It’s time for a weekend of learning and lessons! Whether that be fitness training, educational classes hosted by the Mayborn Museum or recreational learning about gardening techniques in Central Texas, there is certainly something for everyone. Of course, we have plenty of other fun-filled events to showcase as well!

Remember to tag us @wacoan and use #WacoWeekend as you show off your fun-filled weekend.

Through the Weekend

Feel the burn this weekend with the HOT Strength & Fitness Expo! Join CrossFit Waco and Train Waco this weekend spanning a series of fitness events at the Waco Convention Center. Friday will include setup with “The Growth Encounter” event, while Saturday and Sunday will feature the main events which range from strongman events to CrossFit events and even a heavy metal car show! Registration and information can be found on their website here.

Thursday – September 8

Grab your golf clubs for the 25th annual Caring Cup Classic Annual Golf Tournament. From 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., golfers can compete at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course for the title of the best golfer in Waco. Proceeds support Mission Waco Programs. More information and registration can be found on their website here.

Buddy up and head over to the Mayborn Museum Complex at 10:30 a.m. for the “That’s What Friends Are For” reading day. Bob Anne Center’s book club will be reading four books about friendship: 12 Mighty Orphans, Patsy and Me, The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers and A Dog Called Hope. The event is $20 per person and tickets can be bought here.

The Mayborn Museum continues the fun with its “Better Storytelling through Photography” event. Photographer Sam Wilson will be teaching a class on telling stories through photos at 2 p.m. The course is $20 per person, and everyone must bring their own camera or phone camera. Tickets can be bought here.

Connect with the city in the Find Your Waco life fair at the Waco Convention Center. From 3-6 p.m., meet different local business owners eager to connect with Waco’s talent pool while they showcase different events, local flavors, hobbies, sporting events and everything else that makes Waco the city it is. Admission is free and held at the Waco Convention Center. More information can be found here.

Want to learn more about Dirk Fowler’s “Paper Trail: Letterpress and Screenprinted Posters” exhibit? Meet the man behind the art at the artist reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Martin Museum of Art where he will discuss the exhibit and answer questions. Dirk Fowler is an Associate Professor of Art in Graphic Design at Texas Tech University and one-half of f2design, an award-winning design and printing studio in Lubbock, Texas. He has created letterpress posters and illustrations for clients such as Wilco, The New York Dolls, Columbia Records, Wired, Billboard, Texas Monthly and The New York Times. Light refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public. Learn more here.

The Lee Lockwood Library and museum is hosting its monthly Stars Over Texas Jamboree from 7 – 9:30 p.m. This time, they are celebrating their 12th anniversary with a 6:45 p.m. pre-show and performers such as Mariachi Azteca, Eric Huggins, Andy Thomas, and more. Tickets are $20 per person, and more information can be found on their Facebook page.

Friday – September 9

Anyone looking for fresh produce and plants should go to Da’Shack Farmers Market for fresh organic produce, herbs and nursery plants. Some vendors will even cut your produce directly from the plant. From 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

In a world with technology growing as fast as it is, keeping technology secure and safe has become increasingly more difficult. That’s why Keith Kooyman is teaching people how to protect themselves from cyberattacks and identify theft in his “Cybersecurity and You” class at 1:30 p.m. at the Mayborn Museum Complex. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased here.

For those with refined tastes, The Pavilion at the Carleen Bright Arboretum is hosting the Woodway Wine Fest from 6 – 10 p.m. with a live concert performing halfway through. The concert will be performed by the alternative rock band Jackopierce. Try out some different wines and vibe with good music at this event. Registration can be booked here for $35 per person.

Saturday – September 10

All day starting at 9 a.m., join a group of scrapbookers for the Scrap It Southern Style class at the Waco Convention Center. Tickets are $169 per person and includes a welcome gift, Saturday crop time, five full-sized classes, shopping, games and prizes. Tickets can be purchased at the website here.

Stop by the Woodway Family Center from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. to check out their Pop-Up Library event with the Waco-McLennan County Library. Get books, play games and win prizes at this family-friendly event. Library card or other forms of picture ID that proves residence is required.

Mariachi Azteca, the band which has brought joy to Waco for over 42 years, kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month with live Mariachi music at the Mayborn Museum Complex! This family-friendly event, which started at 11 a.m., will provide Hispanic cultural snacks and refreshments and feature both an interview with the band’s manager and a special presentation. Register here.

The 37th Bosque Art Classic is happening at the Bosque Arts Center in Clifton. This jury and judged art show will host its opening night sale, dinner and awards ceremony for this years talented winners will be hosted from 7 – 10 p.m. This national event includes all artists who create realistic and representational art, sometimes even attracting international participants. Tickets are $60 per person and can be purchased here.

Sunday – September 11

Dive into the third annual Beast of the Brazos, an open-water swim event with two available routes to choose from; a 1.2 mile and a 2.4 mile route. Registration required and participants will receive a free swim cap and T-shirt. And if you conquer the Beast, you’ll even win a finisher’s medal! Tickets range from $55-$70 and can be purchased here.

Join Cultivate 7twelve for painting Life Drawing with Hope & Harper. These live figures begin with gesture poses for 30 minutes, then will do five 5-minute poses, two 15-minute poses and finally end with a 45-minute pose. The painting session will take place in a private studio from 1 – 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and can be found here.

Live Music

• Thursday, September 8

• • • Songwriter Thursday at The Backyard Bar Stage and Grill, 7 – 10 p.m.
    • Jazz Ensemble Swing Concert at Baylor’s Glennis McCrary Music Building, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

• Friday, September 9

• • • Bryan Martin with Logan Samford at The Backyard Bar Stage and Grill, 8:30 p.m.

• Saturday, September 10

• • • The Bellamy Boys – Jesse and Noah at the Hippodrome Theater 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
    • Chad Prather & The Ragamuffins, The Backyard Bar Stage and Grill, 8:30 p.m.
    • Sloppy Joe Band at The Starlite, 7 – 10 p.m.

• Sunday, 12

• • Open mic night at Lakeside Bar, 6 p.m.
  • Karaoke and Service Industry Night at Freight Bar, 7 p.m.-12 a.m.