oral History Department will take attendees on a walk through downtown to learn about the stories of African Americans in Waco. Participants will meet at 501 Washington Avenue Suite 300 at 10:00–11:00 a.m.

Cooking with Cultures

Take a journey to the Philippines without having to leave Waco. The South Waco Library, 2737 S 18th Street from 11:00-12:00 p.m. will be hosting a dietary diversity cooking class. Partnered with Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, participants will learn how to cook a Philippine dish while learning the culture behind it. The class is free and open to the public.

Steppin’ Through Time – East Terrace Valentine’s Sweetheart Dance

Lace up your dancing shoes and grab your boo for the East Terrace Valentine’s Sweetheart Dance, located at 100 Mill Street from 1–4 p.m. This event is led by the Baylor Ballroom Dance Society and will include a lesson on ballroom dancing and refreshments. Tickets at $10 and the museum encourages guests to wear vintage clothing.

Noodle and Lou Valentine Doll Class

Noodle and Lou is a local artist that specializes in making dolls. She is bringing this skill to Paper Crown, 602 Franklin Avenue from 1:00–5:00 p.m. For $45, participants can create a beautiful Valentine’s Day themed doll.

Crab Boil

Crawl into Barnett’s Public House, located on 420 Franklin Avenue, from 2:00 p.m. until sold out for their weekly crab boil. They have crab, sausage and shrimp plates with sides. There is also ice cold beer to top it off.

Perspective Drawing Workshop

Learn the basics of perspective drawing with Julian Rosas. This class is $45 per person and includes all materials. The event is located at Maker’s Edge Makerspace 1800 Austin Ave #3 from 2:00–4:00 p.m.

Suede at TrueLove Bar, 7:00 p.m.

The Morticians at The Palladium, 7:00 p.m.

Miguel Hernandez & The Elements at The American Legion Post 121, 7:009:00 p.m

Cruising the Mediterranean

Waco Cultural Art is hosting their fundraiser event supporting Art at the Arc Summer Camp at Anthem Stories, 800 Austin Avenue,  from 7:00–10:00 p.m. Did I forget to mention there will be wine live music, and a tropical dinner of Caprese salad, Tuscan chicken and shrimp linguine? Attendees are encouraged to dress in “cruising style.” Tickets start at $90 for singles, $180 for a couples table, a reserved table of 8 at $720 or an exclusive mezzanine table of 10 for $1000.

Waco Go Red for Women

This event is to spread awareness of the women who have lost their life to cardiovascular diseases and to educate the community on prevention. The Texas Sports Hall of Fame, 1108 S University Parks Drive from 7:00–10:00 p.m. will be hosting an evening of live speakers, auction, dinner and entertainment.

Mr. Pookie with Pharaoh Tha God and Others at Private Hip-Hop HQ, 8:0010:00 p.m.  

Clean Slate at Twisted Sisters Patio Bar, 8:0011:00 p.m.

Lyle Lovett at the Waco Hippodrome, 8:00–10:00 p.m.

Johnny Joe Ramos & The Band at The Backyard Bar Stage and Grill, 8:3010:30 p.m.

Stop Light Party

Venture to members-only speakeasy Undercroft Social Club, 712 Austin Avenue, for a Valentine’s party. From 8:00–10:00 p.m. guests can see DJ The Sweetest T and bring their friends with them. If you are not a member of this club, please be sure to purchase a day-pass to enter.

Heartbreakers Club Night

If you’re already feeling nauseating dread of seeing Valentine’s Day posts, you might want to go to this event. Forget the love and romance of Valentine’s Day at One Day Bar, 618 Columbus Ave Suite B from 8:30–11:30 p.m. There will be a DJ and a special Heartbreakers’ shot menu.

Sunday – February 12

Corks and Canvases

Learn painting techniques while sipping on a complimentary sangria with Susan Sistrunk. This acrylic painting class is $40 located at Susan L. Sistrunk Fine Art Gallery, 2120 Washington Avenue, from 2:00–4:30 p.m. This class also includes all materials and tickets can be found here.

The Word is Murder

Dissect Anthony Horowitz’s book “The Word is Murder” at the Mystery Book Club from 2:30–3:30 p.m. The book is about solving the murder of a woman who was involved in a hit-and-run accident years ago. The club will meet at the Central Library, 1717 Austin Avenue.

Waco Early Jazz Quartet at Valley Mills Vineyard, 4:006:00 p.m.

Open mic night with Clinton Bon Slaughter at Lakeside Bar & Live Music, 6:00 p.m.